PRESTWICH Heys’ young guns came to the fore as they defeated Congleton Town 3-2 in a classic game of football at Adie Moran Park on Tuesday night, writes Stephen Howard.

This match had everything, end-to-end attacking football, great goals amidst some sterling defence and non-stop action, a real treat for the spectators.

Before the game, there was a perfectly observed minutes silence in memory of Heys great Andy Povall, who passed away earlier in the month. The game was a fitting tribute to a player who graced the left back position for a decade in the sixties and he will no doubt have looked down with approval as the current generation went about their business.

Heys will looking to bounce back from the disappointed of Saturday’s 2-11 defeat at Winsford United.

But one of the features of this season has been the emergence of young talent at the club and all three goals came from that source.

It took only four minutes for the opening goal to arrive. After Heys had forced successive corners Max Bardsley-Rowe seized possession, broke into the box and the young wingers low shot went through a mass of legs into the net .

Congleton, having a fine season with only two defeats in their last 21 games, responded strongly and it took a great fingertip save from Jordan Hadlow to keep out a 20 yard Shakeel Jones-Griffiths shot.

However, in the 12th minute Heys extended their lead. As they worked the ball across the pitch the ball fell invitingly for Rio Clegg, recently promoted from the Under 23’s, whose shot from the edge of the area swerved low and out of the reach of Town keeper David Parton.

With play switching from end to end, Congleton responded in the 20th minute with a goal of their own. As the ball was switched across the edge of the box, Daniel Needham found space and hit the ball sweetly on the volley, to beat Hadlow all ends up.

The pace was unrelenting as Heys swept forward with Matt Davies and Clegg combining to release Bardsley-Rowe and it took a brave save low down from Parton to prevent a third home goal.

Dylan Fitzgerald just failed to connect with a header for Heys whilst a timely intervention from Jacob Ngoy took the ball off the head of Tom Pope at the other as the sides went in for the half time break without surprisingly adding to their tally. Within two minutes of the restart, Heys thought they had scored when half time substitute Saidkohn Khamidov saw a cross deflected onto the bar with the ball falling to Clegg, but his header somehow stayed out before Parton gathered.

However, in the 50th minute Heys did add a third goal and what a beauty it was as the 18 year old Khamidov, on only his second appearance, drove home a stunning low shot from the edge of the area that nestled sweetly in the bottom corner.

It prompted a furious response from The Bears, as the visitors laid siege to home goal. Pope headed just wide and then in one phase of play, Heys blocked shots with the face, the chest and an outstretched leg.

Clegg almost put the game beyond the away sides reach with a curling shot wide before Pope then broke into the box at the other end but to great relief fired wide.

In the 80th minute though Congleton pulled one back when from a free kick out wide the ball was played into the box for Richard Duffy to score with a glancing header. Two minutes later the visitors came close to levelling but Hadlow came to Heys rescue clutching Thomas Hampton’s header on the line.

In a frantic finish, Heys survived two corners before Hadlow dropped to save from Pope before the referee called time and Heys could celebrate a fine victory. And how fitting that the ultimately decisive goal was scored by a left back - Mr Povall would definitely have approved!

Heys host FC Isle of Man on Saturday (an earlier 2pm ko) before travelling to Irlam next Tuesday (7.45pm).