IRLAM FC 2, MOSSLEY 3
New Mossley manager Alex Craddock made a great start as the Lilywhites won 3-2 at Irlam FC in their opening pre-season friendly.
“I am really pleased as we have only had four training sessions which were entirely about running – we had not touched a ball,” explained Craddock.
“We have kept 14 players from last season and in the first half it definitely showed with our rhythm and patterns.
“We had six trialists in the second half and it showed for the first 20 minutes as we lost our structure.”
Craddock, 34, was delighted to hit the target three times through Gee Baltazar, Gedeao Varela and Oumar Camara.
“It was really pleasing to score three goals as we only managed to do that a few times last season,” he explained.
Craddock also believes continuity is also important as he succeeds David Fish who stepped down at the end of the season after five years.
Fish’s former No 2 added: “It was massive to keep everyone I wanted to – luckily I had a good relationship with a lot of the lads.
“As a new manager, it would have been difficult to come in and find 20 lads.”
Craddock has made four signings, three of which are no strangers with former Oldham Athletic defender Jack Grundy and striker Camara returning while keeper Paul Day, who is on dual forms with Shelley, helped out last season.
The one key capture has been midfield anchor George Milner who had 10 years playing mainly in a higher division for Leek Town and Nantwich Town.
“I rang two managers who both spoke highly of George who gives us something different – bite and tenacity in the middle,” said Craddock.
Mossley could not have had a worse start as midfielder Michael Brewster limped off after sustaining a knee injury inside five minutes.
But his replacement Baltazar put the Lilywhites ahead atter 20 minutes with a well-placed header from a left-wing cross by Obua Mugalula.
Mossley introduced six trialists for the restart and were immediately pegged back when they were caught out by a long ball over their defence as Caleb Wilkinson broke and slipped the ball through the legs of the keeper before rounding him for a simple tap-in.
Soon Irlam were 2-1 ahead when Jacob Holt found the net with a bullet header from a corner.
Mossley equalised mid-half when a weak back pass from Wilkinson let in trialist Varela who rounded the keeper for the easiest of goals.
Second-half substitute Camara, back after a spell at Ramsbottom United, hit the winner with eight minutes left with a well-executed finish from a right-wing cross.
There could have been further goals in the dying stages as a Mossley trialist struck his own crossbar with a spectacular clearance and Day pulled off a fine stop in stoppage time.
Camara was also denied by a super save as Mossley almost grabbed a fourth goal at the death.