Heys beaten at Skelmersdale

By Rick Barrett

A sixty third minute goal from Yasir Salim was enough to give bottom placed Skelmersdale United a shock win against fifth placed Prestwich Heys at a wind swept Community Ground in Burscough on Saturday.

Heys came into this one in confident mood after a 3-1 win against Longridge Town last Tuesday while the hosts were looking for an improvement after a 7-0 loss to Padiham last time out.

The opening quarter was quiet as both teams battled with the wind on the 3G surface with just the one chance for Heys in the seventh minute from Gabriel Mooney -Munoz, firing in at the far post, comfortably saved by Skem keeper Joe Langford.

Prestwich were having the better of it and on twenty-one minutes Dylan Fitzgerald, on the left, hit a great ball over to Matt Davies who's twelve-yard shot brought another save from Longford.

Fitzgerald found Davies again on thirty-two minutes, testing the Skem keeper and shortly after Nathan Emery, who had been dangerous down the left, found Fitzgerald who fired narrowly wide from twelve yards at the near post.

So it was Heys looking much more likely to break the deadlock as the half time whistle blew and eye brows were raised from the travelling contingent of Heys fans as the teams re-emerged for the second half with three substitutions and two of the replaced were Emery and Fitzgerald who had created quite a lot for the visitors in the first period.

Heys showed no let up though as they dominated, Davies shooting wide from twelve yards on fifty-five minutes and shortly after it was one of the replacements, Connor Martin, putting Davies clean through, but keeper Longford came out to block the shot and Martin put the rebound wide.

It was Martin again on the hour who couldn't connect onto a ball in deep from the left and Brad Sullivan couldn't follow up.

Kieron Molloy was next up for the visitors, having a free kick saved by Longford from eighteen yards and it looked a matter of time before Heys would make the pressure pay. So, it was a surprise on sixty-three minutes when Yasir Salim broke through and fired from six yards past Heys keeper Russ Saunders to put Skelmersdale a goal up after Prestwich failed to clear the ball. This was the hosts first shot on target of the afternoon.

Back came Heys on seventy minutes, Molloy on the left again knocking a great ball over to Martin who just couldn't get his head on it to steer it home as the visitor’s frustration continued.

This gave the home side some confidence and they got into the game more in its final quarter, but Heys rallied Sullivan was put through two minutes from time, but his effort was saved by Longford with his feet and Jack McConnell fired over shortly after with the final chance of the day.

So, a frustrating day for Heys in a game they dominated for long periods, but they could not convert good chances to win the game and this ultimately cost them. However, they are still in a strong position to finish in the play offs come mid-April with games in hand on the teams around them.

TEAM: Russell Saunders, Jacob Ngoy, Nathan Emery, Pa Jenkins, Jack McConnell, Sam Olwaumi, Harvey Roberts, Gabriel Mooney-Munoz, Rio Wilson-Heyes, Matt Davies, Dylan Fitzgerald Subs; Connor Brotherton (for Roberts 76 mins), Danny White (for Jenkins 85 mins), Kieron Molloy (for Fitzgerald 45 mins), Brad Sullivan (for Emery 45 mins), Connor Martin (for Wilson-Heyes 45 mins)

Rick Barrett has his own Heys webiste"View from a Sandgate Bridge" here: https://rickbarrett753.wixsite.com/website-2