AFC Emley manager Darren Hepworth’ watched his side lose 2-1 at Louth
AFC Emley dropped down to third place in the Toolstation NCEL Division One table after a 2-1 defeat at Louth Town.
Clipstone have gone second with two games in hand so Emley’s promotion hopes are the balance.
The Division’s top goal-scorer Jamie Coulson bagged a brace for the hosts either side of Max Leonard’s solitary goal for Emley.
Coulson scored the first of the game midway through the first half. A bad bounce saw the ball get past Paul Sykes and allowed the striker to bear down on Gary Stevens’ goal, with the striker calmly slotting past the debutant goalkeeper.
Stevens was most recently the Highworth Town goalkeeper when they shocked Tadcaster in the FA Vase.
Leonard got Emley back into the game just before the half time interval with a rasping shot from the edge of the area, which took a slight deflection off a Louth defender before nestling into the bottom corner.
Coulson restored the one goal advantage late in the game, as Emley pressed for the winner themselves. Once again the striker found himself beyond the Emley back-line and fired an effort at goal which went in off the post.
Emley had the best chance of the early stages when Steven Kenworthy and Antony Leech linked up well on the edge of the Louth area, however, Leech could only succeed in striking an effort at Scott Drury.
Following Coulson’s opening goal, Emley came close once again, Kenworthy flicked a Leonard cross towards goal, but Drury managed to get a hand to the ball to turn it around the post.
At the other end, once again Coulson found himself in behind, but he didn’t connect well enough with an attempted lob and the ball went safely behind.
Just before the half time interval, Leonard, fresh from scoring the equalising goal had another close attempt. This time from a curling free-kick which had Drury beaten, however the ball went narrowly wide.
The second half was a quieter affair, although Emley pressed to grab a second. Leonard and Jordan Townend linked up well down the left flank, however, Townend was unable to get an effort away on goal with Drury producing a block to deny him.
Once Louth got the second goal, Emley threw everything forward with Sam Jerome joining the frontline to partner Ashley Flynn. Flynn had one last attempt in final minutes as the ball fell to his feet however, Drury saved well and ended Emley’s hopes of salvaging a draw.
AFC Emley: Stevens, Ingham, Brook, Leech, S Jerome, Sykes, Townend, Leonard, Kenworthy, Tunnacliffe, Jordan. Subs: Flynn, Scrivens, Waller.
Referee: Nick Cook
Attendance: 133
Thanks to James Holder for this report. If you want your club’s reports on Non League Yorkshire each week, send reports and team-lists to info@nonleagueyorkshire.com.