Report by Stephen Howard with additional reporting by Rick Barrett

Prestwich Heys fine run of form continued as second half goals by Louis Holt and Takura Sambizi gave them victory at FC St. Helens on Tuesday night.

The hosts have made an impressive start to the season and started the game just outside the play off places having won five of their previous seven games. However, Heys went toe to toe with them from the off in a pulsating first half which remarkably ended goalless but included a significant moment when the home keeper was dismissed for handball outside the area. It was an advantage Heys capitalised on to the full with a measured second half showing to earn them the points.

The drama began to unfold inside two minutes when a surging run into the box by Bryson Appleton ended with a challenge that brought penalty appeals, but the referee waived them aside.

The young Heys winger was to the fore in a lively start by Heys as he saw a shot blocked after good work by Dre Taylor before then seeing a shot deflected wide.

St. Helens responded with a shot from Mackenzie O’Neill that Heys keeper Lee White dropped low to gather before Taylor had home stopper Joe Mason doing likewise as the action intensified with the game just fifteen minutes old.

Heys somehow survived a goalmouth scramble as the game swung from end to end with James Badrock heading just over shortly after.

In a pulsating contest there was a real let off for Heys in the 25th minute when a shot from the edge of the area by Liam Cuthbert cannoned off the underside of the bar and the ball dropped seemingly goal wards but the referee adjudged it not to have crossed the line.

Despite the let off Heys remained under pressure from successive corners, ending with Harry Scarborough testing White with a shot as unbelievably the game remained goalless.

Heys eased the pressure with a run and shot from Appleton before a huge moment in the game arrived in the 33rd minute. A through ball opened up the home defence setting Holt off in a race to the ball with Mason and as it bounced up the home keeper appeared to handle outside the box and received a red card.

His place in goal was taken by outfield player Chris Hill, and he was soon in action to keep out a stinging effort from Luke Findlow as Heys ended a dramatic half in the ascendancy with Rob Worrall firing just wide.

Despite the one-man deficit FC started the brighter after the break with White dropping low to save from Cuthbert. However, in the 53rd minute Heys returned to the attack to take the lead.
The goal came from a corner on the left and when the ball was swung in it was Holt who rose the highest to score with a glancing header.

The lead put a spring in Heys step and whilst the hosts were not without threat, they effectively took the game away from them in the 64th minute.

A great ball through from Worrall found Sambizi on the left and the winger cut inside the box before burying a shot into the bottom right.

With their two-goal cushion, Heys were able to consolidate. Whilst still looking to go forward they did so without giving the home side the opportunity to regain a foothold in the game with some measured play. Taking the opportunity to give youngsters Kerrigan, Bancroft and Osborne some game time, they were able to see the game out in assured fashion.

After taking seven League games to record their first win, Heys have now taken thirteen points from their last five matches to climb into mid table whilst being unbeaten in their last seven games.

Against a side who defeated them twice last season, this win provides a real tonic for Heys as they embark on a busy period of matches across various competitions starting at Ramsbottom in the Macron Cup 2nd Round on Saturday (3pm) before hosting Pilkington in the League next Tuesday (7.45pm)

TEAM: Lee White, Luke Byron, Luke Findlow, James Badrock (Capt.), David Badrock, Josh Tinker, Bryson Appleton, Robert Worrall, Louis Holt, Nicholas Dre Taylor, Takura Sambizi Subs: Alfie Belcher (63 mins), Mworina Doro (for Appleton 68 mins), Lucas Bancroft (for Tinker 75 mins), David Kerrigan (for Holt 83 mins), Jace Osborne (for Sambizi 85 mins)