Davies strike secures Heys victory at Wythenshawe

Report by Rick Barrett

A goal in the seventy fourth minute by Prestwich Heys Matt Davies was enough to secure a 1-0 victory against Wythenshawe in a tight third versus fourth encounter at a sunny Hollyhedge Park Community Stadium on Saturday.

Both teams came into this one looking for a response with both having lost on Boxing Day, Heys in a 2-0 defeat at fellow promotion hopefuls Bury while Wythenshawe were reeling from a 4-1 defeat to local rivals Wythenshawe Town.

Heys made three changes to the side defeated at Bury keeper with Russ Saunders along with midfielders Danny White and Brad Sullivan all getting starts.

It was the home side first to show in the tenth minute, Saul Henderson putting Sajjad Elhassan through and bringing the first save of the day from Heys keeper Russ Saunders.

Back came Prestwich with a couple of free kicks, in quick succession, on the left from full back Jack McConnell, but the ball was cleared well by the home defence in a very tight opening quarter.

It was Elhassan again on twenty-six minutes with a cross which just missed the head of the in running Joseph Bevan as the home side gathered momentum. Heys had a scare on thirty-three minutes when Brad Sullivan went down with a head injury and he was replaced by Ryley Smith shortly after.

Prestwich forward Greg Daniels was in the mix on thirty-eight minutes, winning a challenge with Wythenshawe keeper Kyle Haslam in the six-yard box. However, the referee decided the Heys man had infringed the keeper and awarded a free kick.

Wythenshawe kept pressing and Saunders was called into action again for the visitors on forty minutes, saving a Henderson free kick and as the half drew to a close one sensed one goal either way was going to win this but whilst Heys were defending well they would need to create more in the final third if they were to win this one.

It was Prestwich who started in spectacular fashion after the interval with Daniels doing acrobatics, trying an overhead kick from eight yards, which flew over the bar.

Wythenshawe responded shortly after when a free kick was floated into the box and the deflection went just wide of the far post and then Henderson shot just wide on fifty-eight minutes to show they were still a threat.

As the half was progressing though it was Heys who were starting to press a higher line and Connor Brotherton replaced Danny White on the hour to add steel to a midfield that Pa Jenkins was starting to control.

Prestwich were awarded an indirect free kick just six yards away from the far post but, with hardly enough room for the hosts to create a wall, the ball was blocked and keeper Haslam soon dived on top of the ball to the relief of the home fans.

Heys were now in full control and were very unlucky not to go ahead on seventy minutes when a ball in from the left found the head of Matt Davies which hit the bar and bounced to safety but shortly after the pressure told and it was an awful mix up at the back. Keeper Haslam's clearance deflected to Davies twenty yards out who lobbed the ball into an empty net, to the joy of the large travelling support, putting Prestwich a goal up.

Wythenshawe tried to respond but were up against two great centre half performances from captain Aaron Chalmers and Nathan Bartram-Conway in what was arguably Heys best defensive showing of the season.

As the game got stretched the visitors should have been further in front in the final minute as they broke down the right with the ball falling to substitute Smith, three yards out, but somehow keeper Haslam managed to do a double save keeping out the follow up too.

The home side continued to try and find a way through in the seven minutes of injury time awarded but to no avail and the three points were going back to Prestwich in this impressive win that proved they are fourth in the table for a reason and if they can keep the quality and discipline shown here then it could be very rewarding come the end of the season.

TEAM: Russell Saunders, Jacob Ngoy, Jack McConnell, Pa Jenkins, Nathan Bartram-Conway, Aaron Chalmers (Capt.), Danny White, Brad Sullivan, Greg Daniels, Matt Davies, Gabriel Mooney-Munoz Subs: Nathan Emery, Regan Brown, Connor Brotherton (for White 60 mins), Joe Wainwright (for Mooney-Munoz 71 mins), Ryley Smith (for Sullivan 41 mins)