Still missing several key players through injury Prestwich were desperately unlucky to bow out of the Lancs Amateur Cup at the first hurdle to their Mid Lancs Premier league hosts.
Prestwich started well on a good playing surface and looked the more accomplished side playing good passing football across the full pitch. They were unlucky not to take the lead on a couple of occasions with Adam Rhoden coming closest bulleting a header just wide from a Mike Neary corner, and with Walmer offering little in the way of serious goal threat Prestwich were looking much the more likely.
What little threat Walmer did pose was coming from their tricky left winger who served warning of things to come with sporadic penetrating runs to the left touchline one of which resulted in a low cross which Richard Steadman just managed to bundle out for a corner before reaching a waiting attacker.
On 20 mins still against the run of play Walmer took the lead from the same source, another left wing run saw the ball squared a little deeper this time to be met by a player who’d been allowed to run untracked straight through the middle and his finish was unerring.
Walmer made it two on 40 mins, again with a move from the left, this time a long high cross was met with a firm header by the center forward leaping above a static footed Tom Styles.
Prestwich were left to contemplate how they found themselves 2-0 down at the interval having been the better side for all but a short period of the first period.
Despite having lost the prolific Sean Haslam who’d come back too early from injury in the first half, there was a strong sense that Prestwich were very capable of turning the game round in the second period.
And so it proved as Prestwich set about Walmer with a vengeance, having rejigged to push Sam Holden up the pitch the ball began to stick even more in and around the Walmer box. David Prieto started to weave his magic all over the pitch and Mike Neary was a constant menace down the right.
It seemed a matter of time before a goal came with Neary likely to be the source, several times having used his skill and strength to leave players in his wake he burst to the line with the final pull back or cross just evading an oncoming player.
Aldair Victorano was offering an effective but different kind of threat down the left middle area, linking up with Prieto in neat intricate passing moves that so very nearly saw one of them through on goal.
The first goal when it did come on 70 mins was a scrappy affair, a corner from the left was dealt with and with the ball loose in the six yard box Steadman reacted first to smash it home from close range.
The equalizer followed in the 83rd minute when another superb run and cross from Neary saw Prieto give yet another demonstration of his wonderful technique to fire home on the half volley from an acute angle on the back post.
With the game heading straight to penalties the final minutes were a tense winner takes all situation as both teams went for it hell for leather. Having used his strength to work a space through on goal Rhoden should have sealed it for Prestwich but lashed wide, whilst at the other end keeper Mike Hudson made an astonishing save to keep out a point blank header to keep it 2-2 on 90 mins and take it to pens.
Mark Broderick successfully converted the first penalty before Prieto’s shot agonizingly struck the upright, after which Thompson, Steadman and Neary all converted but Walmer remained faultless to score all five and progress to the next round.
