Josh Ingham in action for AFC Emley against Clipstone. Picture: Mark Parson
AFC Emley suffered a blow in their promotion aspirations after losing 2-1 to title rivals Clipstone at the Welfare Ground, writes James Holder.
It leaves Emley’s position at the top of the Toolstation NCEL Division One table in jeopardy ahead of next week’s clash with second-placed Hemsworth Miners Welfare.
Emley put the visitors on the back foot in the early proceedings of the game, Kurtis Noble cutting in from the right and firing a left footed shot over the bar, whilst Alex Hallam also managed to get a shot away from outside the area, but saw it deflected wide.
At the other end, Adam Lawlor was in action when Matty Ord fired a shot at goal, however, the Emley stopper was equal to the effort.
Ash Flynn then got into the Clipstone area, but as he was about to unleash a strike, a Clipstone foot managed to steal the ball away.
The visitors then started to get a foothold in the game, Jamie Brown squaring a ball across the face of goal, which required Josh Ingham to be alert to in order to clear to safety. They then had the best chance of the half so far, Dan Wood caught Lawlor out on the edge of the area, but sent his effort wide of the back post.
Flynn had the chance to give Emley the lead from a free kick after he was dragged down on the edge of the area. His effort struck the wall and the rebounded effort was cleared to safety.
It was the visitors however who scored the first goal of the game, Dan Wood getting down the right wing and getting into the area, before seeing an effort deflected past Lawlor and into the back of the net.
Steven Kenworthy then came close to putting Emley on level terms, with the striker turning into the area, but firing his shot into the side netting.
Emley were then awarded the chance to level the game from the penalty spot, Flynn was tripped inside the area and dusted himself down to take the kick. Upon seeing the goalkeeper make the first move, Flynn delicately chipped the ball into the back of the net.
The visitors began the second half in the ascendancy with Brown denied a shot on goal by the boot of Sam Jerome, which managed to nick the ball away, before Paul Sykes clearing the ball to safety.
The second half was a scrappy affair, with both sides not testing the opposing goalkeeper as much as they would have liked.
The visitors did however manage to get themselves back in front. Striker Jamie Smith was on hand to tap home after Ord squared the ball into the striker’s path at the near post.
The striker then had the chance to double the visitor’s advantage, in a very similar situation to when he scored. This time Wood squared the ball into Smith’s path, but the striker scuffed his effort wide of the goal.
Emley then had a succession of attempts in the dying stages of the game. First a Michael Tunnacliffe free kick was cleared, before the rebounded attempt was blocked. Then Danny Claridge stung the palms of Nick Siddons with a long range effort, before finally Flynn saw a strike deflected and cleared by the Clipstone defence as the visitors held on for the three points.
AFC Emley: Lawlor, Ingham, Brook, Leech, S Jerome, Sykes (captain), Tunnacliffe, Noble, Flynn, Kenworthy, Hallam. Subs: Brown, Townend, R Jerome, Thornton, Claridge.
Referee: Adam Smith
Attendance: 244