Report by Rick Barrett

An injury time strike from former Heys wide man Jack McConnell completed an impressive 5-2 victory for West Didsbury and Chorlton against an in form Prestwich Heys side at a wind swept Step Places Stadium on Saturday.

Heys came into this one in fine form chasing an eleventh straight win, while West Didsbury were looking to build on a 1-0 away victory at Barnoldswick Town last Wednesday night.

It was the hosts starting the brighter and were ahead on ten minutes, a free kick on the left seemed to elude Prestwich keeper Kyle Haslam and flew straight into the net to put West a goal up early on.

Back came Heys with striker Louis Holt on seventeen minutes, firing a shot wide of the far post as both teams battled with the windy conditions which was turning the first half into a midfield scrap.

It was the home side dealing with the conditions better and went further ahead on thirty three minutes, Prestwich careless in possession gave Brandon Dawson a chance down the left, he cut inside and fired bottom right past Haslam for 2-0.

Back came Heys and a good move through the middle on thirty nine minutes found Dre Taylor who's shot from six yards was blocked and cleared, then shortly after it was Bryson Appleton down the right finding Takura Sambizi who fired over the bar.

2-0 it was to the hosts at half time who were dealing with the poor conditions better and took their chances well, but one sensed if Heys could get a goal back early on they still had plenty of time to turn it round as they looked dangerous going forward.

Things took a turn for the worst for Prestwich early in the second half, centre half Matthew Smyth limped off and was replaced by Alistair Bracken and shortly after on fifty four minutes they were further behind when a free kick on the left found Lee Jackson six yards out to fire past Haslam for 3-0 as the conditions deteriorated further.

Prestwich did manage to pull one back four minutes later when a Rob Worrall corner on the left was flicked on by Dre Taylor and deflected in for an own goal and 3-1.

It was a short reprieve though as on sixty three minutes another set piece on the left found Victor Abadaki in acres of space to make it 4-1 and Heys winning run was looking all but over.

The visitors did rally, trying to get a grip on this organised West Didsbury side and pulled one back on seventy three minutes Sambizi down the left found Appleton to fire home at the far post past West keeper Oliver Martin for 4-2.

This started a spell of pressure from Prestwich and on eighty three minutes it was Sambizi again on the left finding Louis Holt but his shot was saved and cleared by west keeper Martin.

Referee Anthony Ross awarded seven minutes of injury time and Heys fate was sealed five minutes into this when Jack McConnell got the ball on the left and fired low at the far post past Haslam to complete a 5-2 victory.

So, it was to be a bad day at the office for Prestwich Heys who never really got into this one, struggled to get on top against a well drilled West Didsbury team, a defeat that ends the ten game winning run and their faint chances of making the play offs, but can look back with pride on what has been a magnificent achievement, they still have three games to play to cement a top seven finish starting with AFC Liverpool at Adie Moran Park on Thursday night.

TEAM: Kyle Haslam, Luke Byron, Luke Findlow, James Badrock (Capt.), Matt Smyth, Josh Tinker, Bryson Appleton, Rob Worrall, Louis Holt, Nicholas Dre Taylor, Takura Sambizi, Subs: Luke Mann (for Tinker 60 mins), Louie Hutchinson (for Findlow 88 mins), Alistair Bracken (for Smyth 48 mins), Lucas Bancroft (for Taylor 88 mins), Reece Lascelles-Higgins (for Byron 83 mins)