PRESTWICH HEYS 6 ABBEY HEY 0
TUESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2025 NW COUNTIES PREMIER DIVISION ATT:147
Report by Stephen Howard
Pictures by Bethany Lee

Prestwich Heys bounced back to winning ways with an emphatic 6-0 win over Abbey Hey at a misty Adie Moran Park on Tuesday night.

After their FA Vase disappointment at the weekend, Heys responded in the best way possible with a win that was every bit as convincing as the scoreline suggests as they produced some fine football, on the back of many impressive individual performances.

From the off Heys hit their stride with Takura Sambizi to the fore, causing early problems for the visitors down the left, whilst almost providing new striker Alfie Carmichael with a debut goal, but his first time shot was just wide.

It was Sambizi again in the 7th minute when slick passing created space for him to fire in a shot that Abbey Hey keeper Connor Beard got down well to push the ball around the post.

The duo locked horns again in the 17th minute as another mazy run by Sambizi ended with his shot being blocked by Beard.

However, it was to prove third time lucky for the Heys man in the 19th minute as a diagonal pass from Rob Worrall put Sambizi into the box and his low shot squirmed under the keeper to give Heys the lead.

It was proving one way traffic at this point and the 24th minute almost brought a second goal as Appleton broke down the right and crossed deep to the far post where Louis Holt, on his return from injury, saw his header cleared off the line.

On the half hour Heys went close again as Dre Taylor fired in a low shot which was pushed around the post and from the corner Heys had the ball in the net, but offside was s given.

Heys continued to control the game, but the visitors refused to buckle, showing some spirited defence, as they repeatedly got a head or a foot in to keep the home side at bay. However, their resistance was broken in the 42nd minute with a second goal for Heys. This time Worrall, at the hub of everything, broke into the box and after his first shot was blocked by a defender, he regained possession and fired low into the bottom corner.

Two minutes later it was 3-0 for Heys as a super pass with the outside of his foot by Bryson Appleton ended with Sambizi going clear and firing a shot low into the bottom corner.

Abbey Hey had shown little threat but came close to pulling a goal back on the stroke of half time as from a free kick the ball dropped in the box to Alfie Holland-Curwen, but he fired wide from ten yards.

The half time break offered only temporary respite for the visitors as within four minutes of the restart Heys added a fourth goal. And what a goal it was. A superb cross from the left by Luke Findlow was met by a bullet header by Holt that gave the keeper no chance. A classic centre forwards goal.

Heys continued to press, playing some great football. On the hour Sambizi wriggled out of a tight spot and fired in a shot that bounced off Beard’s chest before being cleared to safety.

A raft of changes, with Heys using all their substitutes, including giving a debut to midfielder Ethan Cummings, against his old club, did not dim their momentum and goal number five arrived in the 80th minute.

Luke Byron and Sambizi combined to open up the visitor’s defence and as the ball broke to Bryson Appleton, he fired a superb shot from the edge of the area that beat the keeper all ends up.

Heys remained hungry for more and went close again as Louie Hutchinson whipped in a free kick from which Captain, James Badrock poked the ball goal wards, but Beard did superbly to tip the effort over the bar.

Prestwich were not done though and in the 89th minute great football between Hutchinson, Worrall and Cummings ended with the latter’s near post cross being met by a glancing header by Alfie Belcher for Heys sixth goal.

This was a resounding win for Heys who have now scored thirteen goals without conceding in winning their last three League games as they look to push into the top half of the table.

TEAM: Lee White, Joe Camozzi, Luke Findlow, James Badrock, Alistair Bracken, Nicholas Dre Taylor, Bryson Appleton, Robert Worrall, Louis Holt, Alfie Carmichael, Takura Sambizi, Subs: Alfie Belcher (for Holt 75 mins), Ethan Cummings (for Carmichael 55 mins), Luke Byron (for Camozzi 63 mins), Louie Hutchinson (for Findlow 70 mins), Joshua Tinker (for Taylor 70 mins)