A 68th minute strike from Tom Croughan topped off a great day for AFC Liverpool as they cruised to a 5-1 win against Prestwich Heys at the Marine Travel Arena on Saturday, writes Rick Barrett.

Heys came into this one as the leagues form team winning six of the last seven games but were counting the cost after Tuesday’s 1-0 win at Irlam with an ever growing injury list which included both centre halves, captain Aaron Chalmers and Regan Brown.

As a result, joint managers Lee O’Brien and James Hampson acted quickly recruiting Lee Neville and Louis Shead to fill the gap.

The game started at a frantic pace, and it was Heys first to show in the fourth minute as a great one-two between winger Akim Samms and forward Rio Clegg saw the latter fire over the bar from eighteen yards.

AFC responded quickly through and were in front two minutes later as Prestwich lost possession in the middle, with the ball finding Tom Croughan who blasted a low shot from twelve yards past Heys keeper Jordan Hadlow.

Back came the visitors on eight minutes as winger Dylan Fitzgerald on the left found striker Matt Davies whose shot was saved by the advancing Liverpool keeper Jack McGovern and he was again in action shortly after saving from Clegg.

Heys were good going forward but looking fragile at the back and so it proved on twenty-two minutes as a ball into the box found the head of Luke Stephens, who looped his header over Hadlow and in from eight yards to put the home side 2-0 up.

Prestwich responded with a good move on twenty-seven minutes great work by the ever-energetic Davies finding Clegg who fired over. They did have the ball in the back of the net five minutes later, but Fitzgerald was ruled offside has he broke through to score.

Heys were battling but were careless in possession and the pace of the home sides two wingers was pulling the back four all over and a third goal followed on forty minutes with Tom Douglas firing home from twelve yards in what was starting to look like a long afternoon for the visitors.

So, 3-0 to AFC at the break and they showed no let up after as on fifty-two minutes they added a fourth as Callum Schorah got in on the act shooting past Hadlow and adding to the visitors pain.

It almost got worse on fifty-five minutes with the home side hitting the post with a shot from twelve yards, but Heys gave the travelling fans some hope on the hour as a cross from Clegg found Akim Samms on the right eight yards out who fired home.

This encouraged Prestwich who were now enjoying a good spell in the game with Davies and Vincent Howell both having chances but as they pressed forward to get back into the game it was inevitable, they would get caught on the break and Heys misery was complete on sixty-eight minutes when Croughan got his second of the afternoon and Liverpool’s fifth firing past Hadlow from twelve yards.

Hadlow was in action again for the visitors on eighty-two minutes making a terrific save to his left from eight yards, but Prestwich rallied well late on with shots from substitute Khamidov and lastly Clegg firing over the bar in the final minute.

A bad day at the office then for a Heys side that had been in fine form but sadly injuries and mistakes proved costly in their heaviest defeat of the season. Heys will look to boucn back at local rivals Avro on Saturday.

TEAM: Jordan Hadlow, Jacob Ngoy, Scot Cullen, Brad Sixsmith, Lee Neville, Louis Shead, Akam Simms, Vincent Howell, Rio Clegg, Matt Davies, Dylan Fitzgerald Subs: Omar Mbowe (for Sixsmith 57 mins), Tyler James (for Simms 73 mins), Saidkhon Khamidov (for Cullen 42 mins), Russell Saunders, Danny White