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Ally targets City slickers

30/12/2002

SOCCER: Title-chasing Mossley warmed up for their crunch weekend showdown with Salford City in spectacular fashion with a 5-0 away drubbing of poor Winsford United.

The Barton Stadium outfit were sunk largely thanks to another double from former Nationwide League star Tony Ellis. Lilywhites' boss Ally Pickering now has a squad brimming with confidence ahead of Saturday's North West Counties league match of the day.

Pickering said after the Winsford victory: "We're firing on all cylinders right now, there's a great atmosphere among the lads and everyone is buzzing ahead of the Salford game.

"We could have scored 10 or even 12 goals against Winsford, we went for them right from the off and they had no answer.

"We know that the Salford game is going to be very important in the larger scheme of things, and to get a result like this is perfect preparation.

"The lads will be in for training during the week and on boxing day morning before the Glossop game - we don't want to slip up in such a big league game."

With just the one promotion place into the UniBond league on offer for the NWCFL champions, Prescot Cables are currently well clear of second-placed Salford but have played more games than all of their nearest rivals.

Mossley are in fifth place, having played five games fewer than Prescot, and are 20 points behind the Merseysiders.

The Lilywhites are just four points behind Salford with two games in hand.

After hot-shot Ellis had scored a brace either side of the half-hour mark at Winsford, Mark Bradshaw handed Mossley a three-goal advantage by half time. Russell Headley and Rob Matthews completed the rout after the break.

Mossley have already won at Salford once this season, in the FA Vase, and on Saturday will have a near full-strength squad available to choose from.

Pickering's only injury worry still surrounds long-term absentee Ricky Harris. He will be back in action in around two weeks.

Other scores from December 21:
Ashton United 3 Frickley Athletic 2, Droylsden 0 Gateshead 2.