Lights go out in Blackpool on Heys unbeaten run

Writes Rick Barrett

After getting their season back on track with five wins and a draw in their previous six games and bagging the League's 'team of the month' award for August, Prestwich Heys travelled to The Mechanics ground, home of AFC Blackpool, in confident mood.

Right from the kick-off Heys had a great chance when Jordan Pendlebury burst through the middle with only Blackpool ‘keeper Alex Cameron to beat but the young winger saw his shot saved. Unknown at the time but this was to be Heys best chance of the night

Blackpool then went straight up the other end and a ball from the left-hand side found Robbie Bromley, who shot from all of 25 yards, into the top corner giving Heys keeper Russ Saunders no chance.

The home side proceeded with confidence and dictated the play. Heys were struggling to get a foothold in the game but had a chance in the 16th minute when Brad Sixsmith fired over from the edge of the box.

A free kick floated over from the right, in the 34th minute, was Heys only other opportunity but Will Shawcross headed over.

Blackpool went in at Half time confident, winning the midfield battle, the majority of the 50/50 balls and dictating the pace, but the away side still had plenty time to put things right in the second half.

Unfortunately this wasn’t to be as by the time the small band of Heys fans had finished a half time pie they were 2-0 down with a ball over from the left finding Conah Bishop, on the right, who blasted a shot from the edge of the box to the bottom left corner of Saunders goal

Heys now had it all to do but, whilst you could not fault the effort, Blackpool were still dominating the play and things got worse on the hour. Heys defender Keiran Sherlock was dispossessed in the middle of the park and the ball was again worked right and this time it was Kayode Leyland who drilled one past Saunders in a goal not dissimilar to the previous one, giving the hosts a three-goal lead.

With Heys fans fearing the worst, from the kick-off, their side created an instant reply. The ball was worked into the box finding Brad Sixsmith (pictured) who headed past Blackpool ‘keeper Cameron from close range for 3-1 on 62 minutes.

Prestwich then tried to rally and get back in it but Blackpool’s calm disciplined approach was winning the day and so it proved on 72 minutes with a lovely worked goal for Blackpool. A defence splitting pass from the middle went down the left and as the cross came over Joe Robinson beat Russ Saunders to the ball and a looping header nestled into the back of the visitors net for 4-1

The remainder of the game saw Blackpool in control, comfortably seeing the game out and Heys misery was complete in the 89th minute when Will Shawcross took a visit to the sin bin for something said to the referee, becoming the first Heys first player to fall foul of this new rule.

And so, the final whistle blew with AFC Blackpool beating Heys for the third year in a row at the Mechanics ground, the quiet coach journey back to Prestwich leaving the travelling contingent thinking that maybe we don’t like to be beside the seaside after all.

Team: Russell Saunders, Darius Photiou, Jacob Holt, James Wolfenden, Adrian Bellamy, Kieran Sherlock, Will Shawcross, Brad Sixsmith, Haydn Foulds, Rio Wilson-Heyes, Jordan Pendlebury, Subs: Shelton Payne (for Pendlebury 61 mins), Mark Ayres, Max White (for Wolfenden 61 mins), Jacob Wood, Jamie Sinnott (for Foulds 75 mins)