A Declan Daniels first half penalty was enough for Irlam in a 1-0 win over a resilient Prestwich Heys in the early kick off at Silver Street on Boxing Day.

Struggling Heys came into this one in confident mood after a 2-1 win at home to Longridge Town on Saturday in what was their first home league win of the season whilst Irlam were buoyed by coming back from 4-0 down to grab a point away at Abbey Hey.

After a tight opening period, the first major chance fell to Irlam's Declan Daniels, bringing a save from Heys keeper Harry Allen and winger Takura Sambizi was busy down the left shortly after knocking in a dangerous cross which no one could connect to.

Heys dug in and had a spell of play on twenty nine minutes, David Edwards saw a shot deflected out for a corner but as the half progressed it was the hosts turning up the pressure, Sambizi again dazzling down the left but the Irlam forward line could not connect onto the crosses that were coming over.

The deadlock was broken however on thirty-six minutes, Jack Mitchell darted down the right and looked in an offside position when Heys keeper Allen ran out and brought him down and the linesman flagged for a penalty rather than offside. Daniels stepped up and made no mistake smashing home from the spot to put Irlam one up.

Heys tried to respond quickly with Max Bardsley-Rowe firing over the bar shortly before the break, but it was the hosts who went into the interval in front.

It was a couple of big moments early into the second half that dictated the path of this game, as Heys came out quickly and set at Irlam. On fifty minutes, Alfie Belcher had a run into the eighteen-yard box with the ball deflecting out to David Edwards, who launched a shot that hit the inside of the right-hand post and deflected back out. After a frantic scramble, the ball came back to Belcher whose shot from eight yards was cleared off the line, much to the frustration of the large contingent of visiting support looking on.

More drama was to follow shortly after as Daniels broke through the middle and was brought down by Prestwich captain Jack Taylor and with the referee deciding the Irlam forward was the last man a straight red card was shown putting the visitors down to ten men.

Heys galvanised themselves and restricted Irlam to half chances in a game that became scrappy as time progressed, Belcher being the main threat for the visitors firing over from long range on seventy-eight minutes along with substitute Bryson Appleton who looked lively.

Heys kept pressing in search of an equaliser a great run by Bardsley-Rowe two minutes from time saw him fire over from twelve yards and Belcher fired a free kick wide of the far post deep into the five minutes of injury time the referee awarded in the final action of the day.

So, a narrow win for Irlam against a spirited Prestwich side who were not helped by the sending off but who ultimately came up short and need a run of wins soon if they are to have any chance of beating the drop at the end of the season.

Team: Harry Allen, Max Bardsley-Rowe, Joseph Thompson, Bradley J Sullivan, James Badrock, Jack Taylor (Capt.), Gabriel Hughes, David Edwards, Alfie Belcher, Thomas Woodward, Lewis Ayres, Subs: Louie Hutchinson (for Thompson 79 mins), Bryson Appleton (for Ayres 59 mins), Regan Brown (for Woodward 80 mins), Owen Percival (for Edwards 79 mins)

Rick Barrett has his own Heys blog "View from a Sandgate Bridge" here https://rickbarrett753.wixsite.com/website-2