PAUL McGovern and Shaun Jackson (pictured) gave Prestwich a two-nil win in another tricky encounter against Rochdale St Clements at Burton Park on Saturday. While on Sunday, emergency ‘keeper Matty Lott somehow managed to keep a clean sheet as Prestwich moved up to fifth with a three-nil home win over MPG.
Just two weeks after a hard-fought 2-0 home win over St Clements, Prestwich made the trip to Burton Park expecting more of the same from their fourth placed opponents.
And they weren’t wrong as the well organised and hard working home side snuffed out any early threat from Lee Metcalfe’s men while finding themselves knocking at the Prestwich door on a number of occasions.
But as the visitors resisted, sometimes just by the skin of their teeth, there were glimpses of openings at the other end that could be exploited as long as the early storm was weathered by Prestwich.
An Anthony Roberts volley on the half hour was easily kept out before Clem’s wasted a glorious chance when a close range shot was blocked by ‘keeper Danny Bailey with the rebound fired high over the open goal from 10 yards.
After the restart Prestwich pressed and gained the lead after only five minutes as Paul McGovern pounced on a loose ball to slot in to the empty net.
The reason for this empty net can be seen in the cuts and scratches on the left leg of Shaun Jackson as the Rochdale ‘keeper charged off his line and clattered the striker studs up just below the knee. Thankfully Jackson’s leg wasn’t planted at the time of impact or the outcome could have been somewhat different.
But after getting patched up, the determined forward went close with a couple of efforts before strike partner Sean Haslam flicked a crossbar with an edge-of-the-area lob from a quick Prestwich counter-attack.
At the other end the home side searched for an equaliser and somehow sent a close-range header off target as a corner found an unmarked man at the far post.
That miss proved costly as within three minutes Jackson stole the ball off a defender before racing in to the box and sending a low shot across the ‘keeper and in to the far corner.
PRESTWICH – Bailey, Hopkins, Barnes, Lott (Steadman), Taylor, Kosub, Howarth, Roberts, Haslam, Jackson (1) (Foley), McGovern (1) (Kirkley)
• Prestwich Sunday team eased to a three-nil win over MPG in the Bury Premier Division at Heys Road. Stand-in ‘keeper Matty Lott was a spectator in a one sided first half that brought goals from Sean Haslam (2) and Kieran Comiskey after good work down the right by Gareth Barnes.
Prestwich slipped almost in to reverse in the second half while the visitors can count themselves unlucky not to grab a couple of goals, the width of a post the closest MPG came to pulling a goal back.
Haslam wasted a hat-trick opportunity late on as he sent a spot kick past the post as Prestwich moved up to fifth in the division ahead of next Sunday’s home league game against Manchester Limos.
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