A 74th-minute strike from James Hamill was enough to secure the points in a 2-1 win for Litherland against Prestwich Heys at Litherland Sports Park on Saturday, writes Rick Barrett.
It was a big day near the foot of the table as Heys were four points behind the hosts in 21st place so it was vital they got something from this game but were on a seven-game losing streak coming into this one.
Managers Russ Saunders and Matty Russell freshened up the pack giving debuts to full back Elijah Hearn and striker Sammy Imessaoudene both signed late last week.
As often for Prestwich in this fixture they got off to the worst possible start on three minutes when a clearance on the edge of the box found Elliott Toner who rifled it back into the top corner giving Heys keeper Brad Sullivan no chance.
Undeterred by this back came the visitor's dominating possession and Erike Sousa was busy down the right on ten minutes, crossing in and Imessaoudene could not direct his header goal bound.
Heys Elijah Hearn saw his debut curtailed early by injury on seventeen minutes and was replaced by Adam Dahou.
Prestwich were upping the gears, pressing high and the rest of the half was littered with chances Dylan Fitzgerald, as so often this season at the heart of it, on nineteen minutes had a shot from twelve yards collected by Litherland keeper Patrick McLoughlin.
Shortly after midfield starlet Gabriel Mooney-Munoz whipped in a corner and found the head of Shay Stansfield which narrowly went over the bar. Stansfield also brought a save from keeper McLoughlin with a thirty-yard shot and he was called into action again, saving from Adam Dahou, all before the half hour mark and it looked a matter of time before Heys would be level.
Jordan Southworth was next to show on thirty-four minutes, beating the Litherland full back on the left, running into the box but his shot found the side netting at the near post.
Noah Inneh tried his luck next firing over from twenty-five yards, but Heys best chance came shortly before half time, Fitzgerald cracking a shot from eight yards which brought a terrific save from Mcloughlin, tipping it onto the bar.
So, somehow Heys trailed at the break but the season long issue of not converting chances was alive again today and something would have to change after the interval to turn this around which they looked more than capable of doing giving that they dominated the opening period.
The opening quarter of the second half was a scrappy affair but with Prestwich still having the upper hand and on fifty-eight minutes a goal mouth scramble ended in Stansfield lashing a shot against the near post and inches away from a deserved equaliser.
The visitors were pressing again five minutes later Inneh firing one in on the left deflected for a corner from which Stansfield then fired over.
Back came Litherland on seventy-one minutes, James Hamill was put clean through, but Heys keeper Sullivan did well to block the shot with his legs.
It was Hamill again though three minutes later who made Prestwich pay when he latched on to a ball from the left, he was clearly offside when he got the ball, however no flag went up and the wide man fired it bottom left at the far post past Sullivan for 2-0 much to the dismay of the Heys travelling support.
Finally, Heys got the ball in the net on eighty-five minutes a lovely ball over the top found Imessaoudene on the left who made no mistake firing into bottom right on an impressive debut to give the visitors a fighting chance.
Prestwich were now going for the jugular again and in a bizarre goal mouth scramble, shortly after the goal, Fitzgerald hit the bar and substitute Sonny Reeves hit the post and you just sensed again it was not to be Heys day.
Substitute Luke Mann had Heys final chance of the day firing over on the right from eight yards as after five minutes of injury time referee George Payne blew the final whistle.
So, a further defeat for Heys who dominated this one for long periods, hitting the woodwork four times and they should have got something from this game. Yes, you could say they were 'unlucky', as on many occasions this season, but being unlucky now sees them slip into the relegation zone of the bottom two for the first time this season and one hopes something will change soon to improve their current position.
Team: Bradley A Sullivan, Finley Stanyer, Elijah Hearn, Gabriel Mooney-Munoz, Nathan Bartram-Conway (Capt), Shay Stansfield, Erike Sousa, Noah Inneh, Dylan Fitzgerald, Jordan Southworth, Sammy Imessaoudene Subs: Luke Mann (for Southworth 53 mins), Edward Schryburt (for Stanyer 83 mins), Sonny Reeves (for Sousa 62 mins), Adam Dahou (for Hearn 17 mins), Kian Sharples (for Inneh 83 mins)
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