A goal in each half was enough to secure an eighth successive victory for the Ro, a win which moved them to within one point of Lower Break at the top of the table.
Manager Grant Shenton named an unchanged starting eleven from the side which had triumphed at Trafford on Boxing Day, and it was Jack Morrow who initially came closest to breaking the deadlock with a 25 yard effort which was well saved.
However, the home fans did not have to wait too much longer for the opening goal of the encounter. A high, hanging free kick from Adam Owen allowed Ryley Smith to get his head to the ball just ahead of Mossley keeper Fin Madigan, and that was enough to put his side in front.
That was pretty much the end of the goalmouth action for the first half, with the only other moment of danger for either defence coming when Smith fired a low cross from the left across the six yard box which no one in blue could convert
However, within two minutes of the restart, the home side had doubled their lead. Smith had already hit the outside of the post before Harry Salt and Kyle Hawley exchanged passes, allowing the latter to rifle a low show into the bottom left hand corner of the net to reach 20 goals for the season.
Smith and Salt both had chances to add to the lead soon afterwards, but Madigan saved well on each occasion. The visitors had just one effort of note on target all afternoon, but it took a brilliant save from Cam Mason low to his left to keep out a shot from Obua Mugalula which would have halved the deficit with more than a quarter of the match still to play.
Mossley kept pushing until the final whistle without ever seriously threatening to get back into the game, and the Ro duly capitalised on the league leaders’ 1-1 draw with Bootle two days previously.
Lineups:
Avro – Mason, Warburton, Owen, Smalley, Fitzpatrick, Morrow, Davidson (Rodrigues 65), Hickman, Hawley, Salt (Ehimamiegho 77), Smith (Bell 82)
Subs not Used – Thiam, Maphosa
Mossley – Madigan, Marrow, Wheeler, Lees, Grundy, Kardacz, Baltazar, (Alston 53), Stringer (Kgwakgwa 55 (Hughes 68)), Webb-Foster (Marsh 87), Berks (Armstrong 53), Mugalula.
