Prestwich Heys signed off on their home League game campaign with a 2-0 victory over West Didsbury & Chorlton at Adie Moran Park on Thursday night, writes Stephen Howard.

After four successive defeats the victory marked a return to winning ways, building on the encouraging performance forty-eight hours earlier in the loss to Wythenshawe Town.

 Heys were energetic, bright in attack and displayed defensive resilience in the closing stages as the visitors looked to compete a comeback after strikes from Tyler James and Rio Clegg had given the hosts a two-goal lead. 
They were ultimately deserving of the three points that lifted to them sixth in the Premier Division table.

Only a point separated these teams at kick off, but one might have suspected the gulf was much larger in the opening stages as Heys started in explosive fashion.

Inside the first minute it looked like they were about to take the lead as Clegg slipped a pass in behind the visitor’s defence for James to run onto. The latter’s cross to the far post found Brad Sixsmith but his goal bound shot was cleared off the line. Moments later Heys were denied again.

Another ball in behind released Dylan Fitzgerald who slipped the ball past the keeper, but scrambling defence saw the ball cleared off the line again.
Heys started strongly and took the lead in the third minute when Dylan Fitzgerald found James who nipped between two defenders before stabbing the ball past the oncoming keeper to cap a breath-taking opening.

To Wests credit they did not panic and began to play their way back into the contest with lively wide man Ezekiel Eme prominent. It was he who created his side’s first opening, cutting in from the wing before firing a shot across the goal and just wide.

As possession evened out, the game became something of a midfield tussle with chances at a premium. Didsbury went close in the 25th minute as the ball broke 20 yards out to full back Thomas Westall and his well hit, angled shot, went wide of the far post.

Ten minutes later it was Heys who went close as Fitzgerald played a ball in behind for James, but the Didsbury keeper Andrew Jones was out quickly to push his shot away for a corner.

Heys made a similarly lively start to the second half and after a corner was only half cleared Arron Chalmers delivered a deft pass to put Jacob Ngoy into the box and when he crossed his cross bounced off James outstretched leg and over.

In the 52nd minute, Heys were almost in again as Clegg dispossessed the full back, surged into the box and crossed for James, who at full stretch, couldn’t quite get enough on the ball to stab it home.
As the game began to open up the 54th minute brought chances at either end.

First, Ngoy saw a shot tipped round the post and from the resultant corner Wests broke quickly and Eke crossed to the far post to find Rhian Davis and it took a smart save with his feet by Heys keeper Jordan Hadlow to keep the ball out.

It signalled a good spell for the visitors and Westall went close for a second time in the 56th minute with a fierce shot that whistled just over the bar. 
The game was now wide open and Clegg created an opening for himself but fired straight at Jones.

However, the Heys striker was not to be denied in the 74th minute. A ball in behind found Clegg on the left and he broke down the wing before cutting into the box, drawing the keeper and slotting home to give his side what was to prove a valuable two goal cushion.

Far from lying down, the goal provoked a strong response from the visitors as their top scorer Benjamin Elliott fired in a fierce shot that Hadlow palmed to safety before his side pulled a goal back in the 80th minute.

As Didsbury pushed the ball broke to Westall, who having twice gone close from distance this time found it third time lucky as a cracking shot from 25 yards out stayed low to beat the despairing dive of Hadlow.

With the experience and guile of Kyle Jacobs and Vincent Howell having gone from the midfield due to injury Heys looked to be facing a real battle in seeing the game out although they might have wrapped matters up in the 83rd minute when a raking pass from Chalmers found Clegg breaking the offside trap but, as he bore down on goal, he took a heavy touch to allow Jones to gather.

Didsbury sensed that the comeback was very much on as they began to pour forward and George Kattah and Elliot both went close.

As the game entered added time there came one last chance for the visitors as the ball broke in the box to Elliott whose sharp shot took a deflection and went wide for a corner from which the ball dropped onto the roof of the net allowing Heys to welcome back that winning feeling.

*Two goals in the first six minutes proved costly as Heys slipped to a 3-1 defeat at Lower Breck on Easter Monday.

The hosts scored in the opening seconds through Thomas McNamara who then added a second six minutes later to leave Heys up against it.
Heys did steady the ship as both sides had chances in the first half of what developed into an even contest.

After the break, Heys continued to get stronger and were offered a way back into the game as Tyler James was brought down in the penalty box and Lower Breck were reduced to 10 men. Howver, Dylan Fitzgerald saw his spot kick saved.

However, in the 77th minute Heys did score when Rio Clegg slotted home to set up a grandstand finish only for Jordan Shannon to grab a third for the hosts.

Heys are in action tonight when they host Little Lever at Adie Moran Park in the Bolton Hospital Cup 1st Round (7.45pm).