Two injury time goals from substitute Joel Skillen sealed an impressive 4-1 win for Burscough against Prestwich Heys at the Community Stadium in the opening game of the North West Counties Premier Division season on Saturday.

Prestwich manager Ryan Hutchinson, who was starting a three game touchline ban for a sending off towards the end of last season, included new signings Harry Cannon -Noren, Toby Green and the returning Lewis Ayres, while Burscough were starting afresh with former AFC Liverpool manager Phillip Stafford in charge, having brought a few players with him from his previous club including Caleb Jones and Callum Laird whom Heys fans were well aware of from past encounters.

The hosts got off to a perfect start in the second minute when a poorly conceded free kick from Heys, on the left, was floated over for Burscough captain Owen Fisher-Jones to head home unmarked from six yards past Kyle Haslam.

Back came the visitors on nine minutes with a header from Louis Holt bringing a save from Ben Barnes in the Burscough goal, and the ball was back down the other end a couple of minutes later Haslam saving a shot from Laird from eighteen yards.

It was Holt again in the thick of the action for Heys on twenty-six minutes, heading a Rob Worrall free kick over the bar, and on thirty-two minutes Caleb Jones had a great chance to increase the hosts lead but scuffed his shot giving an easy save for Haslam.

Chances were few and far between from here as the game became a midfield battle with both teams trying to work each other out on the opening day of the season, but Worrall dragged a shot wide of the far post just before the interval.

Improvements were needed after the break for Prestwich, but things went from bad to worse on fifty-two minutes when keeper Haslam brought down a Burscough player in the box and referee Robert Greenwood pointed straight to the spot for a penalty for which up stepped Laird to smash the ball in the top corner for 2-0.

Heys needed to respond quickly now and on fifty-six minutes a Bryson Appleton corner on the left was headed over by centre half Matthew Smyth and shortly after the visitors made their first substitution of the afternoon with Ellis Richardson replacing Lewis Ayres.

This spell of pressure was rewarded on sixty-two minutes when a ball in over the top found the head of Holt who fired past Barnes from eight yards to put Prestwich back in it at 2-1.

The visitors continued to press and on sixty-six minutes it was Holt turning provider on the right finding Appleton twelve yards out, but his shot was blocked and cleared.

Alistair Bracken replaced Smyth on seventy-six minutes and was straight into the action, but his shot from a Worrall free kick was saved by Barnes in the Burscough goal.

The hosts had a big chance to finish it on eighty-one minutes but a shot from six yards was parried wide by Haslam, and shortly after it was Holt again down the other end, firing over after a fumble by keeper Barnes.

Heys continued to push forward in search of an equaliser and as the game hit ninety minutes they had a corner, but this was cleared down the right and it was substitute Skillen who blasted low past Haslam for Burscough’s third, and heading for an opening day win.

A sucker punch was to follow four minutes into injury time, and it was Skillen again on the left eighteen yards out weaving through the visitor’s defence before slotting past Haslam to complete Heys misery defeat.

So, disappointment for Heys on a day that started with so much optimism. While they struggled to get going in this one the scoreline was not a true reflection on the afternoons play as they got caught on the break while pushing for a late equaliser. However, this game was a warning sign of how tough this league may potentially be in 2026-27.

TEAM: Kyle Haslam, Harry Cannon-Noren, Luke Findlow, James Badrock, Matthew Smyth, Nicholas Dre Taylor, Bryson Appleton, Robert Worrall, Louis Holt, Lewis Ayres, Tobias Green Subs: Alistair Bracken (for Smyth 76 mins), Louie Hutchinson (for Findlow 60 mins), Josh Tinker (for Taylor 83 mins, Ellis Richardson (for Ayres 57 mins), Mitchell Henry (for Cannon-Noren 81 mins)

Heys will look to bounce back when they host Barnoldswick Town, on Tuesday night (7.45pm).