Prestwich Heys staged a second fightback to get the new era at Adie Moran Park off to the perfect start with a 3-1 victory over Barnoldswick Town on Saturday.

After a difficult week that saw Chairman Neil Gilmore and Trustee Nick Kingston leave it was announced on the eve of the game that club legend Jon Lyons, who enjoyed great success as a player and Manager, had been appointed new Chairman. Infront of a bumper crowd it looked like the coronation was going to fall flat when the visitors took a half time lead, but Heys came roaring back with a strong second half showing to keep their promotion push on track.

From the first minute to the last this was match played with great intensity and pace and it was Heys who had the better of the early exchanges with some good spells of possession. However, the first chance was to fall to Barnoldswick as from a corner a low shot from Ben Ashton saw Heys ‘keeper Russ Saunders get a hand to it, but not enough to prevent its trajectory to the open net, but a goal line clearance from Gabriel Mooney-Munoz saved the day for Heys.

As both sides battled for the upper hand chances remained at a premium but it was the visitors who looked the more threatening and Saunders had to be on his toes to thwart Jack Foster on the half hour as he looked to break into the box but the Heys keeper scrambled well to take the ball off his feet.

Heys first chance of note came a minute later when Brad Sullivan found space on the edge of the area to feed Matt Davies whose sharp shot was saved by the legs of Barlick keeper Callum Jakovlevs.

Play then quickly switched to the other end as the visitors took the lead. George Chmiel broke down the left and delivered a great cross to the near post where Gareth Hill was on hand to steer home from close range.

The home side looked to respond when Rio Wilson-Heyes picked out Sullivan, twelve yards out, but his shot was deflected wide. The first half ended with a chance for the visitors when Hill let fly from twenty-five yards, but Saunders responded with an equally fine save as he stretched superbly to tip the ball over the bar.

Whilst there had been little to choose between the sides, the visitors had looked sharper in attacking areas in the opening half but on the restart, Heys came out with an extra zip to their play and immediately began to ask questions of their opponents and in the 50th minute they levelled matters.

From a Wilson-Heyes corner, out on the left, the ball dropped in the box for Chalmers who drove the ball low into the danger area for Matt Davies to show quick feet and turn it in from six yards out.

Ashton threatened to respond for Barnoldswick, but Saunders was again quick of his line to snuff out the danger as the teams continued to go head to head. However, the greater threat was now coming from the hosts and in the 67th minute they took the lead.

Again, it was from a corner but this time from Jack McConnell on the right. His centre was deep to the far post but again found Chalmers who this time planted a firm header past Jakovlevs.
With a spring in their step Heys almost added a third in the 75th minute when a super cross from substitute Dan Silver-Adigun found Davies but the forward was not quite able to get enough on the ball with his header which glanced wide of the post.

The away team looked to get back into the game and had a great chance in the 79th minute when a corner found Hill unmarked, but he put his header straight into the arms of Saunders and their hopes of a comeback were dealt a decisive blow two minutes later when Heys added a third.

From a swift counter attack, Smith broke down the middle before putting in a peach of a pass to release Wilson-Heyes and one on one with Jakovlevs, there was only one winner as he drove low into the bottom left corner.

Moments later, the keeper came out on top, when thwarting Wilson-Heyes at close range as Heys looked to add to their tally with Pa Jenkins also going close with a shot from the edge of the area.

Saunders pulled off a great save in added time to deny Jacob Holgate a goal for the Barlick, but the day belonged to Heys as they marked a new start with three valuable points.

TEAM: Russell Saunders, Jacob Ngoy, Saidkhon Khamidov, Pa Jenkins, Jack McConnell, Aaron Chalmers, Gabriel Mooney-Munoz, Connor Brotherton, Brad Sullivan, Matt Davies, Rio Wilson-Heyes Subs: Dan Silver Adigun (for Mooney-Munoz 69 mins), Danny White, Nathan Bartram Conway, Regan Brown, Ryley Smith (for Sullivan 76 mins),