Heys slip to Wythenshawe Town defeat

Two second half goals from midfielder Brad Byrne were enough to see off Prestwich Heys for Wythenshawe Town at Ericstan Park on Saturday.

Heys were looking for a response after a midweek 1-0 defeat at Congleton and were pleased to have Connor Berry and captain Aaron Chalmers back from suspension. It was Prestwich and Berry who were first to show in the forth minute charging through the middle bringing a save from Town keeper Elliott Wynne followed by a response Wythenshawe with a ball over the left just evading new signing Louis Potts . The game was turning into an intriguing midfield battle with both teams trying to get the upper hand and on twenty-four minutes it was Wythenshawe missing a golden chance shooting wide after a great ball over from the left. Worse was to follow for the visitors on the half hour as a free kick from Jordan Burton was launched into the box finding ex Heys man James Dwyer who shot past a hesitant Heys keeper Russ Saunders from close range for 1-0 to Wythenshawe. The goal inspired the home side who were on top for the remainder of the half and a chance to increase the lead on thirty-three minutes dragging a shot wide left from twenty yards, but back came Heys on thirty-seven minutes with a dazzling run from Berry beating the defender before bringing a save from keeper Wynne from twenty-five yards. Most of Heys threat was coming from Berry and the lively striker Matt Davies but they went into the break with much work to do, especially in the midfield where large gaps were enabling Wythenshawe to press forward and dominate the game.

It was Connor Berry again looking lively for the visitors after the interval bringing another save from Wynne from eighteen yards on forty-nine minutes and Heys management team of Lee O'Brien and James Hampson decided to inject some pace into the Heys team on the hour bringing on Kaiden Barlow and Callum Nicholas for Vinny Howell and Dylan Fitzgerald.

Back came Wythenshawe with a shot cleared off the line and were 2-0 up on sixty-three minutes when a Brad Byrne shot from the edge of the box flew bottom right past Saunders leaving Heys with a now mountainous task to get back in it. Response through came on sixty-eight minutes when the ball came out to Matt Davies to drive one bottom right past Wynne to give the travelling Heys fans some hope and it was the substitutes Nicholas and Barlow charging forward with pace and starting to cause concern for the Town back four. It was a brilliant Prestwich move on seventy-four minutes that almost resulted in an equaliser Barlow on the left finding Berry on the right who knocked in a great cross which Nicholas could not get on the end of but signs were evident Heys could turn this around. Back came Wythenshawe though as the game was now end to end and they missed a great chance to finish it on seventy eight minutes firing wide from six yards but the game was over as a contest a minute later Darius Palma, although running away from goal was brought down by keeper Russ Saunders for a penalty and up stepped Byrne again to dispatch it for 3-1. Heys rallied late on with centre half Rudy Misambo heading over the bar and substitute Junior Dos Santos looking lively but the referee blew to end a frustrating afternoon for Prestwich Heys who did have chances to turn this around but with mistakes costing them dear its now three defeats in the last four games across all competitions and the management team will be hoping to halt this mini slide after such a positive start to the season.