It was a case of who was able to put their chances away at the Vestacre Stadium on Friday night as Heys came to rue their missed goal scoring opportunities against a Chadderton side who were clinical with their finishing, writes Paul Thomasson.

Prestwich started the game lively and actually did have the ball in the back of the net three minutes in when a cross from Max Bardsley-Rowe was fired in by Luke Jackson, but the flag went up for offside.

Nine minutes into the game, Chadderton had their first real attack and took the lead. A run from Muis Bibire Bello on the left saw him cross the ball into the box from which Rob Flynn pulled the ball back for Matthew Barlow, who on the half-volley, put it away from the edge of the area.

Heys heads didn’t go down and they fought hard. Just four minutes after the opening goal, Kyle Foley had an effort from outside the area which went straight at the keeper, it was a strong shot which the keeper dropped but he was able to recover before a waiting Michael Burke could pounce.

Prestwich were playing well and from an outsider, you wouldn’t have known which team was near the top and which was at the bottom, and they would dominate the chances in the final quarter of the first half. Michael Burke had a great chance, thirty-four minutes, in as he intercepted the ball in Chadderton’s half, on a run down the middle of the pitch, before shooting low to the keepers left who tipped the ball onto the post.

Burke had another chance five minutes before the break when a run down the right from Max Bardsley-Rowe was crossed into the box for the Heys striker, but his shot went just wide.

Two minutes later, Bardsley-Rowe created another opening, as he ran down the middle of the park to work the ball to Kyle Foley, but his effort went over the bar. At half-time, Heys were extremely unlucky to go in behind.

Almost straight from kick off in the second half, with fans still taking up their positions, Heys hit the woodwork again when a lobbed shot from around forty-five yards out hit the post on the keepers left.

Five minutes later, Chadderton had their best chance to double their lead when Matthew Crothers played in Tyler Berry who fired in a shot from a wide position which was well saved by Harry Allen, making his debut in the Heys goal.

The home side were now starting to get on top and they had another chance three minutes later when Berry played in Lewis-Simon Bryne with a lovely flick, but his effort was well saved by Allen.

Prestwich heads were still up though and a couple of minutes later Luke Byron cut into the penalty area, but his shot went wide as he ran out of room near the touchline.

On seventy-two minutes, Heys had their best chance to equalise when a cross from one of the debutants, Marcus Perry, found Burke whose shot was well saved by Bacon, in the Chaddy goal, who got back to his feet quick enough to save the rebound effort by Bardsley-Rowe. A great double save.

Almost straight away, Chadderton would go down the other end and when a cross was floated into the box, it went straight to the head of Tyler Berry to double the home sides lead. It was cruel on Prestwich who didn’t deserve to be two goals down, especially just as a minute earlier, it should have been one a piece.

Chadderton wrapped the game up with six minutes to go when a long-range effort from Matthew Crothers took a big deflection, giving the keeper no chance. Controversially, to rub salt In Heys wounds, a Chadderton player was about three yards offside in the build up, but the assistant referee wasn’t in line with play at the time.

It was certainly a game where Heys fans will be asking “what if?” Prestwich had a number of chances and on another day could have scored three or four. Right until the second goal, Heys were well in the game and should have scored just before Berry doubled the home sides lead. Scoreline aside, which was very flattering for Chadderton, it was a very good performance with some slick counter-attacking and determination to win the ball but they say when you’re at the bottom, you don’t get the luck, and this game certainly proved that.

Team: Harry Allen, Noah Inneh, Joseph Thompson, Gabriel Mooney-Munoz, James Badrock, Jack Taylor, Max Bardsley-Rowe, Luke Byron, Michael Burke (Capt.), Luke Jackson, Kyle Foley Subs; Lewis Ayres, Regan Brown, Marcus Perry (for Foley 60 mins), Thomas Woodward (for Jackson 60 mins), Nathan Bartram-Conway