By Ethan Hoijord
Photo by Marc Gibbs
Vauxhall Motors progressed through to the next round of The Isuzu FA Trophy on Saturday afternoon as they returned from Mossley with a 2-0 victory.
The Motormen had been without a game since late August’s Bank Holiday Monday, where they claimed their first win of the season at The VanEupen Arena, due to scheduled league opponents Kidsgrove being in FA Cup action.
The period of rest arguably came at the right time as there was evident excitement to being back on the pitch at Seel Park.
However, it was the hosts that started well and quickly before they had a man sent off with twenty minutes of the game played. The referee deemed Grundy to have fouled Joe Brandon as the last man, as the visitors were on the attack.
One man up, Vauxhall started to apply more pressure in the heat as crosses were claimed or put behind for a set piece by the Mossley keeper, Thomson.
Just before the break, Michael Burkey did well inside the box but his effort was saved.
Excellent movement from forward Joe Brandon brought a bright spark to the second half’s early stages as he saw his shot saved brilliantly by Thomson before finding Conor Harwood on the edge of the area who failed to keep his shot down.
A quick one-two was to follow though as Burkey opened the scoring with a hard and low volley following a good header by defender Adam Hughes before Harwood’s superb glancing header doubled his side’s lead.
It was a well deserved victory for The Motormen as a dominant performance ended in a two-nil win, with Stocksbridge Park Steels visiting the VanEupen Arena in the next round, but all attention for now will be turned towards next Saturday’s fixture against Bootle.
Mossley AFC, managed by David Fish: Thompson, Grundy, Clee, Leigh, Dickin, Barlow, Hickman, Keogh, Bailey, Lees, Banister. SUBS: Sherratt, Madigan, Mulvey, Killick, Camara, Marsden.
Mossley AFC Substitutions: Banister off for Sherratt, Lees off for Marsden, Sherratt off for Mulvey.
Vauxhall Motors, managed by Mick McGraa: Sam Booth, Bobby Beaumont (73’), Ethan Gouldbourne, Sam Hughes, Adam Hughes, Ben Dufton-Kelly (80’), Michael Burkey (75’), Stephen Rigby, Conor Harwood, Ben Holmes, Joe Brandon. SUBS: Sean Moscrop, Jordan Wynne, Tom Mitchell (80’), Lewis Buckley (75’), Jordan Deer (73’).