Prestwich Heys will face trips over the Pennines in the Emirates FA Cup and Isuzu FA Vase, for which the draws for the opening two rounds of both competitions were announced this week.

In the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round, Heys will be away to Stocksbridge Park Steels on August 3. The two sides met in the Preliminary Round two years ago, drawing 2-2 at Adie Moran Park before Stocksbridge won the replay 2-1.

The Sheffield side, for whom Jamie Vardy started out, came 15th in the Northern Premier League Division One East last season. The winners of the tie will be away to Bradford (Park Avenue), of the Northern Premier League, in the Preliminary Round on August 17.

In the Vase, Heys will travel to Worsborough Bridge Athletic in the First Qualifying Round on August 24. The Barnsley-based side compete in the Northern Counties East First Division, where they finished 15th last season. The winners will be at home in the Second Qualifying Round on September 21 to either Runcorn Town (NW Counties Division One South) or Handsworth, from Sheffield, who play in the North East Counties Premier Division.

Meanwhile, a 64th-minute Dylan Fitzgerald goal proved decisive as Heys came from behind to beat Glossop North End at Adie Moran Park, in a pre-season friendly, on Saturday.

In a keenly-contested game, Heys made a bright start, enjoying the better of the opening exchanges, but it was the visitors who took the lead in the 15th minute. A stray pass in the middle of the park left Heys exposed and as the ball was worked wide and then crossed low across the six-yard box, a simple tap-in proving sufficient to open the scoring.

Both teams showed plenty of endeavour but too often lacked the final ball. However, two minutes before the break Heys were gifted an equaliser when an innocuous through ball found the net after the Glossop keeper raced from his line to clear, only to totally miss his kick and the ball rolled gently into the net.

There was more purpose from Heys after the restart and they deservedly took the lead in the 64th minute. Some crisp passing culminated in a ball through the heart of the visitors’ defence, to find Fitzgerald who broke forward before finishing superbly past the advancing keeper.

Glossop looked to come back and Heys’ trialist keeper made a couple of smart saves, while they themselves had a couple of opportunities to increase their lead.

However, Fitzgerald’s strike, which followed his goal in a 3-1 midweek loss at Stockport Georgians, was to prove decisive in this encouraging performance from a new-look Heys side who will now host Atherton Collieries tonight (7.45pm), the game having been put back from Tuesday due to the weather.

Droylsden then visit Prestwich on Saturday (3pm). “The Bloods” returned to action after a four-year hiatus last season, reaching the NW Counties Division One South play-offs. They will compete in Division One North next season.

Then on Tuesday, Heys make the short trip up the road to face Elton Vale (7pm) at a venue still to be confirmed.