Prestwich Heys promotion push took a knock as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Irlam at Adie Moran Park on Saturday.

In a hard-fought game, Heys looked set for three points when Aaron Chalmers gave them the lead in the 81st minute but with two minutes remaining former Heys player Kaiden Barlow headed home an equaliser for the visitors.

With most of the other teams in the promotion race winning, the outcome here felt like a defeat for the home side, who in truth never really got into their stride on a disappointing afternoon that also saw top scorer Greg Daniels replaced with a worrying looking knee injury in the 29th minute.

The striker has been at the forefront of Heys challenge, but this was a tough afternoon for him as he also saw a penalty saved in the ninth minute.

This came after an opening phase in which both sides set off at a frantic pace with four players, two from each side, booked in the first 20 minutes. The spot kick came when Jacob Ngoy set off on a trademark run and when he cut back into the box he was upended. Daniels struck his spot kick well enough but not quite high enough and Lee White, in the Irlam goal, got a hand to it to tip the ball over.

Heys were looking the more dangerous side but Irlam themselves were not without threat with the strong running of Mason Everton and the pace of Mwiya Malumo keeping the home defence on their toes.

On the half hour White again came to the visitors rescue as this time he pulled off a great save to push a Connor Brotherton half volley onto the bar.

The first clear opening for Irlam came in the 35th minute when Malumo broke the offside trap to go clear but Heys ‘keeper Russell Saunders was quick to react and gathered before the striker could get a shot off.

After the break, Heys did all the early pressing before a break in play in the 55th minute saw the referee receive treatment for what appeared to be cramp. The pause allowed the visitors to regroup and on the resumption the game became scrappy.

However, in the 81st minute Heys found the breakthrough. From a corner the ball wasn’t cleared and is it bounced around the box Chalmers was first to react and fired a cracking shot into the far corner to the delight of the home crowd.

The goal prompted a strong response from the visitors and four minutes later Saunders had to drop sharply to keep out a Barlow shot.

But having started the season at Heys, Barlow was not to be denied on his return. With two minutes remaining Langford swung in a free kick and the striker rose to send a looping header goalwards over Saunders, who got a hand on it, but not enough to prevent the leveller and leave his former teammates deflated.

After Tuesday’s clash with Longridge was postponed due to a frozen pitch, Heys return to action at West Didsbury and Chorlton on Saturday.