An own goal in the sixty third minute from table topping Avro’s Lee Wilshaw was enough to secure victory for sixth placed Prestwich Heys in a 2-1 win in a pulsating local derby at the Vestacare Stadium on Saturday. Heys were looking to bounce back from a 5-1 defeat at AFC Liverpool the week before and joint managers Lee O’Brien and James Hampson were boosted by the return of key players including captain Aaron Chalmers, Darcy O’Connor, Max Bardsley-Rowe and Omar Mbowe who all started the game. It was the visitors who started the brighter with wing back Saidkhon Khamidov firing over in the second minute and winger Dylan Fitzgerald looking dangerous on the right. Avro responded in the twelfth minute with Heys keeper Jordan Hadlow saving a free kick and had a big chance on nineteen minutes when a cross from Michael Afuye was met with a low header from Louis Potts who headed just wide right of the post. Back came Heys on twenty minutes Fitzgerald finding Bardsley-Rowe whose shot from eight yards was well saved by Avro keeper Grant Shenton. Afuye was at the heart of it for the home side again on twenty-five minutes bringing another save from Hadlow from twelve yards and two minutes later they were a goal up as centre half Chalmers was judged by the referee to have tripped Avro’s Bradley Sullivan and he pointed to the spot, up stepped Jake Cotterill to hammer past Hadlow to give Avro the lead. Heys responded will getting a grip of the midfield, but Avro had the next chance on thirty six minutes with Louis Potts bringing another save from Heys Hadlow six yards out but Heys possession was rewarded on forty minutes when Khamidov ran down the left and launched a blistering shot from twenty yards that flew bottom right past the despairing Shenton to the delight of the large travelling contingent of fans. Prestwich were now in full flow, and it was Chalmers in the action again on the stroke of half time blasting another shot from 20 yards brilliantly finger tipped over the bar by keeper Shenton for a corner. All square at the break in what was a thoroughly entertaining half from both teams with Heys slightly shading it, but the home side were also looking dangerous.
It was a tight opening quarter after the restart and on the hour Avro keeper Shenton had a rush of blood to the head rushing out and missing the ball which found Fitzgerald whose shot was intercepted well as it was going goal bound
Soon after on sixty-three minutes Heys were in front a ball from full back Jacob Ngoy on the right went deep into the box and was diverted into his own net by a despairing Lee Wilshaw who looked on in agony as Heys went 2-1 up.
It should have been three just after as a cross found Bardsley-Rowe six yards out who somehow managed to fire over with the goal gaping in a bizarre miss and it was Wilshaw who redeemed himself just after with a goal line clearance from Heys striker Rio Clegg.
Prestwich were now well on top strong in midfield and confident at the back and the league leaders knew they were in a game came fighting back with Louis Potts bringing another save from Hadlow on seventy-three minutes but further chances for Fitzgerald and Bardsley-Rowe continued Heys superiority and after a free kick for Fitzgerald in injury time was saved by Shenton that was the end of a terrific contest.
So, back to winning ways for Prestwich Heys who have achieved an impressive double over the local rivals this season, yet again proving on the day they are a match for anyone in this league and will look back at this one with pride at the end of the season.