BORO exited their second cup competition of the season, but it took their east Manchester hosts 119 minutes to find the net.
With a minute remaining of extra time, former Ramsbottom United man Matt Kay stooped to head home Karl Brown’s corner.
Up until then, the tie looked certain to be going to penalties with chances going begging at both ends and defenders of both sides winning their individual battles.
The Seel Park men had just cause to feel aggrieved they were not leading at half time after creating the lion’s share of opportunities.
Kay’s 13th-minute shot was deflected wide of Stockport County loan keeper Lloyd Rigby’s goal and Andy Watson should have done better with a towering header from close range a minute later.
Mossley’s Ben Richardson was the supply line on the right flank for almost everything dangerous the hosts had to offer until he was stretchered off just after the interval following a clash with Boro central defender Bee Ami.
Richardson should have scored on 17 minutes, but he planted his far-post header just wide while, at the other end, Andy Barlow headed over with Boro’s first meaningful chance a minute later.
Dan Egan should have put the hosts ahead seconds after that, but he crashed his header from Richardson’s cross against the top of Rigby’s bar.
The closest Boro came to scoring was when captain Mark Jones blast from close range after Eddie Stanford had fed the ball in the from a corner, but Peter Collinge in the Mossley goal made a fine block.
When Kay volleyed over the bar on the half-hour, it looked like it was going to be one of those nights when nothing would fall for an attacking player.
And so it proved throughout the second half as football gave way to frustration with chance after chance going begging.
This was emphasised when Egan was given a straight red for abusing the referee.
Mossley substitute Steve Settle could have won it for his side in the second period of extra time, but substitute goalkeeper Joe Brobbin — on for Rigby who was suffering an upset stomach — made two excellent saves.
When the excellent Boro centre back Shaun Connor was dismissed deep into the second half of extra time for a second bookable, it turned the game into 10-a-side contest and created the opening from which Mossley were able to progress. Connor had been defending manfully with Ami and full-backs Alastair Brown and Stephen Hill, but Kay exploited the hole in the defence late on to prevent the tie going to penalties.
Borough’s director of football Gerry Luczka will be hoping for a different outcome on Saturday when his men visit Division One North rivals Warrington Town for a more important mission — the second qualifying round of the FA Cup which could mean a much-needed cash for the club’s coffers.
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