In the second relegation six-pointer this month for Heys, Prestwich once again came away with a three-goal margin win to close the gap on the sides above as three second half goals in the space of nine minutes, made it three straight home wins, writes Paul Thomason.

It was quite a scrappy start to the game where no chances were created for either team although the home side did enjoy most of the possession. It took until the eighteenth minute before the first chance of the game when Lee Grimshaw, returning to Adie Moran Park, found some space but hit his half-chance over and six minutes later, he was set through with only the keeper ahead, but in the end was just beaten to the ball by incoming South Liverpool defender.

Chances were few and far between for both sides throughout the first half. Grimshaw nearly got his head to a Max Bardsley-Rowe cross, but it was just too high, and it was feeling like it could be a frustrating afternoon.

However, half-time team talks had to be ripped up a minute before the break when a free kick from around forty yards out met the head of Grimshaw, just past the far post on the right. He headed it across goal for Michael Burke to tap in to give Prestwich the lead at half time, which was just about deserved.

The second half was a lot more open, and we were only two minutes into it when Heys had their first half-chance when a Gabriel Hughes effort from outside the area went wide.

Three minutes later, the home side doubled their lead. A free kick in a similar position to when the first goal was scored was touched on by David Edwards into the path of James Badrock, six yards out, to steer it home and give the defender his first goal for Heys.

Prestwich were clearly on the front foot now and were ready to take the game away from South Liverpool. Lee Grimshaw, just moments after the second goal, nearly made it three but his effort on the left side of the penalty area went just wide of the far post.

On fifty-eight minutes, the game was put out of the visitors reach as Heys made it three. Luke Byron deserves a lot of credit as he intercepted the ball in his own half before exchanging passes with Alfie Belcher and in continuing his run into the penalty area on the left, played it back in front of goal for Belcher who’s effort was blocked before falling nicely for Grimshaw to force it in to score his first goal since his return to Prestwich seventy two hours earlier.

The home side were not done and four minutes later, they scored number four. Max Bardsley-Rowe crossed from the right before the ball was teed up for Byron who fired it past the keeper. After the effort Luke made for the third goal, he deserved one of his own.

South Liverpool got a goal of their own in the seventy-first minute when a ball to the near post was stabbed in by Christopher Happi-Fankam and they nearly had a second just moments later when a shot from the right was hit wide.

Byron Appleton came off the bench for Heys and once again made a nuisance of himself for the opposition, firstly he skipped into the box before his shot was scrambled off the line in the eightieth minute and four minutes later he ran into the box, one-on-one with the defender and teed the ball up for Michael Burke, but his effort was blocked by the keepers legs.

This was possibly the best performance so far by Prestwich this season putting them in touching distance of the safety line in the league. The three-goal blitz in the early part of the second half put the game well beyond the visitors and despite a shaky few minutes after the fourth goal, it was a comfortable game after that. Seeing Belcher and Grimshaw in the team together linking up was pleasing to see as the great escape continues.

TEAM: Harry Allen, Max Bardsley-Rowe, Luke Byron, Bradley J Sullivan, James Badrock, Jack Taylor, Gabriel Hughes, David Edwards, Michael Burke, Lee Grimshaw, Alfie Belcher Subs: Alistair Bracken (for Sullivan 65 mins), Bryson Appleton (for Belcher 70 mins), Louie Hutchinson (for Bardsley-Rowen 83 mins), Owen Percival (for Hughes 78 mins), Connor Martin (for Grimshaw 65 mins)

Heys remain at Adie Moran Park on Saturday for another key game against Litherland Remyca (3pm)