Here’s the reports from the last two matches played by Prestwich FC.
Weds 24th – Rossendale 4–3 Prestwich FC
A what is becoming habitual sloppy undisciplined spell midway through the 2nd half saw Prestwich go from a comfortable looking 2-1 lead to losing 4-2 within a chaotic 6 minutes ultimately costing them all the points against Rossendale outfit that has become very much a bogey side.
It all started so well with Darren Buckley putting Prestwich in front on 8 mins with a delightful 20 yard strike to the keepers left to finish a fine Mike Neary inspired move down the right.
Prestwich continued to be in the ascendency playing some lovely football but with the familiar tale of being unable to kill off the opposition despite being well on top. Rick Walker struck a post whilst Sean Haslam, Neary and Aldair Victorano all went close.
Whilst Rossendale tend not to play a great deal of football they are always a physically powerful outfit, fit and very competitive and Prestwich paid for their profligacy through a 42nd minute equaliser, I long cross being well met with a bullet header giving Mike Hudson no chance.
The goal stirred Prestwich into action and minutes later they were awarded a penalty which Neary coolly converted.
Having looked still in control of the game in the opening stages of the restart Prestwich wilted when Rossendale upped the ante in an attempt to claw their way back into the game. First to the ball with some uncompromising play they started to swarm at Prestwich’s rear guard, having won the ball back Prestwich were simply unable to keep it long enough to stem the flow and goals came in the 57th, 60th and 63rd minutes.
Prestwich regained some composure and set about getting back into the game, Neary gave some hope with a beautifully struck free kick to make it 4-3 on 70 minutes to set up a potential fight back. There was no lack of effort from the lads but the assault was all too frenetic with players too often running blindly at the Rossendale defence or tossing high balls into the box which was food and drink for the Rossendale defence and not really Prestwich’s game at all.
Rossendale hung on doggedly for the points, the celebrations at the final whistle suggesting it was a very hard earned victory.
Sat 27th – Prestwich 5-3 Accrington Amateurs
With the midweek defeat seeing Prestwich trail the leaders by 5 points the weekend game against what has been another bogey side took on even greater significance with a win being the only acceptable outcome.
Despite going down to a 3rd minute goal following a defensive mix up between keeper Mike Hudson and Richard Steadman a fine if somewhat erratic defensive performance saw them ultimately emerge as comfortable victors.
Particularly pleasing was the return to fine form by both Sean Haslam and Steve Murty who on their day can terrorise the best of defences at this level, Haslam capping a good all round performance with hat trick of the highest quality.
It was Murty that equalised on 6 mins with a delightful chip from 18 yards, then on 29 minutes his run and cross was met by Haslam for an emphatic finish. That it remained 2-1 at half time was largely down to the Accrington goal having a charmed life as Prestwich were carving out chances constantly throughout the half with Darren Buckley imperious in the midfield ably backed up by debutante Nick Kosub and Aldair Victorano.
The much expected two goal cushion came on 50 mins when Haslam picked up a loose ball running left to right across the edge of the area, looking like he’d ran too far across goal to get a shot in, his sharp turn and powerful shot back across goal fizzed into the bottom left corner.
As ever with this side the points can never be assured of until the final whistle and just when one expected a Prestwich avalanche to follow Accrington got back in the game with a terrific long range strike on 56mins.
As if toying with their opposition Prestwich simply went back down the other end to add a 4th, it was left back Pete Gallaher who burst down the line on an overlap to put in a great cross that Haslam met with a low volley of the highest technical quality.
Having re-established the two goal cushion the usual air of complacency set in and Prestwich contrived to give further hope to Accrington by conceding another soft goal. Fortunately Murty was on hand kill the game off on 86 mins gliding past several defenders as he’d been doing all afternoon to hit a shot that was just too hot to handle for the keeper who failed to keep it out despite getting a strong hand to it.
