CHEADLE TOWN 0 PRESTWICH HEYS 3
SATURDAY 18Th APRIL 2026 NW COUNTIES PREMIER DIVISION ATT:237

Report by Rick Barrett
Pictures by Bethany Lee MORE PICTURES HERE: https://www.flickr.com/photos/91307207@N05/albums/72177720333174992/with/55217689459

A goal from Alistair Bracken mid-way through the second half completed a 3-0 win for Prestwich Heys at the Ground Up Solutions Stadium, home of Cheadle Town, on the final weekend of the North West Counties Premier Division season on Saturday.

The result that meant Heys created history with a seventh placed finish and 82 points being their highest ever points tally at this level.

Heys came into this one in confident mood after beating AFC Liverpool 4-0 at Adie Moran Park on Thursday night, while hosts Cheadle were also looking to finish on a high after an impressive 2-1 win at West Didsbury & Chorlton on Monday.

After a quiet opening, the first chance came Heys way. Luke Mann, given the number nine role in the absence of Louis Holt, fired over from a Takura Sambizi cross on twelve minutes, but it was a different story a minute later when he converted a cross from Luke Findlow, steering the ball past Cheadle keeper James Hodges to put the visitors ahead.

Heys began to pile the pressure on, and midfielder Rob Worrall nearly increased their lead on sixteen minutes, but his shot was cleared off the line by Cheadle's Harrison Bickerton.

The hosts first chance was on twenty minutes when a free kick, twenty yards out, from Sheriff Njie was saved by Heys keeper Kyle Haslam, but it was Prestwich dominating the possession with wide man Bryson Appleton cutting inside from the left and bringing a save from keeper Hodges.

It was Appleton lively again on twenty-six minutes, this time finding Dre Tayor who fired over, and shortly after Appleton dispossessed the Cheadle full back and brought another save from Hodges with his feet.

Heys pressure told as they increased their lead on thirty-five minutes when a corner on the left from Luke Mann was flicked on by Bracken for Josh Tinker to steer past Hodges at the far post.

So, Heys were in total control as the half time whistle blew and despite Cheadle trying to get back into it after the break the possession was mostly with the visitors, Tinker rattled the cross bar with a shot on fifty-eight minutes although the flag was up for offside.

Chances were proving few and far between in the second half, but the hosts were reduced to ten men on seventy minutes when forward Jonathan Nixon was sent off. Initially it was a foul on Alistair Bracken, then the assistant referee called over referee James Gerring and after consultation a straight red was issued possibly for an off the ball incident.

Prestwich capitalised on this and went further ahead a minute later, when another corner on the left from Mann found Bracken who looped his shot over everyone and into the net, to the joy of the large contingent of Heys fans.

Heys showed no let up, continuing to press and on eighty-six minutes substitute Louie Hutchinson, breaking down the left, knocked in a dangerous cross but Bracken could not direct his header goalwards .

It was Bracken at it again a minute from time, trying an adventurous overhead kick but, his effort only found Sambizi, twelve yards out, who fired over, in what was to be the final action of the day as the referee blew for full time.

So, a 3-0 win for Heys it was, and manager Ryan Hutchinson and his back room team can look back over this campaign with a sense of pride on what has been a magnificent achievement. From staying up on goal difference last season, they have played great entertaining football whilst keeping a tight defence, to come within a whisker of reaching the play offs.

The issue around the Isle of Man game remains unresolved but as the summer approaches thoughts will soon turn to 2026-27 with excitement of how far this team can go when it all starts again at the end of July.

TEAM: Kyle Haslam, Luke Byron, Luke Findlow, James Badrock (Capt.), Alistair Bracken, Josh Tinker, Bryson Appleton, Robert Worrall, Luke Mann, Nicholas Dre Taylor, Takura Sambizi Subs: Harvey Riva (for Appleton 80 mins), Louie Hutchinson (for Findlow 77 mins) , David Kerrigan (for Taylor 60 mins), Lucas Bancroft (for Tinker 77 mins), Jace Osborne (for Badrock 80 mins)