Prestwich were second best throughout as a goal in the final 10 minutes of each half gave Stockport Town a comfortable 2-0 victory at Adie Moran Park, writes Paul Thomason.

The Lions made the stronger start to the game but there was little action in front of goal in the first quarter of the half but despite their stronger start, it was Heys who had the first opportunity as Adam Dahou broke down the right from inside his own half before feeding the ball inside to Fitzgerald who shot across the goal with the ball going just wide.

The next fifteen minutes saw a battle in the middle of the park for control of the game as both defences were on top. It felt at this time that the game could go either way and it was going to take a mistake or a bit of class as the only way there would be a breakthrough.

Stockport’s first real chance of the game on the half hour mark as captain, Markell Foulds hit over the bar from twenty-five yards out and a break from Prestwich five minutes later when a run into the box from Dahou gave him an opportunity, but his effort went wide at the ‘keepers near post. The two best chances of the game had come for Heys who may look back and wonder what could have been if one of them was taken.

It was Stockport who took the lead in the thirty-sixth minute as Josh Edwards headed the ball across goal to the head of Daniel Lewis right in front of goal, giving Louis Hood no chance.

Town’s confidence would rise after the goal as they went on to take control of the game and they could have doubled their lead just minutes later as Lewis had another headed chance but this time it was very well saved by Hood who palmed it away for a corner.

Half time couldn’t come soon enough for Prestwich as only Stockport looked like scoring the second goal of the game in the remainder of the half. Heys would be looking to regroup and come out stronger in the second half. However, just like the first half, the Lions started the stronger and a free kick from around forty yards out went across the face of the goal but ended up being put behind for a corner.

In the fifty-fourth minute, it was a welcome return to Heys for Regan Jarrett as he came off the bench for Edward Schryburt and only a couple of minutes later he was involved in the action as a strong run on the right saw him find Fitzgerald, but his shot was straight at Cian O’Shea in the Stockport goal.

With around twenty minutes to go, Heys were able to put a little pressure on, forcing a couple of corners. Erike Sousa came the closest when a low shot was saved by the Town ‘keeper. It felt like if Prestwich were going to get back into the game, it was going to be now. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be.

Stockport Town finished the game off with eight minutes to go as a long throw from Josh Edwards was only cleared to the edge of the box and it was volleyed home by substitute, Harley Monaghan.

Prestwich didn’t give up trying but it just wasn’t to be. A late chance from Finley Stanyer was headed over which was Heys’ last chance of the game.

Although Stockport Town were the better team for most of the match, at 1-0 there was always the possibility that Prestwich could have got back into it and indeed put Town under some pressure midway in the second half but overall the final result was justified as Heys’ were unable to reproduce the performance at South Liverpool three days earlier.

Team: Louis Hood, Callum Bond (on Hensley Mills, 53), Riche Makelele, Finley Stanyer, Nathan Bartram-Conway (on Adam Hampshire, 86), Shay Stansfield, Erike Sousa, Edward Schryburt (on Regan Jarrett, 53), Dylan Fitzgerald, Ardian Gashi (on Ivan Egharevba, 61), Adam Dahou (on William Gore, 65)