Emery stunner paves way for Heys victory

By Stephen Howard

Picture by Martin Ogden

Two goals in eight minutes, just after half time, saw Prestwich Heys to victory over Glossop North End at Adie Moran Park on Tuesday night.

A hard fought first half saw the sides go in level at the break with a goal apiece but on the restart Heys stepped on the gas as goals from Matt Davies and Brad Sullivan put the hosts into a good position before the visitors pulled one back in the 90th minute to set up a nervy last few minutes before the win was sealed.

Heys started the game brightly, enjoying the majority of possession to stretch the Glossop defence and they took the lead in spectacular fashion with a goal from an unlikely source in the 13th minute.

A Heys attack looked as if it had fizzled out but as the Glossop keeper Ellis Allen cleared, he sliced his kick with the ball falling to Nathan Emery. The left back seized possession, took a couple of touches, before then lifting the ball from forty yards out over the backpedalling keeper for a stunning strike.

Although Glossop were not without a threat the home goal was untroubled as Heys continued to look the sharper. In the 20th minute good play down the right ended with Dan Silver-Adigun crossing low for Davies whose shot was blocked before Pa Jenkins stung the hands of Allen with a shot from the edge of the area.

As the game reached the half hour mark, Glossop began to find their attacking feet. From a free kick Jack Hopkins headed over from close range and then two minutes later the lively Jacques Etia broke down the right to pick out Abdul Djalo, unmarked six yards out, but the ball came off the top of his foot and went over the bar.

However, it served to be only a temporary reprieve for Heys as the visitors scored an impressive equaliser in the 36th minute. Quickly turning defence into attack, a great diagonal ball by Djalo picked out Harry Freedman, who showed great control to bring the ball into his stride, before lifting it over Russ Saunders.

On the stroke of half time Jenkins saw a shot deflected wide for Heys but at the half time break the crowd wondered which way the game might swing with the visitors having wrestled back the host’s early control.

However, Heys came out on the restart and soon provided the answer. Upping the ante, they pushed the away side back and in the 48th minute were awarded a penalty when Davies was caught just inside the box. There was some controversy about the decision but when all had settled and Davies had received treatment for a bang on the head the Heys striker’s spot kick was initially saved but he reacted quickly, as the ball came back off Allen, to fire home the rebound.

Heys maintained the pressure and five minutes later they added a third when from a Rio Wilson-Heyes corner to the far post, Sullivan rose above everyone to head home.

There was a real zest to Heys play now and in the 56th minute a swift break saw Wilson-Heyes slip a great pass in behind the defence for Davies, but Allen blocked the shot with his legs. Then, from successive corners, Jacob Ngoy saw headers tipped over the bar and then cleared off the line.

As Heys looked to put the outcome of the game beyond doubt, Ryley Smith, who had come on as a substitute, threatened in the 74th minute as he broke forward with a surging run into box, but Allen came out to smother his shot.

Entering the closing stages, Glossop looked to rally as Heys tried to close the game out and in the 90th minute the visitors were given hope when after an almighty scramble in the box, which included a Saunders save and two goal line blocks, Emmanuel Ujahchuku forced the ball home.

A nervy few minutes of added time then followed before Heys could claim another three points to keep them firmly in the promotion race.

Team: Russ Saunders, Jacob Ngoy, Nathan Emery, Pa Jenkins, Jack McConnell, Aaron Chalmers (Capt.), Dan Silver-Adigun, Connor Brotherton, Brad Sullivan, Rio Wilson-Heyes, Matt Davies Subs; Saidkhon Khamidov (for McConnell 45 mins), Gabriel Mooney-Munoz (for Silver-Adigun 76 mins), Ryley Smith (for Sullivan 63 mins), James Hampson (for Davies 80 mins), Nathan Bartram-Conway