Four goal Heys triumph at Ramsbottom

picture courtesy of Dave Featherstone

Report by Rick Barrett

Substitute Matt Davies’ seventy eighth minute strike completed a four goal frenzy for Prestwich Heys in a convincing win at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium against Ramsbottom United on Tuesday night.

Heys came into this one off the back of a 1-0 win at Glossop on Saturday  and joint managers Lee O'Brien and James Hampson made four changes as they freshened up the pack with games coming thick and fast over the next few weeks, whilst Ramsbottom were looking to end a run of three successive defeats that had seen them slide down the table.

Heys started in confident mood and were in front as early as the fourth minute when a deep cross from Gabriel Mooney-Munoz presented Rio Wilson-Heyes with a tap in past Rammy keeper Austin Wood to put the visitors in front.

Ramsbottom tried to get a foothold in the game and good work by Harry Hayhurst down the right saw a cross go in that striker Matthew Birchall could not convert.

Heys pressed on and increased the lead on the half hour as a lovely one two between Wilson-Heyes and Dylan Fitzgerald resulted in Fitzgerald firing past Wood from six yards to put Prestwich 2-0 up and looking confident.

Back came the hosts straight away though and a ball in deep to the near post found Hayhurst six yards out who smashed it past Heys keeper Russ Saunders to put Rammy back in it.

The remainder of the half was an even affair with both teams battling hard in midfield and it was Heys who had the only chance leading up to half time, on thirty nine minutes, when Jack McConnell hit a great ball through from his own half to Mooney-Munoz but his shot was blocked and cleared.

So, 2-1 to Heys at the break and one sensed the next goal was going to be key in this game and it was the visitors fast out of the traps on forty nine minutes when a pacy run from Sam Olawumi, down the right, ended in a great cross that found Wilson-Heyes but his shot was blocked and cleared to safety.

It was Prestwich who were looking more likely and so it told on sixty five minutes, a move started by Mooney- Munoz on the left found Wilson-Heyes, his shot was deflected to Fitzgerald whose shot was cleared only as far as Nathan Emery who fired past Wood from close range for 3-1.

Matt Davies replaced Fitzgerald on seventy minutes and did not take long to get into the action putting Heys 4-1 up on seventy eight minutes when a deflected ball on the left found him unmarked twelve yards out to shoot bottom right past Wood.

Credit to Ramsbottom who kept plugging away and were rewarded with a consolation three minutes later with Oscar Lucas heading past Saunders from six yards for 4-2.

It was going to be Heys night though and Davies was very lively in his substitute appearance bringing a good save from Rammy keeper Wood on eighty five minutes and was involved in a goal mouth scramble two minutes later with the ball being cleared.

Four minutes injury time added by referee Ben Cotton could not help the home side despite late pressure and it was another big three points for Prestwich who are now finding the back of the net again after a recent lean spell in front of goal, additionally they are playing with the confidence and determination they will need to secure a play off place come the end of the season.

Team: Russ Saunders, Jacob Ngoy, Nathan Emery, Pa Jenkins, Jack McConnell, Aaron Chalmers (Capt.), Sam Olawumi, Kyle Jacobs, Rio Wilson-Heyes, Gabriel Mooney-Munoz, Dylan Fitzgerald, Subs: Saidkhon Khamidov(for Emery 67 mins), Connor Brotherton ( for Chalmers 80 mins), Harvey Roberts (for Olawumi 67 mins), Matt Davies (for Fitzgerald 70 mins), Connor Martin (for Wilson-Heyes 75 mins)