Prescot Cables 2 Mossley 2

CABLES staged a splendid recovery after going 2-0 down against formidable Mossley on a rain-soaked Hoghton Road pitch (writes BERT TAYLOR).

Congratulations are due to Steven Gould on becoming a two-goal hero, and to fellow 19-year-old goalkeeper Greg Price on his crucial saves - one in each half - which obviously made all the difference to the result.

Yet, really speaking, this was a titanic contest from which both sides gained plenty of credit. To my mind, nothing could have been fairer than a draw result.

Indeed, the Mossley/Prescot clashes have become thrilling classics since the two well-established former Cheshire County League clubs made a re-aquaintance in the North West Counties last season. In four meetings, the clubs have each won one and drawn two.

From the way Mossley started last Saturday's game it was obvious the home defeat inflicted by Prescot on August 31 was still very much on their minds.

Tim Craime provided them with a stimulus by scoring from Bernie Hughes' neat, short side-pass in the 19th minute.

But, apart from a close-range shot which Price did well to push out of the goalmouth, the rest of the first half featured good retaliation attempts by the hosts.

Peter Cumiskey had a cross from the right cleared from near the goal, Tom Barry's attempt to lob the 'keeper just failed, and Simon Hughes had a goalworthy strong shot tipped over the bar by keeper Rod Bates.

However, Prescot took another setback just after the break, the vociferous visiting supporters being in raptures as Bernie Hughes struck their second goal.

Then the course of the play changed sensationally with livewire Cables sparking reprisal goals in the 50th and 59th minutes.

Paul Hilditch and Cumiskey linked in a move down the right flank before the ball was pushed forward for Gould to head in from the far post.

Then it was the home supporters' turn to cheer vociferously when Gould was again in the right spot to steer home a terrific equaliser from a rebound, this being his third goal within a week.

Hopefully, the Arthur McCumiskey men will be in good form again this Saturday when promoted Vauxhall GM visit Hoghton Road.

The excitement continued up to the final whistle with both contestants getting close to winning. Simon Hughes thrilled with another tremendous piledriver, and, with only seconds to go, Price denied the opposition with a miraculous save when a close-range shot by Andy Baines looked certain to count.

Surely, this was non-league football at its best.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.