Despite chances for either side the deadlock could not be broken as Prestwich Heys first away game of the new season finished goalless in an entertaining game at Mossie Park home of Charnock Richard.

Heys came into this one on the back of a great 3-1 scalp in the FA Cup on Saturday beating Bootle FC from the league above while Charnock smashed seven with no reply past Squires Gate in the same competition.

Heys made just the one change with Rio Wilson-Heyes coming in for Vinny Howell who had a knock and was only fit enough for the bench.

It was the visitors who started the brighter and it was Tyler James with two chances in the first five minutes, firstly a shot from eight yards, saved by Charnock keeper Connor Eastham and then a shot deflected over the bar for a corner.

Back came Charnock on seventeen minutes with a Rustam Stepans cross finding the head of Nathan Nickeas, which was parried away by Heys keeper Jordan Hadlow and as the half went on the game became a tense battle with little to choose between the two.

On thirty minutes it was back with Heys as Isaac Lee found Matt Davies who, charged down the right, but was closed down by the Charnock defender just before he unleashed a shot.

Heys threatened again nine minutes later with captain Aaron Chalmers having a header cleared off the line and he was in the thick of the action again shortly after getting sin binned for ten minutes for something said to the referee.

Charnock tried to make the one man advantage count and as the half closed brought two great saves from Hadlow the first from Jordan Darr and the second a terrific stop from Stepans.

So, 0-0 at the break with a sense this one could go either way and Heys striker Jack Coop blasted one on forty nine minutes which was cleared out for a corner and as Charnock responded it was a brilliant save on fifty six minutes by Hadlow, tipping over Darr's header from point blank range.

It was Charnock keeper Eastham into the action on sixty one minutes saving a Chalmers header from a corner on the right as Heys started to enjoy a long spell of pressure and managers Lee O' Brien and James Hampson made changes. Young striker Kaiden Barlow replaced Jack Coop and Akim Samms came on for Tyler James.

Barlow was straight into the action on sixty nine minutes launching a ball deep into the box, which no Heys player could get on the end off and with all the pressure coming from Prestwich Akim Samms was busy down the middle, beating his man and launching a terrific shot from twenty yards which was saved by Eastham.

In an action packed finale Heys full back Brad Sixsmith whipped a cross in on eighty seven minutes, which was collected by Eastham and back came Charnock as the referee held up the board for seven minutes of injury time, Substitute Mark Woods chipped one over Hadlow but it went wide as Stepans tried to convert.

In the closing moments Charnock defender Luke Gibson headed onto the back post in what proved the final effort of a frantic end to the game.

So, a hard fought draw for Prestwich Heys who battled hard and defended well but at times the final ball let them down and four yellow cards and a sin bin for captain Aaron Chalmers will need to be monitored so that this does not become a regular occurrence, an issue that hindered us last season. This though was a well earned point against a very good Charnock Richard side who are tipped to go well this season.

TEAM: Jordan Hadlow, Brad Sixsmith, Nathan Emery, Darcy O’Connor, Nathan Bartram-Conway, Aaron Chalmers (Capt.), Isaac lee, Rio Wilson-Heyes, Jack Coop, Matt Davies, Tyler James Subs: Saidkhon Khaimidov, Regan Brown, Akim Samms (for James 81 mins), Vinny Howell (for O’Connor 81 mins), Kaiden Barlow (for Coop 38 mins)