Amateur League: Weekend review

Delighted manager Garry Campbell said: “We were very good - we needed to be, as Shorts aren’t a bad side, and it’s going to be tough at their place. But it was a deserved three points for us and we were good value for it!”

The on-form Lee Graham set Mossley on their way with two first-half goals. Mossley tightened their grip after the changearound thanks to defender Kyle Harper’s third goal in the past four games, before adding the cherry to the cake when Fletcher notched a fourth.

Alan Jamison did pull one back for Shorts 15 minutes from time, and Mossley’s comfort zone might have been disturbed had the same player not been denied by the frame of the goal shortly afterwards – thankfully the damage was already done.

Down the road, Nortel, slipped back into the drop zone after a 3-0 defeat by Kilmore Rec, the side who had replaced them at the Premier Division basement.

Nortel had slightly the better of things until a defensive misunderstanding gave Kilmore a 41st-minute lead. After the interval, Lee McCartney’s side were again caught off guard at the back, and they had thrown caution to the wind by the time Rec nabbed a third late on.

As McCartney concluded: “Kilmore took their chances, we didn’t. We were missing a few players, but we have a big enough squad to deal with it. Only our second home league game but some of the players just didn’t turn up!”

In 1a, Barn had to settle for a point in the second of their head to heads with Orangefield OB. United’s marksmen were Matt McDonald (2 – 1 penalty) and Gary McKee.

Elsewhere, Islandmagee suffered a 1-0 defeat at Drumaness Mills in the Premier Division, while UUJ were 4-2 winners at Portaferry Rovers in Division 1B.

In the Irish Cup, Wellington saw off Rosario at Brookvale, thanks to Stuart Hilditch and an own goal, though the Tech were beaten 5-4 on penalties by Oxford United Stars after it ended 2-2 at the end of extra-time. Lee Thompson and Dylan Monaghan got Tech’s goals.

In Kilkeel, Rathfern lost 3-1 to Valley Rangers: Gary Orr was their marksman. 18th Newtownabbey also exited the competition, losing 3-1 at home to Abbey Villa.