Prestwich FC started out life in the Lancashire Amateur League Premier Division with a slender 1-0 loss at Rochdale St Clements on Saturday.
The defeat was somewhat harsh on Craig Howarth’s team as his newly promoted side comfortably matched their hosts. Creating more than enough chances throughout the match, Prestwich on any other day could have easily collected all three points.
In as early as the sixth minute, good link up play between Lee Bushell and Sean Haslam fashioned a chance for Mike Kirkley who saw his effort well saved.
Saints hit back immediately and Prestwich had to thank midfield man Darren Buckley who cleared a headed effort off his own goal line with ‘keeper Alex Blake stranded.
But Prestwich continued their attacking threat, especially through Bushell down the left hand side.
The winger had the beating of his man on five or six occasions in the opening half, continually sending over tempting crosses which just seemed to evade the Prestwich forwards.
On the half-hour, a direct free-kick from the home side clattered Blake’s crossbar before another Bushell centre was bundled behind for a corner.
After the break, Chris Hopkins fed Haslam but the striker found the Rochdale ‘keeper equal to his effort.
Strike partner Hoolighan’s free-kick after an hour deflected out to Roberts but the wide man sent his strike over the crossbar.
Just minutes later and Rochdale got their noses in front with a scruffy goal that pin-balled around the six yard box before looping in to the roof of the net.
As the home side looked to defend their slender advantage, Prestwich were unlucky not to grab a deserved equaliser when firstly Buckley clattered an upright with a header before Paul Taylor’s close range effort was superbly saved by the Saint’s ‘keeper.
With the home side celebrating their three points at the final whistle, a wounded Prestwich team will look to bounce back quickly with a positive result from Wednesday’s trip to Rossendale Amateurs.
PRESTWICH: Blake, Hopkins, Kirkley, Buckley, Steadman, Taylor, Roberts, Walsh (Ward), Haslam, Hoolighan, Bushell (Smith)
• Prestwich Reserves started out life in Division Four with a convincing 6-2 win over Rochdale St Clements ‘A’ at Heys Road. Striker Jordan Clegg built on last season’s competitive tally of 41 goals with another 4 here with Andrew Morrissey and Danny Jones getting on the scoresheet also.
• Prestwich ‘A’ also enjoyed success in a new Division with a 4-1 win at Hesketh Casuals ‘A’. Karl Seaton, Daniel Ingham, Daniel Frappola and manager Aaron Saunders the scorers.
• A new look Sunday Team took a little while to get to know each other in Sunday’s friendly with Radcliffe Town but new manager Jamie Comiskey eventually came away with a 2-1 win. Mark Broderick equalised Town’s early strike before Josh Sharpe’s fine header on the hour settled the game.
