As anyone who has ever played football will testify, a last minute winner probably brings one of most euphoric moments in football, but being on the reverse brings the complete opposite and the sombre Prestwich dressing room after this game bore testimony to that.
Prestwich started the game knowing five wins from their last five games would bring the title but it was clear from the off their unbeaten in seven visitors had other ideas.
Whilst Prestwich began by enjoying a lot of possession in the central areas, forward passes from there were almost inevitably going straight to the opposition or just of such poor quality they were nowhere near a Prestwich shirt.
Failsworth to be fair had set their stall out well, content to sit deep with just striker Tom Neatis up front, but when they broke forward they did it in numbers and with real determination. As the game progressed Failsworth were getting to the ball first with increasing regularity and venturing further and further forward as Prestwich continued to misplace passes and want too much time on the ball.
Having given warning the visitors took the lead on 15 mins when Martin Hill was dispossessed some 35 yards to the left of goal, the ball winner fed it to Neatis who struck a powerful low shot across into the left hand corner of Mike Hudson’s goal.
Minutes later Neatis repeated the feat from a very similar distance and angle leaving Prestwich rocking. The lads eventually settled down and started to pin Failsworth back again but promising moves were too often spoiled by a poor quality final ball or just choosing the wrong option.
There was the odd half chance and several corners but generally Failsworth defended well and preserved their lead to the interval with relative ease.
Prestwich re-grouped at half time and came out with real determination for the second half, there was much more purpose about their play and the likes of Steve Murty, Martin Hill and David Prieto finally started to penetrate in behind an ever retreating Failsworth rear guard.
Real chances started to come, David Prieto had a header tipped on to the post from a Pete Gallagher free kick, Sean Haslam hit the bar with a volley and Murty had a shot well saved from close range him having cut inside after a great run down the left.
With the clock ticking the pressure mounted and whilst Prestwich continued to pour men forward they had to be totally concentrated as Failsworth posed a serious threat on the break and a third for them would surely have killed it.
The pressure told in the 80th minute when a neat ball from Prieto saw Murty through on goal on the left hand edge of the box, he kept his composure superbly to calmly slot the ball in low to the left of Failsworths impressive keeper.
Then, on 85 mins Haslam showed great strength to hold off one challenge before being crudely felled by the second, and Murty duly converted the ensuing penalty.
Having done so well to claw their way back in the game one felt the three points were there for the taking in the dying minutes, but it appeared as if the brave efforts spent in trying to recover the game had come at a cost and with several players looking completely spent it was actually Failsworth that looked to have the greater reserves to go on for one final push.
The visible lack of energy in the Prestwich ranks proved costly as in the dying seconds Richard Steadman conceded a clumsy foul on the left hand edge of the Prestwich box and the free kick was swept home to the right hand side of the Prestwich wall signalling great celebrations for all in the Failsworth party and great misery in the Prestwich ranks.
The defeat leaves the outcome beyond Prestwich’s control but with the chasers five games behind there are sure to be more twists and turns to come and it would take an unprecedented sequence of events for wins in the last four games not to bring promotion to the club at the very least making for an exciting run in, a win in next Saturdays home fixture against Wyresdale last weeks conquerors of Rossendale being critical.
