Prestwich showed tremendous character twice coming from behind to extended their unbeaten run in the league to twelve games.
Having now lost their cricketing fraternity but being boosted by the return from injury of Darren Buckley and Conor Hart it was a still a reasonably strong squad that took to the field but as it proved in this game the biggest challenge in their quest to remain unbeaten for the entire second half of the season is going to be how to deal with the loss of keeper Mike Hudson.
Prestwich started strongly on their 3G surface and came close to taking the lead in the first few minutes when Mike Neary crossed for Steve Murty who’s near post volley just went over the bar, and one sensed that had that gone in the calming affect would have seen the game run a far smoother course.
There after Prestwich took control of the game dominating possession albeit without creating much in the way of clear cut chances but looking authoritative and comfortable enough in defence to ensure that stand in keeper Carl Stabler’s duties remained dealing with the occasional back pass or over hit through ball.
The old style 3G surface was clearly hampering their ability to make the ball stick at the top end of the pitch, with Wyresdale lying deep in numbers there was little time and space and anything slightly over hit by sprinting forwards or over weighted passes simply ran on to the keeper or into the mass of defenders.
As the half progressed Wyresdale sensing Prestwich’s frustration in attack became more and more adventurous and started to commit more players forward and Stabler did well to tip a couple of cross come shots over the bar without looking entirely convincing.
On the half hour disaster struck when a corner was only partially cleared and a Wyresdale striker lashed it home from close range, minutes later things took a turn for the worse when centre half Paul Taylor had to limp off, the ensuing reshuffle seeing Hart enter the fray and Kieran Comiskey slot in at the back alongside Richard Steadman
Prestwich rallied and clawed their way back into the game, on 44 minutes a nice passing move through the middle between Buckley and Chris Hopkins saw the latter fire in a shot that was miscued enough for it to land at Dave Thompson’s feet who was alert enough to steer it past the keeper.
Minutes later though on the stroke of half time Wyresdale regained the lead with a long range effort which should probably have been kept out, but in Stabler’s defence the ball did take a wicked swerve.
Prestwich re-grouped and started the second half in a determined fashion clearly desperate not let their unbeaten run slip at the hands of what on the evidence was generally an inferior side.
Murty, Neary and Buckley all took up high starting positions deep into Wyresdale territory forcing them further and further back, while full backs Andy Davies and Joel Hudson constantly made themselves available for the overlap.
With Prestwich camping in the Wyresdale half it seemed a matter of time before the equaliser came and it was no surprise when it did on 62 mins. A typically strong penetrating run down the right by Murty saw the ball pulled back to the left hand edge of the area just behind substitute Aldair Victorano, facing the wrong way he did remarkably well to turn and a get enough power in the shot to force it past the keeper.
It was all Prestwich now and the deserved winner followed on 72 minutes, a nice move initiated by Davies making a strong overlapping run down the right saw the ball squared to Buckley some 20 yards out just on the right hand edge of the area, his powerful shot could only be parried by the keeper, fortunately Davies had continued his run and was on hand to nod the rebound beyond him.
Prestwich had several chance to make the game safe before Wyresdale roused themselves for one last push to get something out of the game, mainly in form of high balls aimed in the general direction of the box but Comiskey and Steadman who both had fine games stood strong and tall dealing with everything that came their way and using the ball wisely having won it back.
