A disastrous last 25 minutes for Newcastle Town saw them slump to a disappointing 5-1 defeat at home to Mossley, which puts them in the bottom four of the Northern Premier League West table with just three games to play.
Former Port Vale youngster Eden Bailey had put Mossley 1-0 up in the opening exchanges of the game before James Askey equalised just after the halftime break. However, Mossley restored their lead through a Mason Fawns penalty and, from there Newcastle just collapsed as Bailey got his second goal of the afternoon before Jack Bannister and Nicky Clee completed the thumping win for the Lilywhites.
Bailey impressed in Mossley’s draw at Leek Town a couple of weeks ago and, even on loan at Hanley Town recently, so it was no surprise that the forward got the game’s opening goal just two minutes into the tie. Some quick thinking from the forward saw him pounce on a poor back pass from Luke Dennis and he was able to guide the ball past the onrushing Joe Slinn.
Despite being behind, it was Newcastle who were playing the better football. Young forward Patryk Mazurkiewicz probably had Newcastle’s best two chances of the first half. The first saw him put a header just wide of the goal from a Nathan Morley cross. His second saw him break forward and his shot was blocked by Mossley goalkeeper Thomas Watson. The rebound fell to the young forward but, that was also blocked.
Meanwhile, Askey showed why he is captain of Newcastle Town as he led the defensive line extremely well as the side from Greater Manchester were limited to just a couple of chances that were straight at Slinn. He also went forward for every set piece to cause havoc in the Mossley penalty area and, it almost worked midway through the first half when he put a header just wide of the goal.
He was also to set up Ollie Ritchie for a good chance on 28 minutes when he flicked a corner into the path of the winger just outside the area but, Ritchie was to put his volley straight at Watson.
As the two teams headed into the changing rooms at the half-time break no one could foresee what was to come in the second half as we were to witness five goals and, a Newcastle Town defence that simply fell to pieces.
The first of those five goals actually did go Newcastle’s way as they pulled level on 50 minutes when Jack Derbyshire did very well to keep a corner kick in play at the back post. He was able to hook the ball back into the area where it found Askey who got in front of Watson to head it home for his seventh goal of the season.
However, there is an old adage in football that says, ‘You’re at your most vulnerable when you have just scored’ and, that was the case for Newcastle as they fell behind just four minutes later when Mike Conlon handled the ball in the area. To be fair it was a good spot by the referee as not many of the 241 fans inside the Red Industries Stadium had seen the incident and, were bemused as to why he had given it. Mossley’s Mason Fawns was not complaining and, the forward sent Slinn the wrong way to restore Mossley’s lead.
The only word that you could use to describe Newcastle’s performance following the penalty was- complete capitulation. They were simply carved open by the Mossley attack every time they went forward and, had they performed like that from the off then the visitors would have been running up a cricket score at the Red Industries Stadium.
Banister got in on the act of scoring on 66 minutes when Bailey turned provider as he got down the left-hand side of the Newcastle defence before seeing his cross palmed away by Slinn. However, the goalkeeper’s touch was not strong enough as it fell straight into the path of Banister, and it was an easy tap-in for the former Widnes man.
Just three minutes later Mossley were 4-1 up as Bailey grabbed his second goal of the afternoon. This time he raced away from the Newcastle defence who were sat on the halfway line and, as he closed in on goal there was only going to be one outcome and that was a fourth goal for the visitors.
That was Bailey’s final real involvement in the game as he was brought off for Oumar Camara with just over 10 minutes to go and, to be honest, if I was having to pick a man of the match then there would be only one winner and that was the man on loan from Altrincham. The forward was involved in three of the four Mossley goals scored while he was on the pitch but, away from that he was chasing down every loose ball possible as well as hassling the Newcastle defenders when they had the ball. If he continues to play every game like that, then the youngster will enjoy a decent career in football.
The game’s final goal came with 13 minutes to go as a foul from Conlon on the far side allowed Mossley the chance to whip in a dangerous ball. However, Bailey Marsden elected to play it short to Clee, whose shot from the edge of the area flew through a crowd of bodies and, past Slinn who had no chance of saving the strike.
It was a disappointing result for Castle having played reasonably well for 60 minutes but, failed to take their chances and that is what cost them alongside the defensive frailties. There is no getting away from the fact it is now 15 goals conceded by Newcastle in their last three outings, something they need to put right in the remaining games of the season, starting with the derby at Leek Town on Monday.
Newcastle Town: Slinn, Conlon (Holden, 85), Derbyshire, Askey, Dennis, Ritchie (Lovatt, 69), J.Van Der Laan, Mazurkiewicz (Chimenes, 85), Lloyd and Morley.
Unused sub: Stubbs
Mossley: Watson, Shepherd, Clee, Butterworth, Dickin, Hartshorne (Grundy, 55), Hickman (Marsden, 46), Payne, Bailey (Camara, 77), Fawns and Banister.
unused subs: Miranda and Keogh.
Attendance: 241
