BurySport.net: AFC Blackley 2-3 Prestwich Heys

AFC Blackley 2-3 Prestwich Heys
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Alan Michaelovitz on 04 March, 2008 11:56:00
 
But if the opening ten minutes of the game were anything to go by, the home side
should have been nowhere near having a chance of getting back on terms at the
end as Heys squandered two one-on-one chances.
In only the fifth minute, Smithies burst clear of the Blackley defence only to
find the body of the goalkeeper with his low strike.
Two minutes later, Martin Love also found himself bearing down unchallenged on
the ‘keeper. Finding his first effort blocked, the forward then sent the
rebound wide past the far post from a tight angle.
However, Heys early momentum was rewarded in the 8th minute when a low Lyons
centre from the right was cooly back-healed home from 6 yards by Smithies. The
goal marked the first time Heys has scored first in a game since the 5th
January!
Blackley hit back with Bernstien pulling off a good near-post save on 11
minutes before getting back on terms moments later with a wind-assisted cross
from the left which deceived everybody to sneak in at the far post.
Freakes’s men got their noses back in front on 27 minutes with Skipper Sam
Smith and Lee Coldridge combining before teeing up Lyons who’s strike from
outside the box found the bottom corner.
The pendulum then swung back Blackley’s way before the break as the
unfortunate Marvin Walters scored his second own-goal in two games, smashing a
low centre in to the roof of his net from two yards.
Ten minutes after the restart, Heys were back in front again. Smith clattered
an upright before Mat Jolly’s effort from the rebound found the same piece of
woodwork. Smithies latched on to the loose ball to strike low through the mass
of bodies and in to the net.
And Heys thought they’d stretched their lead further 10 minutes later.
Forcing a corner on the left, play was stopped while a linesman conferred with
his referee who then gave a Blackley player a straight red for dissent.
Heys took the corner which Jolly headed home only for play to be pulled back
because the sent-off player, although off the pitch, was still making his was
back to the changing room.
Sub Sam Freakes showed good skills down the left to beat his man and cross for
Love who volleyed over on 80 minutes.
That was to be the last threat from Heys as the remaining moments were played
out on the edge of the visitors penalty area, although Blackley couldn’t find
a way to goal as the defence held firm.
HEYS: Bernstien, Coldridge, Barker, Walters, Powell, Lyons (1), Smith, Love, M
Jolly (McMahon), Smithes (2) (Leach), Leonard (S Freakes)