MOSSLEY 1 TRAFFORD 4

TRAFFORD produced their finest performance of the season on Saturday to record an emphatic 4-1 Evo-Stik First Division North victory at Mossley.

The game started at a furious pace with Kingsley Williams firing straight at home keeper Liam Flynn in the first minute and Mossley striker Mike Fish heading across the face of goal two minutes later.

Trafford skipper Josh Granite then went close with a header following a Liam Brownhill free kick and the league’s leading goalscorer Aaron Burns squandered a great chance when he shot wide of the far post after cutting through on the right.

A Lee Neville header was cleared off the line in the 19th minute as Trafford dominated and they deservedly forged ahead three minutes later when Neville struck a great curling angled drive inside the far post from 20 yards.

Mossley keeper Flynn was fortunate on two occasions as half time approached, mis-kicking a clearance to Neville who shot wide and then inexplicably throwing the ball out to Filose Irakoze who saw his shot deflected past the upright.

The opening minutes of the second half saw Mossley apply pressure on the Trafford defence for the first time in the game and in the 52nd minute they levelled when left winger Tom Pratt struck a magnificent volley from 25 yards into the top corner past a despairing Luke Pilling.

Pilling then held a Dave Short free kick at full stretch before, on the hour mark, Ally Brown released Burns who lifted the ball just over the bar.

Trafford were now back in control with Williams and Luke Horrocks controlling the midfield and in the 63rd minute they regained the lead when a superb diagonal pass by Brownhill was volleyed first time by Neville into the path of Craig Robinson who rifled a great drive into the bottom corner from 15 yards.

And in the 75th minute it was three as Williams cut in down the right and cracked a great low drive that Flynn failed to hold and Burns pounced to net his 12th goal of the season.

The game was as good as over as Trafford maintained possession with ease and in the dying seconds Burns struck again when he headed in at the back post following a Brownhill corner and flick-on by Robinson.

The 4-1 score-line was just reward for an excellent all-round performance by Tom Baker’s side who now go into Saturday's FA Trophy tie at Bamber Bridge with renewed confidence.

Then, on Tuesday night, Trafford return to league action with a home fixture against Prescot Town, kick off 7.45pm.