A ninety third minute strike by Ryan Jackson proved heartbreak for Prestwich Heys as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Wincham Park home of Northwich Victoria on Saturday.
Photo by Beth Lee
Heys managers Lee O’Brien and James Hampson almost had a full squad to choose from after seeing midfielder Brad Sixsmith return from suspension and started on the bench.
It was the visitors who were first to show in the second minute with Matt Davies firing from 20 yards saved by Northwich keeper Chris Cheetham.
Davies was at the heart of it again in the tenth minute shooting over the bar after great work by Tyler James to put him through.
Both teams were going toe to toe in midfield with Heys having the better of the chances and winger Dylan Fitzgerald hit a great corner in on thirty minutes that just evaded everyone and had a shot on the left moments later that just went wide.
Photo by Beth Lee
So, it was goalless at the break but the visitors were looking the more likely threat and this continued in the second half and on fifty-eight minutes a deep ball into the box found Jacob Ngoy but his shot seemed to get trapped between the keeper Cheetham and the defender and went out to safety.
Prestwich were now firmly knocking on the door Davies on sixty-three minutes brought another save from Cheetham and Heys did have the ball in the net just after through Tyler James but the linesman flagged for offside.
Ngoy had another chance six yards out three minutes later but a timely tackle by the Northwich defender prevented him from unleashing a shot and you sensed it was only a matter of time before Heys would make one of these chances count.
Controversy came on sixty-eight minutes when a wild challenge on Tyler James near the half way line was deemed only a yellow card by the referee much to the anger of the vociferous travelling Heys support.
Matt Davies fired over again on seventy-two minutes as Heys piled forward and the move of the match was on eighty-nine minutes involving substitute Tremaine Eastmond on the finding Davies who played in Fitzgerald but his shot from twelve yards went wide.
As the game entered injury time Fitzgerald fired over the bar from eight yards and just as the game was looking to finish goalless the home side caught Heys on the break in the ninety third minute down the right a cross came in and it was Ryan Jackson who nipped in front of Heys keeper Jordan Hadlow from close range to score with the first shot on target of the afternoon to steal the points for Northwich.
So, a frustrating day for Heys who defended well and pressed hard throughout but the lack of goals and missed chances in recent weeks will be a cause for concern for the management team as they look to finish the last quarter of the season on a high.
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