TRAFFORD'S Darius Palma netted a late winner as Tom Baker's side dug deep to beat Ossett United Home Estates Shawe View Stadium on Saturday.

Anyone who was anticipating an easy ride for Trafford in the BetVictor North West Division were disappointed as the Yorkshire visitors, under the joint management of interim managers, belied their lowly league placing.

It was Ossett who made the most of the few first-half chances, the best of which fell to Tom Greaves on 37 minutes.

He collected the ball on the left wing, cut inside on to his right foot and stung the hands of Matt Cooper, who parried the ball for a corner.

Trafford had a chance at the end of the first half when Oli Roberts swung in a dangerous free kick, but it was scrambled away for a corner.

Ossett came out for the second half with intent and were quickly back in their stride and causing problems in the home penalty area.

Marko Basic squandered a great opportunity in the 56th minute when he shot over after careless play in the Trafford midfield and Nicholas Guest should have opened the scoring a minute later when he took a lovely pass in his stride and out-muscled Joel Amado, but his shot was brilliantly saved by the brave Cooper diving low to thwart the onrushing attacker.

This seemed to wake the men in white and Lewis Salmon, back on loan after signing a contract with Altrincham, was brought down on the edge of the box after good work on the right.

Up stepped Palma but his free kick was tipped onto the bar and away for a corner.

Disaster struck in the 66th minute when Salmon received a second yellow and headed for an early bath.

While claiming for a foul on himself, the referee waved away the young striker’s claims and harshly decided that Salmon had lunged out at the Ossett defender.

The visitors sensed victory was on and a dangerous corner was fired over to the back post in the 74th minute but Dylan Cogill could only watch as his powerful header struck the base of the post and the ensuing scramble saw a shot flash past the opposite upright.

It was, however, the hosts who took advantage, against the run of play when a quick break saw Palma beat the offside trap, sprinting down the right.

He cut back inside the back-tracking defender and unleashed a shot from the edge of the box, which looped over the stranded Brett Souter, aided by a cruel deflection.

The goal seemed to take the wind out of Ossett’s sails and Trafford held on, helped by the late dismissal of visiting full-back Corey Gregory, again for a second yellow.

Trafford’s next home league game is against Pickering Town on Saturday, November 23, kick off 3pm.

Before that, they travel to Brighouse Town on Saturday.