AFC Emley defender Sam Jerome gave his side the lead against Hallam
A late equaliser from Michael Blythen earned Hallam a 2-2 draw with promotion rivals AFC Emley.
The game was a high tempo, high emotion and highly tense affair. Emley had the better of the opportunities, hitting the woodwork four times and will be frustrated not to come away with three points.
After a slow start to the game where Adam Lawlor had to pull off a couple of fine saves, Emley took control of the game. Kieran Ryan created Emley’s first chance when he crossed for Ashley Flynn who fizzed a shot wide. Flynn then created one for himself when he put defenders under pressure and won the ball off them. He burst through on goal but hit the post with his effort.
Emley finally got the breakthrough when Sam Jerome lashed the ball in from five yards out. Flynn picked up the ball in the box after a free kick was delivered. His shot was saved but Jerome was there to force in the rebound which gave Emley a deserved lead on 37 minutes.
Emley began the second half well and had good control of the game however their resistance was broken on 64 minutes when Blythen managed to wriggle his way into the box on the left hand side and blast the ball into the net to equalise.
Emley almost regained the lead instantly after when Jordan Coduri’s low strike was saved onto the post as luck appeared to have not been with Emley but four minutes later they regained their lead when Alex Slack tucked the ball in after winning a second ball from an Emley corner.
Darren Hepworth bought on Sam Scrivens and he had a positive impact. He made a fine interception and played a nice one-two with Ryan on the right. Scrivens’ cross then found Flynn who clipped the ball onto the post.
That missed chance proved costly as Hallam equalised again. The ball was played towards the Emley area then Lawlor and Danny Ryan both got in each other’s way and as the ball fell loose to Blythen, he had the simple task of tapping the ball into the empty net with seven minutes remaining.
Emley went in search of the winner late on and came close when Flynn’s curling free kick cannoned off the bar.
Hallam: Darwent, Simpson, Pemberton, Mirfin (captain), Whittaker, Muloolly, Preece, Reed, Blythen, Hargreaves, Bishop. Subs: Lowe, Birds, Kokot, C Cooper, Flynn.
AFC Emley: Lawlor, Slack, D Ryan, Brennan, Jerome, Townend, Tunnacliffe, Spicer, Coduri, Flynn, K Ryan. Subs: Howson, Scrivens, Evans, Hallam, Cooper.
Report by Paul Joannou
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