Prestwich had to come from behind to secure another valuable three points in this clash with a Thornleigh side that began the game in third place.
The visitors’ game plan was clear from the start with a lone front man and everyone else lying very deep packing behind the ball and hoping to grab something on the counter.
The effect was that from the start the ball took up a permanent residency in the Thornleigh half but whilst Prestwich were able to stroke the ball around at will in the central areas and as far as the ‘parked bus’ some 20 yards out of goal they created few real chances as Thornleigh’s boys to their credit were well organised, defending bravely and executing the plan to perfection.
Prestwich were simply struggling to get the ball fully behind the massed ranks of the Thornleigh rear-guard, time and time again intricate one two’s or dribbles were broken down on the edge of the Thornleigh box and the ball hoofed clear.
On the rare occasion Thornleigh managed to get the ball to their striker lack of support resulted in him being dispossessed by centre backs Paul Taylor and Richard Steadman or him trying a hasty speculative shot in the general direction of Mike Hudsons goal.
Prestwich started to get frustrated with some really poor decision making with the final ball often resulting in an aimless high ball into the box to nobody in particular, or players running into blind alleys and giving the ball away.
One still one sensed that sooner or later a goal would come and trigger the avalanche though as so much of the play was in or around the visitors’ penalty area.
Then, on 20 mins disaster struck, a loose Darren Buckley pass inside from out wide on the left around the half way line went straight to the Thornleigh striker, in space he made inroads into the Prestwich half before unleashing low hard shot from some 30 yards out to the right, Hudson could only parry the ball into the path of the Thornleigh winger who’d made a terrific run from deep, and he fired home from close range.
Prestwich set about in search of an equaliser, however with so little space to work in in the final third their play wasn’t as fluid as usual and there was a general lack of cohesion, they still created chances but mostly from high balls into the box which isn’t really a strong point to this side.
Sam Holden and Sean Haslam both headed narrowly wide before finally Darren Buckley made up for his earlier error by heading home the equaliser from a more precise Martin Hill cross on 43 mins.
Wounded by the goal Thornleigh sprang to life and just before the break a rare attack saw Mike Hudson make a tremendous fingertip save to divert a well struck shot on to the bar with the ball hitting another post in the ensuing scramble.
The incident proved pivotal as Thornleigh would never come as close to scoring again.
Prestwich came out for the restart with renewed urgency and greater energy to their attacks, full backs Pete Gallagher and Liam Burke started to push on the overlap more and more stretching the Thornleigh defence.
After several near misses it was Gallagher that initiated the move for Prestwich’s second on 52 mins, cutting in to the box having made a strong run down the right he pulled the ball back to David Prieto who finished clinically.
Reduced to 10 men due to injury and with no subs there would be no way back for Thornleigh now and it became a case of how many.
On the hour Steve Murty played a neat defence splitting ball through to Haslam who coolly dinked it over the keepers dive. Thereafter there were many near misses but only one goal followed and it was Haslam again on 85 mins Haslam scoring in similar style to his first.
