Sinnott seals Heys victory

A 90th minute Jamie Sinnott goal sealed a 3-1 victory for Heys over Garstang at a muddy Adie Moran Park.

The game was in doubt right up to kick off as heavy rain and hail in the hour leading up to the start threatened to bring a late postponement.

However, great credit must go to Referee Ainsley Sawicz who supported both clubs in their desire to get the game played, a decision which was vindicated as the teams produced a hard fought and entertaining game.

It was the visitors who started the stronger to put early pressure on Heys culminating in their taking a 3rd minute lead. After three successive corners, one of which came off the post, the ball broke on the edge of the area to Simon Maddox who delivered a fine low finish into the bottom corner.

However, Heys responded quickly, levelling four minutes later. Heys worked the ball well from the left into Will Shawcross whose 20-yard shot was parried by Garstang ‘keeper William Kitchen, into the path of the incoming Zack Dale, who lifted the ball over the grounded stopper into the net.

Both sides were making light of the conditions with some good attacking football. Garstang were next to threaten in the 14th minute. From a corner, the ball was moved to the edge of area for Andrew Murphy who fired a shot against the post.

Two minutes later the woodwork was rattling again, albeit at the other end of the pitch as a Dale corner was driven to the edge of the box for Adrian Bellamy whose shot cannoned against the bar.

Indeed, Heys were emerging the stronger side at this point. A great cross field move culminated in Shawcross putting an astute pass in behind the defence to Dale, whose shot was smothered by Kitchen.

Shawcross then shot wide before on the half hour Jamie Hill delivered a super pass through the heart of the Garstang defence, releasing Joe Rothwell whose shot was saved by Kitchen with his legs.

Heys persistence was rewarded in the 40th minute as they took the lead. A Shawcross corner picked out Captain Jacob Holt whose scored with a close-range header.

Garstang hit back and almost levelled on the stroke of half time though Jacob Salisbury whose super shot on the turn was pushed round the post by Heys keeper Adam Stevens.

The visitors picked up that momentum on the restart and ought to have levelled in the 51st minute when from a far post corner, the unmarked Salisbury spooned a shot over.

On an increasingly heavy pitch, with more rain falling, it was Garstang who were adapting the better, with Heys unable to establish any forward momentum.

The hosts were almost undone in the 66th minute when a ball in behind saw Alan Coar break but with Stevens advancing, he hit his shot against the post.

Heys introduced fresh legs in Sinnott and Oliver Hatfield Banton and began to establish more of a foothold in proceedings.
Nathan Emery saw a free kick pushed to safety by Kitchen who then dropped sharply to hold a low shot from Dale.

With the game increasingly stretched any outcome seemed possible, with the visitors pushing forward Salisbury fired over from the edge of the area.

However, in pressing forward Garstang were open for the counter and in the 90th it was such a breakaway that settled the contest.
Heys broke through Sinnott on half way, who ploughed through the mud to the edge of the area, where with options right and left, he opted to shoot and saw his shot deflect off a defender, over the keeper and into the bottom corner to break his goal scoring duck, seal victory and spark wild celebrations.

TEAM: Adam Stevens, Daniel Vinten, Nathan Emery, Greg Wills, Adrian Bellamy, Jacob Holt (Captain), Zack Dale, Joe Rothwell, James Dwyer, Will Shawcross, Jamie Hill Subs: Dominik Williams, Rees Welch (for Dale 83 mins), Jamie Sinnott (for Dwyer 69 mins), Logan Holroyd, Oliver Hatfield-Banton (for Rothwell 60 mins)