Tinker secures point for Heys at Euxton Villa

New signing Josh Tinker's forty eighth minute equaliser was enough for Prestwich Heys to secure a 1-1 draw with newly promoted Euxton Villa at the Jim Fowler memorial ground on Saturday on the opening day of the 2025-26 season of the North West Counties Premier League.

Heys came into the new season having retained the majority of the squad that kept them in this league along with new signings Tinker, Rob Worrall and Joe Camozzi all starting  and additionally they started with keeper Alex Brown in goal on loan from Chester.

After a tight start it was Bryson Appleton first to show for the visitors beating his man down the right but firing wide and shortly after it was Takura Sambizi down the left crossing in finding Camozzi who brought a great save from Villa keeper Oliver Lombard.

Prestwich were enjoying a great spell of play on twelve minutes Appleton again found Michael Burke who fired wide and Alfie Belcher brought another save from Lombard shortly after.

Euxton's first chance was firing over the bar on fifteen moments after Heys gave away possession in the middle and had a free kick cleared on the right soon after.

Indeed this little spell for the hosts got them reward on twenty two minutes, a corner was headed on at the far post by Jack Wyers-Roebuck looked like the ball went in off Heys defender David Badrock for an own goal although the Villa player was credited with the goal.

Worse was to follow for Heys on the half hour mark as Alfie Belcher limped off injured and was replaced by Dre Taylor, but rallied they did, Lombard making another save from Camozzi on thirty seven minutes and striker Burke did have the ball in the net for the visitors shortly before half time but was ruled offside.

So the hosts went into the break 1-0 up in what had been a fairly even first half but Prestwich set to the task quickly after the interval and were rewarded with an equaliser on forty-eight minutes when a corner on the left was flicked onto the bar and Josh Tinker was on hand to stab home the rebound for 1-1.

Back came Euxton on fifty seven minutes bringing a great double save from Heys keeper Alex Brown and it was Lombard at the other end three minutes later making a great save from a Tinker header.

Burke again had the ball in the net on sixty five minutes but again ruled offside and was replaced shortly after by fellow striker Connor Martin.

The referee waved a penalty shout away for handball on seventy minutes and from the same move Sambizi was brought down but the Heys wide man was given a yellow card for diving with said referee unimpressed.

Sambizi was replaced by Mo Doro shortly after who got straight into the action firing over and then putting in a great cross from the left that Appleton was unlucky not to get on the end of.

Appleton himself went down with cramp after a huge shift on eighty minutes and was replaced by Max Bardsley Rowe and as the game drew to a close it was the hosts pressing forward firing a twenty yard free kick over the bar but unable to get a clear chance on goal.

The clear chance came in the dying embers for Heys in the ninety sixth minute sub Bardsley-Rowe clean through after latching onto a great ball through the middle but with the goal gaping seemed to fire straight at keeper Lombard to save, it was a huge moment as the referee blew the final whistle shortly after for a 1-1 draw.

So, a positive start to the season for Prestwich Heys with the new signings all performing well and they did more than enough to win this but finishing let them down at key moments, a hard earned point it was though against an Euxton Villa side many teams will find hard to beat this season and go into Tuesday's game at home to Padiham with confidence for this season.