Matt Davies and Shay Stansfield returned to Adie Moran Park as their Charnock Richard side eased to victory with four goals without reply, writes Paul Thomason.

Charnock Richard started the stronger side, but it was Prestwich who had the first chance on seven minutes when Kyle Foley played in Luke Jackson on the left, inside the penalty area, but he put his shot wide.

The first goal came 12 minutes in as Heys struggled to clear a corner. The ball found its way to Nathan Nickeas whose shot was parried by Harry Allen, in goal, but it fell right to the foot of Kuda Chingwaro who hit a first time shot into the back of the net.

As the first half went on, Prestwich struggled to create any clear openings despite enjoying some decent possession with Charnock looking a threat every time they had the ball.

On 35 minutes, Heys were opened up at the back, following a lapse in concentration from a throw-in, and the ball found Nickeas who had a clear run on goal before easing it past the keeper into the top corner to double the visitors’ lead.

Despite the deficit, Heys still tried to come forward and Michael Burke came close three minutes before the break but his shot, to the keepers left, went behind the goal.

The threat from Charnock always remained and they came close to a third before half time when a great piece of skill from Davies saw him deliver a great ball in for Luke Power who headed just over the bar.

The home side started the second half better and in the opening minutes of the half they had a few half chances which came to nothing. Despite the improvement, the game was largely fought in the middle of the park until the sixty-sixth minute when Charnock put the game to bed with a third as the visitors broke down the wing as Spencer Bibby made a great run and his cross was guided in by Nickeas.

Prestwich had a lot of possession but created few chances in the final quarter of the match. That breakthrough in the final third eluded them all game against a solid Charnock line.

The visitors put the icing on the cake in stoppage time when Matt Davies had a hand in another goal as his effort, following a strong run, was saved by Allen only for the ball to loop up for Marcus Haydock who head home to complete a comfortable win for the away side.

Heys travel to FC Isle of Man on Saturday, kick off 6pm.

Heys: Harry Allen, Max Bardsley-Rowe, Joseph Thompson, Gabriel Mooney-Munoz, James Badrock, Jack Taylor, Luke Jackson, Hudson Davies, Michael Burke (Capt.), Luke Byron, Kyle Foley Subs: Elijah Hearn (for Thompson 70 mins), Tom Woodward (for Jackson 62 mins), Lewis Ayres (for Burke 73 mins), Marcus Perry (for Mooney-Munoz 62 mins), Noah Inneh