Prestwich were given a huge boost by the return of long time absentees Richard Steadman, Martin Hill and Matthew Struminski to form formidable opposition for their high flying visitors who were unbeaten in seven in the North Lancs Premier league at the start of the day.
The atrocious conditions impacted the game from the start with strong winds and driving rain making the ball fizz a little too fast across what would have been an otherwise excellent playing surface. The speed of the ball was making it difficult to control for both sides ensuring frequent changes of possession.
Nonetheless Prestwich looked to be the more accomplished side although it was evident Galgate were clearly no mugs looking well organised, physically strong and having a steely determination not to lose.
There were few clear cut chances in the early stages but Darren Buckley who went on to have an excellent game dictating proceedings from central midfield, Struminski and Aldair Victorano were starting to get a grip of things and chances started to come.
One intricate passing move initiated by David Prieto and Sean Haslam on the left saw the ball work its way across goal to Victorano on the right some 8 yards out with the goal at his mercy, he went for power and saw his shot cannon of the crossbar.
Hill made some nice penetrating run and crosses down the right with nobody quite able to get on the end of things, and Prieto wriggled through into the box a few times but was blocked before he could make the shot.
Galgate for their part were largely content to sit fairly deep defend solidly and try to counter and whilst they never really tested Mike Hudson in the Prestwich goal there were a few minor scares.
The breakthrough for Prestwich came on 22 mins when a delightful passing move between Buckley and Prieto saw the latter in box and work the space for a shot, the shot was well saved but Sean Haslam was on hand to pounce on the spill and smash it into the net for 1-0.
Minute’s later centre half Paul Taylor was desperately unlucky with a free kick from just inside the Galgate half that flew like an arrow before smacking against the crossbar, it would have been a contender for goal of the season had it gone in.
Other chances came and went for Prestwich but they were unable to add to their lead before half time and it remained 1-0 at the break.
The game resumed in the same manner as first but Galgate were sitting even deeper now making space really difficult to find with many a fine build up floundering just outside the edge of the Galgate box. Galgate to their credit had two extremely good centre halves were defending very well indeed as a team.
One noticeable example was when the Prestwich’s lightning fast left back Andrew Dean made a typical burst down the wing in a situation that generally sees him hit the touchline well ahead of a trailing defender but on this occasion was matched for pace and dispossessed by the Galgate centre half.
The second goal when it did arrive on 52 minutes was from a move initiated on the left hand side by Dean, and involved Prieto before a partial clearance saw it land with Struminski who hit a powerful drive that the keeper again could only parry, this time Prieto reacted first to smack home the rebound.
Prestwich continued to search for a tie clinching goal for the next period but were never quite able to breach the packed Galgate defence.
Galgate came out of their shell much more in the final twenty minutes in a valiant attempt to get back into the game, but hampered by the ever worsening conditions and a resolute Prestwich defence they were never really able to make Hudson make anything other than a routine looking stop.
And so Prestwich held on for what was a well-deserved victory and another good all round team performance which sees them progress to the fourth round of this prestigious trophy.
Next week brings a league action again and a rematch against Old Mancunians their opening day opponents who ran out 3-0 winners on the day, the game should be an interesting barometer of how far the side has come since then with three points crucial if they are to begin that climb up the table.
