Heys fall to late Macron Cup defeat at Ramsbottom United

A late header from Oscar Radcliffe was enough to see Ramsbottom United through to the third round of the Macron Cup in a 3-2 win against Prestwich Heys at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium on Saturday.

Both teams teams came into this one in good form, especially Heys who were top of the form table with six wins and a draw from the last seven the last being an impressive 2-0 win at St Helens on Tuesday night so you could say this was the tie of round.

Heys manager Ryan Hutchinson shuffled his pack up a little giving a start to full back Joe Camozzi returning from injury, and additionally starts for Alfie Belcher and Mo Doro.

Prestwich stated the quicker and were in front as early as the twelfth minute, it was inform striker Louis Holt beating the on rushing Rammy keeper Bradley Rose to the ball and hitting the ball into an empty net for 1-0.

Heys continued the early pressure on eighteen minutes with a good move that put Alfie Belcher through but his shot was save by keeper Rose.

Back came the hosts though and drew level on twenty minutes when a ball in on the right caused confusion in the Heys defence and Luke Shepton stabbed home past Heys keeper Lee White for 1-1.

This started a spell of pressure from the home side and went ahead on twenty eight minutes when Mane Walder took a corner on the right and managed to curl the ball past White straight into the net to the surprise of everyone in this crowd of 301.

Heys rallied with a couple of chances from Belcher blasting one wide and then bringing a save out of keeper Rose and got level shortly before half time on forty four minutes when a lovely cross from Takura Sambizi found the head of Holt who flicked it into the bottom right corner and we were all square at 2-2 going into the break after what had been an entertaining half.

Both teams were trying to head in the midfield battle after the break and chances were few and far between, Belcher had a free kick saved by Rose on fifty-two minutes but in truth both teams struggled to reach the hights of the first half, though Luke Findlow did fire a chance wide of the far post on sixty five minutes for the visitors.

 Ryan Hutchinson made a few changes for the visitors, which included Bryson Appleton and Luke Byron to freshen things up but it was the hosts who were unlucky not to go ahead on eighty one minutes when a cross from the right was sliced wide and the ball was cleared on the follow up.

It looked very much like we were heading straight to a penalty shoot out but a key moment on the stroke of ninety minutes changed all that. It started Prestwich catching Ramsbottom on the break Dre Taylor darting down the left had Appleton unmarked on the edge of the box on the right but lost possession and the ball was cleared on the left to Harvey Whyte who's cross found the head of Oscar Radcliffe and the ball flew past Heys keeper White into the net for 3-2 and the final action of the day  as referee Lewis Royle blew for full time.

So, it was late joy for Ramsbottom United who were awarded a home tie with West Didsbury and Chorlton in the next round, but Prestwich Heys will not be to disheartened with this defeat after going toe to toe for long periods against a side currently second in the North West Counties Premier League and go into Tuesdays league home game with Pilkington with heads very much still held high.