A New Year and Decade offers new beginnings and there were plenty of them here. Since last taking to the field at Adie Moran Park there have been many changes, not least Matt Barnes taking over from Jon Lyons as Manager. The new boss has overhauled the squad too and there were six new faces in the matchday squad.

At times that lack of unfamiliarity was there to see, but also on view was a steely resolve to succeed which carried Heys through in what was a fiercely contested match.

New to the League, Golcar had beaten Heys 3-1 on the opening day of the season, a victory achieved on the back of an early onslaught.

The Yorkshire side looked to do the same here. In the opening ten minutes they were quicker and sharper in all areas of the pitch, Heys ‘keeper Russell Saunders having to react quickly to tip over a shot from Michael Fish.

However, Heys began to settle, Adrian Bellamy headed wide from a free kick then Brad Sixsmith warmed the hands of Golcar stopper Harry Stead with a shot.

Lively debutant Jamie Hill then fired into the side netting as Heys began to open up the visitor’s defence with some fine attacking football.
In the 19th minute a well worked corner saw Reece Lyndon step over the ball to allow Zack Dale to fire in a shot that just cleared the bar.

Heys then combined well to create space for Lyndon whose shot was saved by the outstretched leg of Stead.

The latter was in action again in the 28th minute this time tipping over a Dale shot after good play down left by Jamie Sinnott and Lyndon had opened up the Golcar defence.

Eventually the pressure told. From the ensuing corner by Emery the ball was cleared back out to the Heys full back. What happened next, only he will know if it was a cross or a shot, but whatever, the ferocity of the delivery sent the ball flying over Stead into the far top corner to give Heys the lead.

Heys might have increased their lead by the interval but for Stead who was to deny Dale at close range in the 41st minute after a dazzling run into the box had left defenders trailing in his wake.

Golcar almost levelled before half time when Ryan McKay fired across the face of goal, a warning shot that Heys still had much to do.

Indeed, the visitors came out strongly on the restart, a timely intervention by Sinnott keeping out an Adrian Igielski shot with Saunders beaten.

The momentum was with the visitors but Heys were defending stoically, limiting any real opportunities whilst looking to threaten themselves.

Golcar’s best chance came ten minutes from time when the ball was swept across the six-yard area where David Conway, unmarked, spooned over.

That proved to be their last chance. In a tense and ferocious last ten minutes, Heys might have increased their lead, Joe Rothwell saw a shot deflected wide before, in injury time, Greg Wills broke free only to see Stead push his shot round the post.

The points though were Heys, and the new boys were able to celebrate in front of the home fans for the first time.

TEAM: Russell Saunders, Jamie Sinnott, Nathan Emery, Daniel Vinten, Adrian Bellamy, Jacob Holt (Capt), Zack Dale, Joe Rothwell, Reece Lyndon, Brad Sixsmith, Jamie Hill Subs; Oliver Hatfield Banton, Alfie Belcher, Dominik Williams (for Sinnott 77 mins) , Francesco Frangillo (for Hill 83 mins), Greg Wills (for Vinten (64 mins)