D-DAY is just 48 hours away for Prestwich Heys as they seek to overturn a ruling which will otherwise almost certainly wreck their hopes of a fourth successive Bridgewater Office Supplies Manchester League title.

On Monday, an FA appeal board will hear Prestwich's case against a league management decision to dock them 14 points for fielding an unregistered player in three games last August.

Prestwich have already pleaded guilty to the charge and, says their secretary Mike Openshaw, are prepared to forfeit the five points they gained from the matches in question. But they argue the league have been heavy-handed in imposing additional three-point penalties for each of the games while also fining the club £225 for what Heys claim was an innocent mistake.

Prestwich currently lie second in the premier division, three points behind leaders Gregorians, with two points in hand.

THE Manchester FA Sunday Shield semi-final between holders Langley Celtic and Grey Horse has been rescheduled for a week on Thursday.

Blackley Alliance are due to face Hamlet in the other semi at Brantingham Road this Thursday (7pm).

THE last-16 stage of the North West Sunday Champions Cup gets under way tomorrow with four teams battling to reach the quarter-finals. Junction (Ashton) entertain Copper Pot (Rochdale) at Oak Pits Playing Fields, Hollinwood (11am), while Chorley outfit Chillis host Stockport champs Cale Green at Buckshaw Playing Fields (10.30am).

WEASTE Hotel, of the Eccles League, meet Oldham League big guns Failsworth Athletic in one of four Manchester FA Sunday Cup fourth-round ties scheduled for tomorrow. The others are: Queensway v Medlock, Alliance v Clifton, Catholic Club v De La Salle Res.

MANCHESTER City Ladies have been drawn at home to Watford in the FA Women's Cup fourth-round on Sunday January 6.