Having gone behind after 5 minutes to their physically game but technically limited Wigan League opponents, Prestwich’s greater quality came to the fore with each passing minute in this game to make the closing stages little more than a question of how many.
From the early stages one felt that there would only be one name going into the hat for the next round as Prestwich surged forward, but that all changed on 8 mins when Goose Green scored with their first real attempt on goal when some slack defending saw their central striker through on goal to coolly slot it low past keeper Mike Hudson.
Buoyed by the goal Goose Green came into the game much more and it became a much more even contest for a while with the hosts threatening to add a second at times. As the half wore on though Prestwich quicker slicker passing game started to take its toll on their tiring back peddling opponents.
Chances started to come thick and fast, David Prieto got into several potential goal scoring positions but hampered by a niggling injury elected to pass rather than shoot by which time defenders had recovered position, Tito Miguel was very unlucky after powering his way through several tackles to get into the box but the keeper spread himself well to block the shot, Haslam too went close on several occasions.
Just when it was looking like Green would survive till half time Sean Haslam who gave the home defence a torrid time all afternoon scored an absolute peach of an equaliser on the stroke of half time, beating a couple of men some 25 yards out in a tight space he unleashed an unstoppable shot that rocketed into the top right corner to make it 1-1 at the break.
Prestwich re-jigged slightly at half time introducing Ross Salmon to the back four and sending Aldair Victorano forward to bolster the attack, the switch told on 52 mins when Victorano picked up a pass on the edge of the box switched on to his weaker left foot and struck a daisy cutter into the right hand corner for 1-2.
Minutes later Haslam killed the game with a delightfully taken second goal, a terrific long raking pass from Darren Buckley who dominated the middle of the park throughout landed at Haslam’s feet, he brought the ball down sidestepping a defender in the process and prodded it with great precision across the keeper into the right hand corner.
Haslam completed a deserved hat trick with a well taken finish on 64 minutes to make it four before Green now in total disarray were reduced to 10 men with a second bookable.
Dave Thompson drilled one in hard and low to the keepers left for five, before Buckley capped a fine performance running Haslam close for man of the match with a sixth finishing a neat passing move that he’d initiated in the first place.
So Prestwich go into the hat for the next round of this prestigious tournament, with a kind draw there is no reason to suggest a run to the latter stages is beyond them.
