HOLT SMASHES LATE WINNER AS HEYS WIN FIVE GOAL THRILLER AT GARSTANG
After Saturdays washout in many games in North West Counties resulting in Heys game at Daisy Hill called off they returned to action on Wednesday away at Garstang in high spirits after two recent wins in cup competitions.
On a cold night at the Riverside ground Heys wasted no time from the kick off pressing the home side and this pressure soon gave reward as on five minutes debutant Niall Sultan ran into the box and was shoved by the Garstang centre half from behind, the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Danny White converted the penalty with ease.
With an early goal behind them Heys were playing with the swagger and confidence that seemed to be lacking in some previous games in this campaign and on thirteen minutes Brad Sixsmith beat the full back cut inside but his shot just skimmed over the bar.
Heys increased the pressure with Rio Wilson -Heyes having two chances in quick succession on twenty three minutes the latter a great passage of play, a one two with Danny White but the Garstang Keeper Will Kitchen was alert to save both chances.
More joy down the left on thirty three minutes with great interaction between Rio and Anthony Hall crossing over to Max White who smashes a shot in from twenty yards and the home keeper Kitchen making a great save to his left.
Heys were now in fifth gear playing flowing football and on thirty three minutes made it 2-0 as Wilson-Heyes got the ball on the edge of the box and rifled an impressive shot past Kitchen.
More joy down the left on forty minutes when a ball came over to the edge of the eighteen yard box and Jacob Holt cracked a fierce shot that just went over the bar.
Heys were on top but Garstang started to threaten late in the half and deep into injury time they gave themselves a lifeline as a cross from the left skimmed across the box for Alan Coar to stab home from close range past Heys keeper Russell Saunders to make it 2-1 at the break
The late goal for Garstang at the end of the first half saw them revived after the interval when fron the re start a goalmouth scramble in the Heys penalty area saw Saunders make a great save and the follow up cleared off the line.
It was to be a more scrappy second half with Garstang battling hard but without any real threat to the Heys goal .
Good chances still came for the visitors on fifty five minutes when some great one touch link up play again between Hall and Wilson Heyes resulting in the ball coming out to defender Jacob Wood who's shot just cleared the crossbar
Further action on sixty three minutes when Sultan who had an impressive debut after recently signing from Barnoldswick Town crossed a lovely ball over from the right but the outstretched Max White could not get a boot on it to steer it in.
The final twenty minutes found both teams trying to get the upper hand and in the eighty sixth minute Garstang equalised when Benjamin Roberts finished from close range pouncing on a rebound after a save from Heys keeper Russ Saunders. The twenty one Heys present fans at this point were fearing two points dropped or maybe worse but as proved in recent weeks this Heys side has a new guile about them and this determination bared fruit late on as a corner over from the left found Jacob Holt who made no mistake smashing it home from twenty yards to keeper Kitchens left post to cue scenes of jubilation as the whole team lead by goalscorer Holt ran to the away bench to celebrate with the joint management team of John Lyons and Matt Barnes with the Heys fans stood behind loving this dramatic finish and a 3-2 winner.
The referee blew for full time and its an important three points that pushed Heys up to eigth in the table and with games coming thick and fast over the next couple of months they are now firmly in position to make a big impact for the rest of the season.