Please note, this is an archived story. Please check the date above.

After six games without a win Prestwich Heys bounced back to form with a comfortable 2-0 win at relegation threatened Pennington last Saturday.

Inspired by a sparkling display of wing play by Brandon Jolly Heys cruised to victory with something to spare and with more luck victory could have been more emphatic.

Jolly put his side ahead in the 17th minute and led the Pennington defence a merry dance before sadly his involvement in the game and the season was brought to an end by a hamstring injury midway through the second half. However, Heys stayed on top and completed victory in the 80th minute with a superb goal from substitute Anthony Cooke.

In view of the heavy rain that had fallen in the days before the Jubilee Park pitch was, save a couple of areas, in good condition as the match kicked off in bright sunshine. Heys were first to settle playing some good
football and looking composed defensively as they attacked up the big slope of the Pennington pitch.

However, the first real opening of the day came the home sides way in the 15th minute when Gilbertson let fly with a rasping shot that Heys 'keeper Paul Johnston got down well to tip round the post.

That proved the signal though for Jolly to begin his tormenting of the Pennington rearguard as he put Heys into a 17th minute lead. Tim Stokes broke up a home attack on halfway and then fed a delightful through ball behind the home defence for Jolly to run onto. He then went on a mazy run through the back-pedalling opposition before driving in a near post shot that the 'keeper got a hand to but could stop entering the net.

Moments later Jolly again ripped a whole in the home defence popping up in centre field to run at goal and chip the advancing 'keeper only to see his shot land on the top of the crossbar.

Heys were running amok now and a super passage of play involving Karl Kavanagh, Alex Ritchie and Mark O'Brien put Eddie Barnes through on goal but he hesitated with his shot and allowed himself to be dispossessed.

Pennington had no answer to Heys power and the crossbar was rattled again on the half-hour when Kavanagh let fly from the edge of the area.

Ritchie then saw a shot blocked on the line before another mazy run by Jolly saw his shot zip agonisingly across the face of goal.

The linesman's flag then came to Pennington's rescue as he ruled out a close range effort from Stokes after Alex Skelly had flicked on before the half ended in the fashion in which it had passed with Jolly again skipping past defenders to tee up a shot for O'Brien which the 'keeper held.

The second half started amidst driving rain, thunder and lightning but if the weather was in contrast to the first the play was not as Heys continued where they had left off with Ritchie and Jolly both seeing shots
saved and Skelly miscuing from close range from a Barnes cross.

The incessant rain though was now having an adverse effect on the game as it became increasingly difficult to move the ball about on a pitch cutting up badly by the minute.

The disrupting effect on Heys passing the pitch was having gave the home side some encouragement and they enjoyed their best spell of the match to press Heys back but were unable to find an opening.

As the rain stopped and the sun began to shine once again so too did Heys and in the 80th minute they clinched victory in style. Kavanagh forced his way through the mud to put a chipped pass over the defence into the path
of Cooke who took the ball on his chest and in the same stride drove a delightful shot on the volley past a bemused Doohan and put Heys back on course for a top six finish.

Heys next game is on Saturday 12th May at Monton Amateurs.