Heys came into this league fixture against Holker Old Boys in buoyant mood and were looking to carry on where they left off after Tuesdays 4-0 demolition of Pilkington at Adie Moran Park.

Indeed, this was the case and the opening 20 minutes saw Heys pressing hard in the visitors half of the pitch.

It was winger Will Shawcross springing into action in the first 10 minutes with two chances. the first in the 3rd minute blasting a shot low from the left which Holker keeper Samuel Stephens got down to save at the right-hand post.

Stephens was again called into action five minutes, later tipping round his left post from another powerful Shawcross shot from 18 yards.

Heys at this point were getting a lot of joy using the flanks and it was the turn of Shelton Payne down the right on 17 minutes who beat the full back and put over a dangerous cross but the incoming Heys players could not get that vital touch to give them the lead.

Shortly after on 19 minutes Stephens, who was having an impressive half, tipped a fierce free kick from Anthony Hall round the post.

As the half progressed the visitors started to get a foot in the game with one or two whole hearted challenges on the Heys midfield notably from Kevin Watkin who's pacy two footed challenge on Brad Sixsmith incensed the home crowd with the referee brandished a yellow card when it could easily have been more.

It was on 37 minutes Holker had their first big chance with a ball over from the right and a shot coming in from 20 yards which Heys keeper Russell Saunders did well to get down and hold.

The last chance of the first half went to Heys Anthony Hall, shooting from 12 yards which Stephens saved.

So, it was all square 0-0 at the break but the visitors wasted no time after the interval and by the time the crowd had just finished a half time Bovril they were one up.

Two minutes in, a ball down the right found Tom Dawson and the Heys back line seemed to freeze looking for offside as Dawson coolly shot past Saunders, with the ball hitting the inside of the right-hand post and rolling across into the net.

Heys kept battling but were struggling to create clear cut chances whilst Holker were starting to look comfortable, looking notably organised in midfield. Indeed, this was a much-improved Holker side than has been seen in previous visits to Adie Moran Park.

However, proceedings took a turn for the better on 77 minutes when the ball broke loose to Rio Wilson-Heyes, on his 100th appearance, who’s low shot from 12 yards beat Stephens to his bottom right to the delight of the home crowd.

Heys now had their tails up and almost from the kick off they had a brilliant chance to take the lead when another shot from Wilson Heyes rebounded out to the oncoming and unmarked Jamie Sinnott, on as a half time substitute for Shelton Payne. With the keeper out of his area, Sinnott fired goal wards but a Holker body somehow managed to get back and clear just in front of the goal line.

The final 10 minutes were a frantic affair with both teams battling for the upper hand, but disaster was to strike in the last minute for the home side. Sinnott, who had again but a big shift in, saw a pass seized on in the middle of the park and a through ball found Samuel Joel down the right who ran in to shoot low to Saunders’ left from 12 yards.

Shortly after, the referee blew for full time and Heys fans were left thinking of that missed chance after getting back into the game and then to concede late on highlighting that in the North West Counties football is a game of very small margins.

Heys are back in action at Adie Moran Park next Saturday in the Macron Cup 1st round where Premier League side Winsford United are the visitors kick off 3pm.