Dom Lavrinovic was the hero of the hour scoring the winning penalty in a 4-3 shootout win v AFC Blackpool as Prestwich Heys secured the North West Youth Alliance Division 3 Cup at Burscough on Sunday afternoon.
After finishing first and second in a nine-team tournament, these two sides locked horns again in the final in an entertaining contest in hot conditions in front of a decent sized crowd.
Nick Simister's side came into this one having won eight of the last nine games having eased to victories including wins against fancied sides Darwen and AFC Liverpool scoring a large number of goals and playing pacey eye-catching football.
However, it was Blackpool who were first to show with Mclouglhin firing straight into the arms of Heys keeper Joe Keane and looked to settle much quicker in the early stages.
Heys first chance came on seven minutes when a Bailey Dawes cross on the left was fired over the bar by Lewis Lundon and on 15 minutes Heys best chance of the half came with a lovely through ball from Joe Walsh found Ollie Scott who shot from close range bringing a great save from Blackpool keeper Dodgson, the rebound again came back to Scott who's second shot was then cleared off the line to safety.
Back came Blackpool who soon after had a shot cleared off the line themselves and had the upper hand in the remainder of the first half and had a great chance on 39 minutes when striker Simmons shot just wide of Keane's right-hand post from 18 yards and also had a penalty shout just before the break when clean through went down in the box after a challenge but the referee waved play on.
So, 0-0 at half time with the Heys lads looking nervous and capable of more and this was proved from the kick off for the second half as the ball found Bailey Dawes on the left who hit a lovely shot from 12 yards to the keepers left and going in off the post to send the contingent of Prestwich fans wild for 1-0
Heys now started to find the groove and settled down much better after the goal with Ollie Scott and particularly Dawes causing menace to the Blackpool defence and nearly bagged a second on 50 minutes just dragging his shot wide.
The game now was much more open with Blackpool hitting the bar with a header from 18 yards and had an effort cleared off the line soon after.
Heys best move of the game was on 67 minutes when a lovely combination of play between Dawes and Scott on the left enabled the midfielder to shoot from 18 yards bringing a save out of the Blackpool keeper.
At the other end Heys keeper Keane was being kept busy making a great save from Blackpool forward Jake Marshall who was looking livelier as the game went on.
With time running out Heys pressed for the second with point blank header from a corner by Dom Lavrinovic bringing a save from the keeper and Bailey Dawes knocking in a cross which eluded everyone from six yards out.
Blackpool were reduced to 10 men in the 89th minute when Marshall was sent off for his second yellow card of the afternoon and you would have thought at this point Heys had held firm and weathered the storm but in the 95th minute after the referee allocating 6 minutes of injury time a high ball across the left found Jordan Rankine who's looping header sailed over Joe Keane and into the net for 1-1 and heartbreak for Heys and that's how it stayed meaning the game went straight to a penalty shootout and one sensed the momentum heading with Blackpool after this late drama.
Penalties it was and after a couple of misses for Blackpool and one by Heys Ollie Scott we got to 3-3 and it was down to Dom Lavrinovic to finish the job for Heys which he did shooting his spot kick to the bottom right and prompting scenes of jubilation from players and supporters alike and the cup went to Prestwich with Bailey Dawes also bagging the man of the match award.
It was a fitting end to this entertaining competition from Nick Simister's side who played an attractive entertaining brand of football throughout this tournament and ran out deserved winners with the fans going home in the knowledge that the future of Prestwich Heys is very much in safe hands.
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