PRESTWICH Heys suffer late heartbreak for the third successive game after Elliott Owen’s 87th minute header sealed a 2-1 win for Stocksbridge Park Steels in a dramatic Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round tie, writes Rick Barrett.

Having lost their opening two NWCL Premier Division games to late winners, Heys achieved an unwanted hat-trick at Bracken Moor Stadium on Saturday.

It was the hosts who took control quickly with a series of chances in the opening 30 minutes with Jack Haslam looking busy, having a shot cleared off the line by Heys defender Natham Bartram Conway and firing a couple of shots over the bar.

Ash Butterworth’s header brought a great save by Louis Hood in the Prestwich goal and Alex Hardwick also saw a chance cleared off the line, after a goalmouth scrap, as Stocksbridge dominated.

But in the closing stages of the half Heys started to grow in confidence and get into this one and a free kick on the right from Dylan Fitzgerald on 33 minutes brought a terrific save from home keeper Harry Garman.

Shortly after great work by Gabriel Mooney-Munoz found Sullivan but his shot was blocked on the turn and then Erike Sousa powered down the right bringing another save from Garman.

The deadlock was broken on 56 minutes as Heys keeper Hood failed to clear his lines and punched the ball goal bound where Phillipson was waiting for the easiest of tap-ins to put Stocksbridge one up.

Worse was to follow for Heys moments later, a rash challenge on Fenton Reeves by Alex O’Connor led to retaliation from both him and younger brother Sonny Reeves and after much discussion with the linesman the referee decided to show them both red cards putting the visitors down to nine men.

Heys made several substitutions shortly after to freshen up the two-man deficit and this seemed to galvanise them as they battled on with Sousa, still looking lively down the right, catching the hosts on the break a couple of times.

Heys continued to threaten and there was joy for the nine men on 81 minutes as an in swinging corner, from the right, found the head of Bartram-Conway who made no mistake with his header from six yards.

However, back came Stocksbridge pressing hard and they were rewarded with a minute to go. Another corner found the head of Elliot Owen who headed in at the far post to put the hosts back in front.

Nine minutes of injury time followed, in which Heys keeper Hood launched a free kick deep into the box in the closing moments but it was scrambled clear, and the referee blew for full time to end an entertaining contest.

Heys return to league action on Saturday when they host Colne (3pm) before travelling to South Liverpool next Wednesday (7.45pm).