Davies double fires Heys to victory

by Stephen Howard

Prestwich Heys returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Longridge Town at Adie Moran Park on Tuesday night.

After the weekend defeat at the hands of Wythenshawe Town, which saw Heys drop out of the play off places, this was an important game to win and although they ultimately prevailed, they didn’t have things all their own way.

The hosts made the perfect start, taking the lead in the fifth minute. From a corner the ball dropped to Harvey Roberts, who drove the ball into the box where Connor Martin reacted quickly to fire in a low shot on the turn for the opening goal.

Heys looked to build on their start and went close again when nice build up play between Martin and Matt Davies found Roberts who cut into the box before firing an angled shot over.

The visitors eased the pressure in the 15th minute with a great move that so nearly brought the equaliser. A great run down the right by Jack Anderton saw him cut into the box before the curling his shot wide of the far post.

Encouraged by their near miss Longridge did level five minutes later. A great break down the left by Ryan McClean saw his centre take a deflection to loop into the path of Luke Smith, coming in at the far post and he had the easiest of chances in slotting home from close range.

Heys almost regained the lead from the restart when Martin broke into the box, but he pulled his shot wide. However, there was a growing reassurance in the away sides play and it took a great save from Russ Saunders to deny Malick Tanou in the 24th minute as he burst through and then a slice of luck when Matthew Howson-Smith saw his follow up deflected wide.

Saunders had to be alert again three minutes later to deny Tanou again as the visitors took a firm grip of the game on the back of some slick football.

Heys rode their luck again in the 35th minute as Saunders pulled off another great save to deny Anderton only for the ball to break to Tanou whose shot came off the post before Scott Harries followed up with an effort that was cleared off the line.

Kieron Molloy did find the net for Heys but was adjudged offside. However, as the half came to an end they could feel themselves fortunate to still be level.

Whatever was said in the dressing room during the interval had the desired effect as there was much more purpose about Heys play on the restart. Davies went close with an overhead kick before Martin then glanced a header wide from a Molloy corner as the home side set the pace.

Gabriel Mooney-Munoz came on for Connor Brotherton and Molloy was replaced by Dylan Fitzgerald just after the hour and the latter made an immediate impact. Receiving the ball on the left he turned the full back inside out before whipping a cross into the near post where Davies fired home with a first time shot to give Heys the lead.

Looking in complete control now Heys looked for a crucial third goal and it took a stunning fingertip save from Town ‘keeper Will Kitchen to keep out a great strike by Mooney-Munoz in the 74th minute following great work by Davies.

Two minutes later though Heys did increase their lead. A corner was whipped into the box by Roberts, and it was Davies who got his head on it to divert the ball into the far corner.

In the closing moments Heys might have had a fourth when Davies teed up Fitzgerald, but his shot beat the far post. However, their work was done, and they could soon celebrate this hard-earned victory that returned them into the play off places as the promotion race enters the final month.

TEAM: Russ Saunders, Jacob Ngoy, Saidkhon Khamidov, Pa Jenkins, Jack McConnell. Sam Olawumi, Harvey Roberts, Connor Brotherton, Connor Martin, Matt Davies, Kieron Molloy Subs; Nathan Emery (for Khamidov 70 mins), Gabriel Mooney-Munoz (for Brotherton 58 mins), Rio Wilson-Heyes (for Martin 68 mins), Brad Sullivan (for Roberts 83 mins), Dylan Fitzgerald (for Molloy 60 mins)