And so to Seel Park, home of Mossley AFC, The Lilywhites, for their eagerly awaited clash with much hyped Salford City, The Ammies.
Mossley AFC was formed in 1903 as Park Villa, changing their name to Mossley
Juniors and then Mossley AFC in 1909. They moved into Seel Park in 1912, which
at 850 feet above sea level is the fourth highest non-league ground in the
country.
The club were non-league giants in the 1970s, featuring in the Granada TV show
'Mossley Goes To Wembley' but overreached themselves and only avoided financial
oblivion by selling their ground to the local council, who leased it back to
them. In 2009 two floodlight pylons collapsed and the rest were condemned....
Salford was
set up in 1940 as Salford Central, becoming Salford Amateurs (hence the Ammies
nickname) in 1963 and then to City in 1989. Earlier this year they were bought
by five of the Class of 92, Butt, Scholes, Giggs and the Neville brothers - and
not surprisingly changed the club colours from tangerine to red !
Over new tram tracks, past the Crystal Methodist's Pyramid and it's off the M60 at the sign for 'Tameside tourist attractions'. Skirting Staly Vegas and passing Frisky Meadows Cats Hotel, it's into Mossley with Seel Park on a tiny side street, next to the Highland Laddie pub, alongside the Bottoms area of the town.
There's an impressive tree house in the front garden of the property next to
the ground, and a blue plaque commemorating the club inside. To the left is a
small main stand, and on the right the boardroom, Bob Murphy Suite and a bar
with balcony, from which several people sit watching the entire match.
The Park End is a covered terrace, but there is no sign of the Mossley Ultras -
just one freeloader watching from the trees. On the far side is another part
covered terrace, framed by panoramic hill views, and the top end is raised
terrace, complete with one tangerine and black SCFC flag, and an emergency exit
open into the local primary school. In the corner is a tractorway onto the
pitch and a curious brick wall, the last remnant of a building pulled down.
The image is of a ground chiselled into the hillside, an undulating pitch and
some quite glorious views. In keeping with the setting, the tannoy is no match
for the church bells that start pealing before kick off !
Mossley, in
white and black naturally, start on top and hit the bar twice early on, once
from a downward header from a corner and the other a sweetly struck free kick.
Salford, in change dark blue, cannot make head nor tail of the offside trap.
Then completely against the run of play, the Ammies' Ashley Dunn scores low
into the corner with a deflected shot from a partially cleared corner.
Salford then grow into an injury punctuated half and lead at the break. Half
time sees several youngsters take the opportunity to take selfies with Gary
Neville, there with his father, Neville Neville - brother Phil presumably on
Match of the Day duty, although he was at the midweek game at Warrington.
The second half has the Lilywhites starting well again, although there are
chances at both ends. And then Danny Webber, himself from the Class of 92 but largely
overshadowed today by his much travelled strike partner, Gareth Seddon, has his
moment in the sun. Andy Smart's clever ball holds up in the wind and Webber
pounces on it, drawing the keeper and then deftly curling it into the corner,
past three defenders on the line, for 2-0.
Salford think they have won the game and withdraw their strike force. This
backfires when they concede a daft penalty that sub Douglas Carroll confidently
sweeps home.
Hopes of a Mossley fightback come to naught however as with three minutes left
that comedy moment arrives. The Mossley keeper attempts to launch a long
clearance from by the corner flag - it goes all of 30 yards and straight to
Ammies substitute, Jamie Rother, who rolls it into an unguarded net for 3-1
finalizado to leave Salford top.
