Prestwich Heys ended their season on a high by winning the Bolton Hospital Cup with a 2-0 victory over Atherton LR at Radcliffe’s Neuven Stadium, writes Stephen Howard.

In a hard-fought contest Heys had the better of the first half and led at the break from a close range finish by Dylan Fitzgerald. However, Atherton had done more than enough to suggest they were not out of the game and emerged the better side in the second half and it took an 80th minute strike by Akim Samms to ensure the trophy made its way to Adie Moran Park.

A sunlit evening and a good sized crowd greeted the two North West Counties League teams as they sought to lift the historic trophy, first competed for 93 years ago. Heys, who lifted the Cup in 2016, started as favourites as the Premier Division side but knew they would face a tough challenge against First Division Atherton.

The early exchanges proved typical of a Cup Final. Tight and cagey with neither side able to establish a rhythm. When the first chance came in the 15th minute it came the way of LR, As Heys struggled to clear, the ball broke to Jack Lever on the edge of the box and it took a timely block to keep out the well hit shot.

Heys first sight of goal arrived ten minutes later as Fitzgerald worked a space for himself but his curling shot from the edge of the area was held by the Atherton keeper Connor Beard.

It signalled a good spell for Heys, despite losing stalwart Brad Sixsmith on the half hour to injury, as he was replaced by Samms. Tyler James had the ball in the net in the 33rd minute but he was judged marginally offside before two minutes later Saidkhon Khamidov broke into the box and drilled in a near post shot which Beard palmed to safety.

Prestwich’s pressure told in the 37th minute as they took the lead. A free kick from Nathan Emery was drilled towards the far post where centre half Rudy Misambo rose above everyone to head back across goal and amidst a cluster of players Fitzgerald applied the decisive touch to open the scoring.

Despite enjoying the better of the game, Heys knew they still had work to do and they faced early pressure on the restart from Atherton who went close in the 48th minute when, after working the ball well on the edge of the box, Connor Ikin’s shot from twenty yards whistled past the post.

Heys responded through Khamidov and Emery who worked the ball well down the left before finding Fitzgerald who let fly from twenty-five yards, but his shot just cleared the bar.

However, it was Atherton looking the more energetic and likely side. A free kick on the edge of the area provided a good opportunity but Heys wall did its job and Hadlow gathered the resultant cross. Then in the 67th minute came arguably the defining moment of the game. As Heys struggled to clear and with their defence stretched, the ball fell invitingly to Chad Whyte, but his close-range header came off the crossbar before Chalmers headed to safety.

Atherton continued to pose a threat but with the game becoming increasingly stretched Heys began to make good use of the extra space and in the 80th minute they added a second goal. Hitting LR on the break, James fed Samms, who still had much to do, but he turned his man inside out before drilling a shot under the keeper.

Samms was to go close twice more in the closing stages, curling a shot wide and then seeing another deflected wide. That would have been harsh on Atherton who had the final chance of the night when Lewis Adams headed wide from close range, leaving their endeavours unrewarded.

For Heys, silverware was reward a hugely promising season under Lee 0’Brien and James Hampson that brought a seventh placed League finish, the clubs highest ever in the Non-League pyramid and in the final act of the campaign, a trophy.