PRESTWICH HEYS 1 BARNOLDSWICK TOWN 1
NW COUNTIES PREMIER DIVISION TUESDAY 4TH AUGUST ATT:232

Report by Paul Thomason
Pictures by Bethany Lee

Prestwich Heys were forced to settle for a point in their first home game of the season, coming from behind to earn a 1-1 draw with Barnoldswick Town, but were ultimately left lamenting a host of missed opportunities.

Following an opening-day defeat, it was important for Heys to get something on the board and avoid losing early ground on the teams at the top of the table. They started brightly and almost made the perfect start after six minutes when Luke Findlow's cross narrowly evaded the head of Dre Taylor inside the penalty area.

Five minutes later, the home side thought they had taken the lead. A corner broke kindly for Alistair Bracken, whose effort fell to James Badrock for a simple finish, but celebrations were cut short by an offside flag.

Although much of the opening period was a scrappy affair in midfield, Prestwich looked the more threatening side whenever chances emerged. On twenty minutes, Josh Tinker rolled back the years with a driving run past two defenders before firing just wide from 20 yards.

Barnoldswick's first meaningful effort arrived shortly afterwards when Connor McAuley burst down the right and picked out Kuda Chingwaro, whose strike from 19 yards flew high over the bar.

The best chance of the first half fell to Harry Cannon-Noren on his home debut after an excellent long ball sent him clear through on goal. He lifted his effort over the advancing goalkeeper, only to see it drift agonisingly wide of the post.

As half-time approached, both sides appeared content to avoid conceding. The only other moment of note came when a dangerous cross from Charlie Rowlands-Whiteoak almost caught out Kyle Haslam and dipped towards goal, but the scores remained level at the break.

Heys began the second half with renewed purpose. Just three minutes after the restart, Louis Holt headed Toby Green's corner narrowly wide, before the home side had a double opportunity moments later. Holt's cut-back found Green, whose shot was blocked, and when the ball fell to Tinker on the edge of the area, he fired over.

Despite Prestwich's dominance, it was Barnoldswick who struck first on 53 minutes. Connor McAuley turned his marker before drilling a low finish into the bottom corner, giving the visitors the lead against the run of play.

Buoyed by the goal, Barnoldswick nearly doubled their advantage soon after when Rigo Madzura's cross was headed wide by William Procter.

Heys were handed a golden opportunity to draw level just before the hour mark. Holt raced through on goal and was brought down by Prince Osei Attah, earning a penalty. The striker picked himself up to take the spot-kick, but Attah guessed correctly and produced an excellent save to keep his side in front.

For a moment, it looked as though it simply would not be Prestwich's day. However, the breakthrough finally arrived on 63 minutes. Green's corner from the left was met by captain James Badrock, who powered through a crowd of defenders to head emphatically into the net and spark jubilant celebrations among the home supporters.

With momentum firmly behind them, Heys pushed hard for a winner. Just two minutes later, another Green delivery eventually found Bracken at the far post, but he was unable to keep his effort on target from a difficult angle.

The pressure continued to mount. On 74 minutes, debutant Abdul Djalo slipped Holt through on goal, but Attah once again came to Barnoldswick's rescue, getting the slightest touch on the striker's low effort to divert it behind for a corner.

Three minutes later, Green drove into the box and fired a dangerous ball across goal, but the height of the shot allowed Attah to make another crucial save.

Heys almost found a late winner through an increasingly effective long-throw routine. Cannon-Noren launched a throw into the area, Badrock flicked it on, and Bracken arrived at the far post, only to fire wide.

The closest either side came to snatching all three points arrived three minutes from time. Green stepped up to a central free-kick from 22 yards and struck it superbly, only to see the ball crash back off the post.

At the final whistle, it was a draw that felt more like a defeat for Prestwich. The performance was a marked improvement on opening day and contained plenty of positives, but a lack of clinical finishing ultimately proved costly. If Heys continue to perform at this level, there is little doubt they will win far more matches than they lose this season.

TEAM: Kyle Haslam, Harry Cannon – Noren, Luke Findlow, James Badrock (Capt.), Matthew Smyth, Alistair Bracken, Josh Tinker, Rob Worrall, Louis Holt, Nicholas Dre Taylor, Toby Green Subs: Reece Lascelles-Higgins (for Cannon-Noren 87 mins), Louie Hutchinson, Abdul Djalo (for Tinker 68 mins), Lewis Ayres (for Bracken 81 mins), Ellis Richardson