PRESTWICH HEYS 1 CHADDERTON 0

WEDNESDAY 8TH ARPIL 2026 NW COUNTIES PREMIER DIVISION ATT:300

Report by Rick Barrett
Pictures by Bethany Lee

A seventy ninth minute penalty from Louis Holt brought Prestwich Heys the 'perfect ten' wins in a row as they beat Chadderton 1-0 on a big night at Adie Moran Park on Wednesday.

Both sides came into the game looking to improve their play off hopes. Heys were glad to get back to basics after the drama of the abandoned game in the Isle of Man on Saturday due to storm Dave, while Chadderton were looking for a response after a 2-1 home defeat to Irlam on Saturday.

It was the hosts who started brightly and on twelve minutes, midfielder Rob Worrall knocked a great ball over to Bryson Appleton who saw his shot cleared with Heys getting on top of the midfield.

On twenty three minutes striker Louis Holt brought a save from Chadderton keeper Oliver Culkin, who was on hand again a minute later to save a shot on the left from Takura Sambizi.

It was all Heys in this first thirty minutes. Midfielder Dre Taylor skipped past a defender and fired a shot from twelve yards which was saved by the busy Culkin, and it wasn’t until the 42nd minute that Chadderton created a chance when a Lewis Byrne shot was blocked and the rebound was saved by Heys keeper Kyle Haslam.

It was bad news for the home side just before half time as defender David Badrock, just back from injury, limped off and was replaced by Luke Byron.

So, despite Heys dominance it was goalless at the break and Chadderton came out of the blocks much quicker on the restart as they got on top of the midfield battle.

On forty-eight minutes, Lewis Byrne, on the left, crossed to Robert Flynn but his shot was fired over the crossbar.

Shortly after Heys manager Ryan Hutchinson was sent from the dugout for something said to referee Sam Oldfield.

Chadderton came again on the hour, a shot on the right was cleared to safety from which Heys broke and Louis Holt fired wide.

It was the visitors though who were looking more likely, firing over the bar ten minutes later.

Heys attempted to get back in it, with Bryson Appleton on the left firing over from eight yards.

The big moment in the game came on seventy nine minutes when Appleton cut through on the left and was brought down in the penalty area with referee Oldfield having no hesitation in pointing to the spot for a penalty.

Amidst great tension up stepped Holt to smash the ball past Culkin for his eighteenth goal of the season, sending the majority of the bumper 300 crowd wild.

Chadderton tried to respond late on with a shot over the crossbar, but Heys defence was rock solid and with five consecutive clean sheets before the game you could see why.

Four minutes injury time were given by the referee but it was to be Heys night with joyous scenes at the final whistle in this hard earned win.

Ten in a row it is then for Prestwich Heys who continue to blossom in every department, tight at the back, strong in the middle, and dangerous up front, they still have an outside chance of reaching the play offs and will take it one game at a time with four games still to play. On this form you wouldn't rule anything out.

TEAM: Kyle Haslam, David Badrock, Luke Findlow, James Badrock (Capt.), Matthew Smyth, Nicholas Dre Taylor, Bryson Appleton, Rob Worrall, Louis Holt, Luke Mann, Takura Sambizi, Subs: Josh Tinker (for Worrall 88 mins) Luke Byron (for D. Badrock 43 mins), Alistair Bracken (for Appleton 94 mins), Louie Hutchinson, Lucas Bancroft (for Mann 90 mins)