Prestwich Reserves enjoyed a 3-0 win over Bury Grammar School Old Boys ‘A’ at Heys Road on Saturday to take Liam Morrissey’s men to just a single point away from promotion at the first time of asking.
Right-back David McNally set the second team on their way with a 20th minute header from Anthony Lewis’s cross before winger Kieran Doherty knocked in the second twenty minutes later.
‘Keeper Kieran Watson saved a Bury penalty on the stroke of half-time following defender James Tyldesley’s jumping nudge on a forward.
But ten minutes after the restart, Phil Byrnes made the game safe as he rounded the Bury goalie before poking the ball in to the empty net from the angle.
Currently unbeaten in all competitions, the Reserves now just need a maximum of five points from their remaining three games to seal the championship although slightly less than that should suffice due to their superior goal difference.
They have the opportunity to get their foot further in that particular door when they travel to 7th placed Bolton Ambassadors Reserves this coming Thursday evening, kick off at Hollycroft Avenue is 6:30pm.
• Prestwich First Team came away from a controversial game against Rossendale Amateurs Reserves at Marl Pits with a 2-0 win.
Sean Haslam and Martin Hill scored the goals for nine-man Prestwich following the first half dismissals of Lee Bushell and ‘keeper Scott Gibbon as ten-man Rossendale struggled to threaten stand-in goalie Chris Hopkins.
The remaining Prestwich players ran themselves in to the ground and did very well to come away with all three points especially as rivals Hesketh Casuals and Prairie United both won to keep up the pressure.
Lee Metcalfe’s men travel to Goshen this coming Wednesday evening to take on Ainsworth ahead of next Saturday’s trip to Old Blackburnians.
• Prestwich ‘A’ Team suffered a blow to their title ambitions as they fell 5-3 away at Rossendale Amateurs ‘D’. Goals from Simon McMahon and Craig Howarth followed a 20th minute Rossendale own goal but errors at the back cost dear as the home side found the net regularly to collect the three points.
• A depleted Prestwich Sunday Team also kissed goodbye to any lingering title hopes in the Bury Premier Division as they went down 3-2 at home to Cheers Bar. Veteran midfielder John Fiorentini scored two headed goals but it wasn’t enough as Peter Lorenzini’s men slipped to a third league defeat of the season.
