A HAT-TRICK from Mossley striker Bradley Wosahlo condemned Clitheroe to their third defeat of the season and left the Blues still searching for their first victory of the campaign.

The Blues had six first teamers out with injury or other commitments -- and lost midfielder Carl Greenwood to a calf strain at half time.

But the NWCL First Division side welcomed back influential midfielder Neil Reynolds who has returned to the club after just four games at UniBond First Division side Kendal Town.

Mossley were the visitors to Shawbridge last night but gave away an early goal and from then it was an uphill struggle.

"You can't give away a goal after four minutes," said manager Dave Burgess. "It was the same against Kidsgrove; we were 1-0 down before we'd even started."

Mossley striker Wasahlo -- who confused the crowd by wearing the number nine shirt, when he should have been wearing number 10, and then swapping back to the number nine shirt at half-time -- scored on four and 22 minutes before Richard Fogarty pulled one back for Clitheroe 10 minutes into the second half.

And as the Blues went to a 3-4-3 formation in the closing stages, Wasahlo grabbed his hat-trick on the break five minutes from time.

"We seem to be playing with a bit of an edge to us that wasn't there last season," said Burgess. "I think it may be that our expectations are that much higher this season.

"We are trying too hard. We want to do so well it is giving us that edge we didn't have before. We used to be a happy-go-lucky side and if we won, we won.

"We seem to be lacking a little bit of confidence."

Clitheroe were without Andy Cowking (Achilles), Stuart Todhunter (hamstring), Jason Jones and Mark Stewart (suspended), Adam Gardner (ribs) and Neil Spencer (work).

RESULT: CLITHEROE...1 MOSSLEY...3