Last gasp goal thwarts Heys in six goal thriller

by Rick Barrett

A controversial equaliser from Barnoldswick Town’s Ryan Moore in the ninety fifth minute prevented a sixth straight league win for Prestwich Heys in a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Silent Night Stadium on Tuesday night.

Heys were in confident mood after an impressive 5-2 win at Lower Breck on Saturday while Barnoldswick, with only one league defeat all season, had a similar impressive win on Merseyside beating Litherland 3-1.

It was Barnoldswick who were first to show pressing hard from the start and they were in front as early as the fourth minute, as the Heys back line failed to clear the ball it fell nicely to George Chmiel who blasted home from twelve yards.

The home side were winning the midfield battle and were on top with most of it revolving round winger Ben Ashton but on seventeen minutes Heys struck back.

It was great work by full back Saidkhon Khamidov down the right who looked to have run out of room when he whipped a cross in to find the head of Matt Davies who made no mistake from three yards past Barlick keeper and former Heys man Callum Jakovlevs to put the visitors level.

The equaliser revitalised Prestwich and they settled down with Davies beating his man on the left and seeing his shot deflected for a corner on thirty-two minutes and with Jack Coop firing over shortly after Heys were now in complete control.

Bradley Sullivan then broke through the middle for Heys with pace and was tripped by the Barnoldswick defender but the referee waved play on and just before half time it was Davies again having a shot deflected wide for a corner and as the half time whistle blew you sensed it benefited Barlick more than it did the visitors in a game that was being played at a frantic pace.

The hosts re grouped and came firing out of the blocks in the second half with early shots bringing terrific saves from Heys keeper Jordan Hadlow, one of which from Ashton set the tone. Ethan Kershaw then drove a shot wide,all in the first ten minutes after the re start and they had a big shout for a penalty on fifty five minutes when a shot from Ryan Moore was adjudged to be handled on the line by a Prestwich defender but referee John Ashworth Sears waved play on.

The Barlick pressure told on fifty eight minutes when Ashton, tenacious down the right again, crossed to find Gareth Hill who headed past Hadlow from eight yards to put the home side 2-1 up.

Heys made a couple of substitutions, striker Connor Martin replacing Jack Coop and Brad Sixsmith replacing Greg Daniels as they battled to get back into the game and it took the crowd by surprise on seventy seven minutes when Barnoldswick substituted Ben Ashton the player who was causing Heys the most damage.

Prestwich started to press and drew level on eighty minutes. A corner on the left from Connor Berry found the head of substitute Martin who flicked it home from six yards past Jakovlevs to set up a grandstand finish.

Heys were revitalised and pressed forward as the clock was ticking down and as we approached injury time it was Khamidov down the left finding Martin who laid the ball off to Connor Berry eighteen yards out and his shot flew past Jakovlevs into the bottom left to the joy of the travelling Heys support.

With seven minutes of injury time being played back came the hosts in bizzare fashion with a dramatic late equaliser, a goal mouth scramble saw Ryan Moore shoot home but the linesman was flagging for offside. Referee Ashworth-Sears went over to consult and decided to award the goal to the dismay of the Heys players, as a result full back Jacob Ngoy was sin binned. Shortly after the final whistle blew and ended a thoroughly entertaining game that was a credit to non league football.

So, a frustrating  night for Heys who were denied late on but came from behind twice and never gave up the battle against a very good Barnoldswick Town side and you sense both sides will continue to go well this season.

Team: Jordan Hadlow, Jacob Ngoy, Saidkhon Khamidov, Kai Haigh, Regan Brown, Aaron Chalmers (Capt.), Connor Berry, Greg Daniels, Jack Coop, Brad Sullivan, Matt Davies, Subs: Brad Sixsmith (for Daniels 67 mins), Nathan Emery, Kayle Power (for Haigh 84 mins), Darcy O’Connor, Connor Martin ( for Coop 67 mins)