A seventy fifth minute strike by substitute Dylan Fitzgerald was enough to give Prestwich Heys a 3-2 victory against Charnock Richard in an entertaining final game of the season at Mossie Park on Saturday.
It was a big day for Charnock as two players, Nathan Fairhurst and striker Carl Grimshaw were making final appearances after long careers with the club and were given a guard of honour as the teams entered the pitch, Heys meanwhile were looking to end the season on a high after a disappointing run of one win in the last six matches.
It was the visitors first to show in the seventh minute when Rio Clegg on the right crossed to Tyler James but Charnock keeper Conner Eastham beat him to the ball smothering to safety, back came the visitors shortly after with Louis Holt bringing a great save from Heys keeper Jordan Hadlow.
It was Prestwich doing most of the pressing in the early stages and were rewarded on twenty minutes when a free kick on the right found the head of full back Jacob Ngoy and the ball looped over keeper Eastham and into the net to put the visitors in front.
Heys were looking dangerous with midfielders Vinny Howell and Kyle Jacobs pulling all the strings and went further ahead on twenty five minutes when great work by Clegg again found Tyler James who buried his shot bottom right past Eastham for 2-0.
It was James again looking dangerous on thirty two minutes firing wide for Prestwich who were now in full flow looking dangerous every time they got forward so it came as a surprise when Charnock pulled one back on thirty nine minutes when a free kick 20 yards out on the left flew past keeper Hadlow into the bottom right corner to give the hosts a lifeline.
It was Heys turn for a free kick on forty one minutes when James fired over from twenty yards ending a terrific first half with the only criticism being that they should have been further ahead.
Charnock came out fighting in the second half as the game became more of a midfield battle and chances were few and far between but in the fifty sixth minute great work by Howell who found James twelve yards and his shot was deflected onto the cross bar and out for a corner.
Striker James was at it again on seventy three minutes trying to follow up on a blocked shot from Khamidov but the home defense managed to clear all be it momentarily as on seventy five minutes Heys were further ahead and it was Dylan Fitzgerald who picked the ball up twenty five yards out turned the defender and blasted his shot past Conner Eastham to put them 3-1 up to the delight of the large travelling support.
Charnock hit straight back though and it was again a set piece that got them back in the game when a free kick on the left crept under substitute goalkeeper Russ Saunders and into the net to set up a grandstand finish.
It was the visitors though that still looked the more likely with Fitzgerald and Khamidov both having chances in the closing stages and a big moment for the home side on eighty five minutes when striker Carl Grimshaw making his final appearance for the club was substituted to a standing ovation, a fitting tribute to a great servant.
Max Bardsley-Rowe dragged a late effort wide for Heys and Charnock responded a minute from time and nearly snatched an unlikely point when Louis Holt headed wide from six yards out when it looked easier to score and that was the final action of the afternoon as the referee blew for full time.
So, Prestwich Heys season finished on a high in this deserved win and with other results going Heys way they jumped two places on the North West Counties league table to finish seventh resulting in the clubs highest ever finish and joint managers Lee O'Brien and James Hampson's can be proud of what they have achieved when they look back on the 2022-23 season as a whole.