Two penalties from Mossley captain Declan Evans and a Jack Banister strike sent the Lillywhites closer to the play-off’s denting Marine’s title hopes in the process.
A quickfire two-minute salvo saw Evans convert his second spot-kick before Banister raced through scoring just his third of the season.
The slump for Marine saw them slip to third whilst David Fish’s side moved four points off of the play-off positions.
It took just eight minutes for the visitors to open the scoring as the Mossley skipper sent debutant Aidan Dowling the wrong way.
The Mariners’ sluggish start to games continued but falling a goal behind sprung them into life with Neil Kengni looking to drive his side forward.
Two of the best chances in the first half fell to the hosts with captain Niall Cummins seeing two quickfire efforts saved from close range after a loose ball was hoisted back into the danger zone.
A mistake from Devon Matthews presented an opportunity, Cummins slide to Kengni, who cut inside, only to see his left-footed effort pushed round the post by Tom Scott.
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By the 48th-minute on Saturday, they found themselves behind to Warrington Rylands but Marine looked to restore parity early on.
They failed to really test Scott in the visiting goal with their best opportunity coming after Kengni’s venomous volley was tipped over by the shot-stopper.
Shortly before the hour mark, hesitancy in the Marine half allowed for Antony Brown to capitalise only to be brought down by the Blackburn loanee.
Despite guessing the right way this time, Dowling couldn’t keep it out as Evans’ effort from 12 yards had too much behind it.
Two minutes later, Banister added in the third against a shell-shocked and bewildered Marine side.
That seemed to be that for the clash with the visitors looking likelier to add a fourth than the hosts pulling one back, Banister’s effort deflected wide before Matthews’ header from a long-throw bounced agonisingly wide.
For Marine, it was a third straight home defeat as they continue to be drained of confidence and creativity. The returning Steve Irwin has added an injection of energy but his first 90 minutes since marking his comeback showed and by the time he tired, the game was long gone.
It’s two in two for the Greater Manchester side and now they’re breathing down the necks of Runcorn Linnets – who sit in the final play-off spot.
Match Info
Marine 0-3 Mossley
Scorers: 8′ Evans (pen), 59′ Evans (pen), 61′ Banister.
Bookings: 54′ Irwin, 57′ Richardson, 87′ George Newell.
HT/FT Score: 0-0/0-3.
