PRESTWICH HEYS 5 FC ST. HELENS 1

SATURDAY 7TH NOVEMBER 2026 NW COUNTIES PREMIER DIVISION ATT:236

Report by Pete Coles
Pictures by Bethany Lee more pics here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/91307207@N05/albums/72177720336798797/

Prestwich Heys responded to last weekend's FA Vase disappointment in emphatic fashion with a 5-1 victory over FC St Helens at Adie Moran Park on Saturday afternoon.

The visitors arrived in confident mood, having enjoyed an eight-match unbeaten run before their own Vase exit the previous weekend, and with just a single point separating the sides in the North West Counties Premier Division table, a closely contested encounter was expected. Instead, Heys produced a clinical display in front of goal to return to winning ways and continue their climb up the table.

The final scoreline, however, does not tell the full story. Just three minutes after kick-off, David Ball found space inside the penalty area and drilled a low effort towards the bottom corner. With the travelling support already sensing an early advantage, Jack Buckley produced a superb save to push the ball behind for a corner. It proved to be a pivotal moment in the contest.

Heys made the most of that reprieve and took the lead on seven minutes when Bryson Appleton picked out the run of Jamal Crawford with an excellent through ball. Crawford rounded goalkeeper Joseph Bickerstaffe before calmly rolling the ball into the empty net.

Four minutes later, the hosts doubled their advantage. Takura Sambizi delivered an inviting cross from the left and Appleton arrived unmarked to power a header beyond Bickerstaffe.

Despite the setback, St Helens remained dangerous and much of their attacking play went through former Heys favourite Luke Byron, who remains fondly remembered by supporters following his spell at Adie Moran Park last season. Josh Briggs struck the crossbar midway through the half and Buckley was called into action again shortly afterwards to deny Ball as the visitors searched for a route back into the contest.

Heys continued to look dangerous going forward and extended their lead on twenty-four minutes when Appleton lifted a perfectly weighted pass over the defence for Sambizi, who controlled expertly before firing beyond Bickerstaffe to make it 3-0.

The visitors' task became even more difficult six minutes before the break when Louis Holt raced through on goal and was brought down by Dylan Thompson. The referee had little hesitation in producing a straight red card, leaving St Helens with ten men for the remainder of the contest. Although Louie Hutchinson's resulting free-kick drifted narrowly wide, Heys headed into the interval with a commanding advantage.

Any hopes of a St Helens comeback disappeared shortly after the restart. On fifty-two minutes, Sambizi drove into the penalty area before delivering a dangerous cross that Holt converted from close range.

Two minutes later, Crawford grabbed his second goal of the afternoon, lifting an excellent finish over the advancing Bickerstaffe after racing onto a ball over the top.

At 5-0, the result was effectively beyond doubt, but Heys continued to control possession and dictate proceedings. David Badrock went close following a corner routine as the hosts searched for further goals.

To their credit, St Helens continued to battle. Substitute Joe Barker thought he had reduced the deficit when he lifted the ball over Buckley, only for the assistant referee's flag to deny him. Barker eventually got his reward on 80 minutes, applying the finishing touch to a well-delivered free-kick to score the visitors' consolation goal.

There was still time for Crawford to go close to completing his hat-trick before substitute Reece Lascelles-Higgins saw a long-range effort drift narrowly over the bar, but the scoring was complete.

When the final whistle arrived, it confirmed an impressive afternoon's work for Ryan Hutchinson's side. The goals from Crawford, Appleton, Sambizi and Holt will rightly draw the headlines, but Buckley's outstanding save inside the opening three minutes proved equally important. Had St Helens taken the lead, the contest may have unfolded very differently. Instead, the goalkeeper's intervention laid the foundations for a convincing victory and the perfect response to last weekend's cup disappointment.

Attention now turns to Wednesday evening's trip to Longridge Town. The Lancashire side also enjoyed an impressive Saturday, recording a 5-1 victory away at FC Isle of Man to move further clear of the relegation zone. Having bounced back in such emphatic fashion at Adie Moran Park, Heys will be hoping to carry that momentum into another important league fixture as they look to continue their climb up the table.

TEAM: Jack Buckley, David Badrock, Louie Hutchinson, James Badrock (Capt.), Matt Smyth, Nicholas Dre Taylor, Bryson Appleton, Liam Cuthbert, Louis Holt, Jamal Crawford, Takura Sambizi, Subs: Alistair Bracken (for Smyth 70 mins), Reece Lascelles-Higgins (for Hutchinson 70 mins), Lucas Bancroft (67 mins), Lewis Ayres (61 mins), Ellis Richardson (for Holt 61 mins)