CHARNOCK RICHARD TITLE PUSH GOES ON WITH WIN AT PRESTWICH

PRESTWICH HEYS 0 CHARNOCK RICHARD 3
NWCFL 1 @ ADIE MORAN PARK
15 APRIL 2017 --- 3PM

ADIE MORAN PARK HOME OF PRESTWICH HEYS

Charnock Richard produced 3 second half goals without reply to retain top spot in The North West Counties Football League Division 1 and the search for promotion 2 seasons running comes ever nearer.
Another day another game and as Dave the Burnley fan always says at this time of the season its Camel time take on the water for the trip into the desert when there is no footy for ooh at least 8 weeks!  So today we retraced one third of yesterdays steps leaving Derbyshire just before 1130 headed up with 2 units providing a comfortable 4 carriages and we hopped into an old '153' which was heading the service up into Sheffield, sorry drifted into to much train info there!  A smooth transfer to Metrolink and the Bury service enabled us to take a brief view through the trams windows of a busy Saturday in Manchester before we sped out to our destination.  Tickets purchased for our destination of Besses o' th' Barns, don't ask I've no idea either, but with every intention to depart at Prestwich.

OASIS NO ITS ARMSTRONGS ACTUALLY

Its a bit further and that funny name would be our departure station at the final whistle but as most readers will know this blog has become as much about the purveyors of good fish and chips than anything!
There it was Armstrongs Home Of The Jumbo Cod sat the establishment of good fish and chips on Bury Old Road if reviews were to be believed.  The first rule of a good 'un is a queue and here we had one three serving and still about 10 in the line get in there.  The jumbo fish was on offer but even my eyes were not that big and I went for the regular cod with the same size chips all totalling in at around £4.50, a veritable feast dear reader and one that pops into the top echelons of the fish and chip league table.

CHALLENGING AT THE TOP OF THE TABLE MUCH LIKE TODAYS TEAMS

Soon to arrive at the ground, in fact sooner than I had predicted, you know you are arriving by the thunderous sound of the adjacent M60 which was to accompany the afternoons proceedings, it does rather spoil the atmosphere as did the biting cold wind, come on English weather then again it is a Bank Holiday weekend.

COVERED TERRACE AND TURNSTILE ENTRANCE

Adie Moran Park has a set of old steel gates swung open with its name encompassed within and the open weeping car park offers ample room for all to park.  To the far entry is the turnstile and a warm welcome is given we also purchase an excellent programme, well done Prestwich Heys!  The ground has plenty of room for development with masses of space behind either touchline and nearly as much behind either goal.  The whole ground is fenced off with concrete layered fencing.  To the immediate right is a covered flat terrace running a third of the distance behind this bottom goal.  To the left are I guess the old steel cabin changing rooms which have now been superseded by some smart new modern cabins and beyond this a small bar area which also features a snack bar at the same time.  Todays crowd of 209 was I suspect the biggest of the season and it was great to see following Charnock supporters as well as Prestwich fans in attendance with a fair few hoppers.  Prestwich are developing but with a big crowd there snack bar needs to be housed separately as I guess today they didn't take as much as they could have, we certainly only made one visit and would normally spend more.  The only other minor was just one gents toilet also tucked away in the bar emergency plans may have to be made if your desperate and its a big crowd!

A NEW STAND FOR PRESTWICH HEYS FC

Anyway back on the ground journey an the club have jus recently erected a 50 seater stand of 2 rows of smart red tip up seats.  Walking round you can see the Heaton communications tower in Heaton Park and over now on the far touchline are the extended and very smart dug outs.

SMART DUG OUTS

With the crowd filtering in we opted to do a couple of circuits with Mick getting in conversation and me trying to keep warm!  Prestwich Heys started the game just off the play off places with a tough run in but hopes of extending their season after promotion from the Manchester League this has been a great season for them in step 6 as it has been for their visitors Charnock Richard who are top following their promotion as runners up from the West Lancashire League.

HEATON PARK COMMUNICATIONS TOWER

The first half proved a tight affair with both sides testing one another but failing to put too much together of meaning the blustery wind and importance of this game probably not helping.  The most noteworthy first half effort came from Carl Grimshaw who latched onto a loose ball 25 yards out and just as his effort looked to be going in Andrei Stinca in the Heys goal pulled off a superb save to push the effort over the bar.

CHARNOCK ATTACK

From a neutral point of view you felt Prestwich needed to score first but of course just 3 minutes into the second half it was Charnock Richard who took the lead when Spencer Bibby drove home a free kick off he left beating Stinca it looked the ball looked to have gone straight in but Grimsahaw was claiming a touch.  A minor distraction on 59 minutes when Lee O' Brien was asked to change his shirt by the referee but when his management team couldn't see anything wrong they got involved resulted in one of them being dismissed for his protests, O'Brien cautioned and you guessed it he still had to change that shirt.

PRESTWICH HEYS TRY TO BREAK THROUGH

During this passage of play it was good to catch up with Rob a Blackburn supporter now living I Wigan who was on the family Easter visit and a good conversation about all things non league ensued good to meet you Rob, enjoy your football travels.
The visitors made it 2-0 Mathew Davison crossed for Grimshaw to head home and from here on in there was only one winner with Heys a spent force and struggling to get back into the game.  There was time for Grimshaw to get away and slip the ball past the out coming Stinca in the home goal for the third and a hat trick although on 83 minutes with the chance to add to his tally he didn't cover himself with further adulation when from the penalty spot he blasted that high he'd have probably missed another set of goals stacked on top although Wigan were claiming the 2 points.

CLOSE UP WITH THE LEAGUE LEADERS

Overall Charnock Richard showed what a good side they are in a very tight top section of the league and they have to keep winning to secure the title but today showed they can do that.  For Prestwich Heys they will find it hard to make the play offs now but they have has a superb debut season and must be very pleased with their efforts which have more than established them at this level.
The return journey started then at Besses o' th' Barn, there you go I did type it again although it took a few times, and with an efficient journey back into Piccadilly we made the 5.43 and disembarked at base station just before 7pm, great return to get back in good time.
An enjoyable day out as ever with 2 friendly non league clubs who I shall look out for, when I return you just know where lunch will be from don't you?