Heys thwarted by last gasp Lower Breck equaliser

Writes Rick Barrett

A header from a corner by Tom Kinsella gave Lower Breck a dramatic 95th minute equaliser to deny Prestwich Heys victory at the Anfield Sports Community Stadium.

On a cold night, a topsy turvy game of two halves looked to be heading Heys way but the last gasp strike meant they missed out on being the first team to beat the League Leaders at their Anfield Sports Community Stadium home this season.

Heys Manager Matt Barnes named an unchanged side from the weekends 1-0 victory at home to Golcar United and went into this one in confident mood.

Lower Breck despite being top had hit a spell of patchy form with two draws and two defeats in their last four games so a close game looked on the cards despite both sides’ positions in the league table.

The first 15 minutes were fairly even with Jamie Hill shooting wide right from 20 yards and a shot from Lower Brecks Luke Duffy, shortly after, going wide of the right-hand post.

The hosts were first to strike in the 15th minute when a ball over from the left found James Colbeck whose fierce shot Heys Keeper Russ Saunders could only parry into the net to give the home side the lead.

From here on in Lower Breck took control of the game putting the visitors back four under intense pressure and they missed a great chance on 28 minutes when a ball through the middle found Stephen Milne but his shot went wide from six yards out.

Heys tried to fight back and a darting run down the right from Jamie Hill saw him put a great cross over into the six-yard box but it just evaded Reece Lyndon running into the box.

Saunders was called into action on 43 minutes tipping a free kick over the bar from 25 yards as the home side continued to dominate.

So Heys went into the break a goal down but with plenty time to turn it around and whatever team boss Matt Barnes said at the interval it most certainly did the trick as his side came flying out of the blocks on the restart.

Almost immediately midfielder Joe Rothwell, on the right, hit a 20-yard shot just wide of Lower Brecks keeper Nathan Wollands right hand post.

Suddenly the visitors increased the pace and Jamie Hill down the right and Zack Dale on the left were starting to give the home side a torrid time.

On the hour, Dale running down the middle-found Hill who's shot deflected out for a corner.

From the resulting corner the ball was floated into a crowded box where a shot from Dale was cleared off the line with the Breck back line now visibly shaken at this Heys onslaught.

The pressure finally told in the 66th minute when Dale, on the half way line, floated a lovely cross field pass from left to right to find Jamie Hill who broke down the wing and just when it looked like he was running out of room, he cut inside and squeezed a shot inside the left hand side of the post to level matters and score his first goal for the club

Heys didn't let up, a shout for handball in the penalty box soon after the equalizer was waived away by the referee and Hill again, on 75 minutes, deep on the right put another dangerous cross into the six yard box but the home side managed to clear.

Heys Nathan Emery was also getting joy down the left as the visitors maintained their phenomenal work rate.

Hill was replaced on 83 minutes by Francesco Frangillo after getting cramp in the latter stages, going off to rapturous applause from the Heys fans for his nights work.

Lower Breck tried to rally but three minutes from time Dale broke clean through rounded the keeper but somehow the ball went agonisingly wide of the post.

One started to think it may finish level but no, back came Heys again and in the 89th minute, Dale charging down the left knocked a peach of a ball deep into the box providing a tap in for the in running Reece Lyndon to put the visitors in front and net his first for the club sparking wild celebrations on the pitch and amongst the Heys fans.

The referee signalled five minutes of injury time and Heys looked comfortable until in the last of those added minutes a corner for Lower Breck was awarded on the right and with seconds remaining the ball was floated over to find the head of Kinsella who rose above the Heys back line to head firmly to Saunders right to snatch a point for the home side.

As the ball was put back on the centre circle the referee blew straight away to signal the end of this thoroughly entertaining clash and a great advert for North West Counties football

So a frustrating finish for Heys after working so hard to go 2-1 up against a talented Lower Breck side but when the dust settles on this one the visitors will look at this as a hard point earned after being dominated by the home side in the first half.

With games coming thick and fast in January and six of the starting line up only joining the club recently it was clear on the second half display that this team are starting to gel and Heys supporters have lots to look forward to over the coming weeks.

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 (for Sinnott 65 mins), Dominik Williams, Francesco Frangillo (for Hill 83 mins), Cory Knight, Greg Wills (for Vinten 45 mins)