SOUTH LIVERPOOL 2 PRESTWICH HEYS 2

EMIRATES FA CUP FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND SATURDAY 5TH SEPTEMEBER 2026 ATT:189

Report by Rick Barrett
Pictures by Bethany Lee

Ellis Richardson was the hero of the hour with a dramatic injury time equaliser for Prestwich Heys in the first qualifying round of the Emirates FA Cup against South Liverpool at Jericho Lane on Saturday, resulting in a 2-2 draw.

Both teams came into this one looking for improvement having suffered defeats in the week, Heys in a 1-0 loss at Ramsbottom United and South Liverpool losing at home to Litherland by the same scoreline, so it was all to play for in what was to turn out to be a pulsating cup tie.

It was a tight start to the game with the only early chance going to Heys in the seventh minute, a Toby Green free kick hitting the wall from eighteen yards.

It was in the twenty forth minute when the game came to life and it was a big chance for Heys when a ball in from the right found striker Louis Holt, six yards out, but he mis-kicked his shot and the ball was cleared.

There was drama at the other end just after when striker George Murray somehow fired wide with the goal gaping, but South Liverpool did go ahead in their next attack on twenty-six minutes. The visitors carelessly gave the ball away in the middle and Jack Bentley ran into slot past the oncoming Kyle Haslam, from six yards, to put the hosts 1-0 up.

Heys pressed forward and it wasn't long before they were level and in dramatic style., when full back Luke Findlow, with a superb strike, hit a free kick from twenty yards out that flew past South Liverpool keeper Dominic Garner into the top left corner of the net.

The hosts could have regained the lead shortly before half time when full back Daniel Mather fired in from twelve yards, bringing a save from Haslam in what was to be the final action of the half as referee Jack Vase blew for half time.

So, it was all square at the break after a scrappy half and Heys knew they would need to play with more consistency if they wanted to be in the hat for the next round.

It was the visitors first to show just after the break when Bryson Appleton fired in from twelve yards, keeper Garner initially fumbled the first shot before gathering safely.

However, it was the hosts who regained the lead on fifty-five minutes. Prestwich were careless at the back again, enabling Owen Dursley to fire in past Haslam from six yards.

Heys battled on with Louis Holt heading over on the hour but on sixty-three minutes manager Ryan Hutchinson had seen enough and made four substitutions to try and get back into it.

The game exploded into life on seventy minutes when the South Liverpool number six Matthew Mallon kicked out at Lewis Ayres, who was one of the substitutes Heys had just brought on. This caused a big scuffle in the middle of the pitch with the majority of both teams involved.

Referee Vase consulted his assistant and awarded a straight red to Mallon, meaning the hosts had to play the last twenty minutes with ten men and dished out a yellow to Heys captain James Badrock and Louis Holt for the scuffle that followed.

Looking to capitalise on the extra man, Prestwich replaced centre half Matthew Smyth with striker Ellis Richardson and pushed up into all-out attack for the final ten minutes of the game, buoyed on by the large visiting support.

Dre Taylor was unlucky on eighty-three minutes with a shot deflected for a corner as was James Badrock firing at keeper Garner. The referee signalled eight minutes of injury time, and the Heys pressure told two minutes into this. The ball was crossed in from the left and it was super sub-Ellis Richardson firing home from six yards to level matters and drive the Heys fans wild.

Prestwich did have a chance to win it at the death when Appleton fired over from eight yards, but it was to finish a draw after a dramatic end to this FA Cup tie.

So, 2-2 it was and Heys, despite not being at their best, never stopped fighting and deserved another bite of the cherry when they replay this tie at Adie Moran Park on Tuesday night kick off 7.45pm.

TEAM: Kyle Haslam, Reece Lascelles-Higgins, Luke Findlow, James Badrock (Capt.), Jack Bentley, Matt Smyth, Alistair Bracken, Bryson Appleton, Josh Tinker, Louis Holt, Nicholas Dre Taylor, Toby Green, Subs: Louie Hutchinson, David Badrock (for Lascelles-Higgins 63 mins), Ruben Ndienguila, Lucas Bancroft (for Green 63 mins), Lewis Ayres (for Tinker 63 mins), Ellis Richardson (for Smyth 80 mins), Jamal Crawford (for Bracken 63 mins)