DONCASTER CITY 1 PRESTWICH HEYS 4 (played at Heys)
SATURDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER 2025 IZUSU FA VASE 2ND QUALIFYING ROUND ATT: 96

Report by Paul Thomason
Pictures by Bethany Lee

Prestwich Heys booked their place in the First Round of the Isuzu FA Vase with a convincing 4-1 victory over Doncaster City in relentless rain at Adie Moran Park.

Three first-half goals effectively sealed the contest by the interval as Heys avoided a potential banana skin against their Step six opponents.

Although officially drawn as the away side – the tie was switched due to Doncaster’s ground being unavailable – Heys wasted no time asserting themselves. With less than a minute played, Alfie Belcher picked up the ball 25 yards from goal and drove a low strike into the bottom corner. The City goalkeeper may have felt he could have done better, but for Heys, the perfect start was all that mattered.

Barely a minute later, Mo Doro almost doubled the lead, bursting into the box from the left before flashing a shot just wide of the far post. Doncaster responded with a spell of pressure and came close on thirteen minutes, only for Luke Findlow – making his first appearance at centre-half – to block bravely with his legs.

That warning aside, Heys soon took control. Bryson Appleton tested the keeper after a lively run, before Belcher twice went close to a second, one effort flying over and another being tipped away. The pressure eventually told on 22 minutes when a patient move ended with Rob Worrall drilling a low finish into the far corner for Heys second goal.

Belcher then grabbed his second three minutes before the break, finishing confidently from Connor Martin’s lay-off, after a superb passing move, to leave Heys in total command at 3-0.

The second half began as the first had, with Heys striking inside the opening minute. A low ball into the box fell kindly for Martin, who made no mistake from close range to continue his prolific start to the season – eight goals in seven games, already surpassing last season’s top scorer.

Martin almost had another just before the hour mark, breaking through the middle before bending a shot inches wide.

With the game all but settled, Heys managed proceedings sensibly, making changes with Tuesday night in mind.

Doncaster did pull a goal back on 76 minutes when Ben Dyer burst through and finished well past Lee White, but it was little more than a consolation. Doro had one last chance late on, only to see his shot deflected wide, as Heys saw out the game comfortably despite the downpour.

The rain never let up, but the Adie Moran Park pitch held firm – and so did Heys, who marched into the FA Vase First Round Proper after falling at the qualifying stages in the past two seasons.

TEAM: Lee White, Luke Byron, Louie Hutchinson, James Badrock (Capt.), Luke Findlow, Nicholas Dre Taylor, Bryson Appleton, Rob Worrall, Connor Martin, Alfie Belcher, Mworina Doro Subs: Josh Tinker (for Findlow 70 mins), Takura Sambizi (for Martin 70 mins), Owen Percival (for Taylor 52 mins), Lucas Bancroft (for Worrall 60 mins), Reece Lascelles-Higgins (for Byron 60 mins)