An injury time goal from Josh Tinker was enough to secure a 2-0 win for Prestwich Heys in the First Qualifying round of the Isuzu FA Vase at the Creative Hut Stadium, home of Midland League side 1874 Northwich on Saturday.

Heys came into this one having not played for eight days, since a 2-0 defeat to Atherton Collieries in the FA Cup, and they gave debuts to former Maine Road forward JJ Kirongozi and former Blackpool full back, Luke Findlow.

It was Heys who were first to show with Dre Taylor firing over in the second minute as Northwich suffered early injury woe with centre half Matt Woolley limping off, replaced by Alfie Foy.

Chances were hard to come by with both teams trying to get the upper hand on a very dry, bobbling pitch and it was the visitors getting to grips with it more, new man Kirongozi firing over the bar on thirty one minutes and a great break from Mo Doro, shortly after, found Rob Worrall, twelve yards out, but his shot was blocked.

Mike Hayes did have the ball in the net for Northwich on the stroke of half time, but it was ruled out for offside bringing an end to an uneventful first half but one sensed if Prestwich could press a little more then this game was more than winnable.

Sure enough, a refreshed Heys came flying out of the blocks and were in front almost immediately after the break, It was great work at first by Bryson Appleton who advanced to find Doro through the middle and he slid his shot past the advancing Jack Atkinson, in the Northwich goal, to put the visitors in front.

Heys were now in the ascendancy, Kirongozi bringing a great save from Atkinson shortly after the goal and Doro should have added to his tally on fifty-eight minutes. bringing another save from Atkinson after great work by Kirongozi.

It was Heys making all the running, having upped the pace and intensity in this second half with Northwich battling hard but having no real answers. Safe to say Prestwich keeper Lee White was having a quiet afternoon indeed and it was the eighty first minute before he had his first real save to make from a shot on the left.

Heys manager Ryan Hutchinson freshened things up with some substitutes including Takura Sambizi and Connor Martin who got straight into the action.

Appleton continued to cause issues down the right and on eighty-five minutes put a ball across which Martin flicked on to Sambizi, but he just couldn't get on the end of it.

Juust after, Sambizi had a great chance to finish the game in style firing wide from six yards after a great through ball from Appleton.

Heys were not done though and in the first minute of injury time it was another sub, Josh Tinker, who made space for himself down the right, before cutting inside and firing a shot, bottom left, past Atkinson to put the icing on the cake for the visitors.

So, a good day at the office for Heys who were full value for this win and it was very encouraging to see a higher level of pace and intensity in the second half. Once the first goal went in they never looked back and are rewarded with a trip to Doncaster City in the next round, on the weekend of 19th September.

TEAM: Lee White, David Badrock, Luke Findlow, James Badrock, Jack Taylor, Owen Percival, Bryson Appleton, Robert Worrall, Mworina Doro, Nicholas Dre Taylor, Jean-Jacques Kirongozi Subs: Luke Byron (for Percival 64 mins), Louie Hutchinson (for J. Taylor 89 mins), Takura Sambizi (for Kirongozi 71 mins), Joshua Tinker (for N. Taylor 79 mins), Connor Martin (for Doro 71 mins)

Rick Barrett has his own Heys blog "View from a Sandgate Bridge" here https://rickbarrett753.wixsite.com/website-2