Heys returned to League action on Tuesday night and followed up their weekend Cup success with a deserved 2-0 win over Atherton LR at Adie Moran Park.

The visitors came into the game sitting fourth in the NW Counties Premier Division table having won six of their eight games and were nine points in front of Heys.

Even at this early stage of the season it felt like a game Heys couldn’t afford to lose and in truth they rarely looked like doing so.

In a tight first half it was Heys who started the better with Louis Holt testing the keeper with an attempted lob from long range.

Holt went close again with a header in the 17th minute before Toby Green fired a shot wide shortly afterwards.

It wasn’t until the 35th minute that LR had a chance of note but Heys keeper Jack Buckley saved comfortably. It was however a prelude to a stronger finish to the half from the visitors.

However, it was Heys who were quickly out of the blocks on the restart with Bryson Appleton forcing an early save from LR keeper James Aspinall.

In the 57th minute a bout of pinball in the visitors box saw Lewis Ayres and then Holt both fail to make full connection.

Atherton responded with a good little spell themselves but the Heys defence held firm and they sprang forward to take the lead in the 73rd minute.

Dre Taylor was the creator with a great ball over the top to pick out Liam Cuthbert (pictured), who took the ball in his stride, before firing a fierce shot high into the roof of the net.

Bouyed by this Heys pressed forward again and doubled their lead in the 78th minute. Great work by Abdul Djalo saw him pick out Ayres, whose shot came off the post, but Holt was on hand to force the ball home from the rebound.

The visitors attempted to get back into it in the closing stages but Heys comfortably saw the game out to collect a big three points.

Heys have no game this weekend as their scheduled opponents Trafford are in the FA Cup. Ryan Hutchinson’s next match is on October 10th at Charnock Richard in the FA Vase.

Full report to follow