Ash Flynn scored twice for AFC Emley, but his side lost 4-3 to Congleton in the FA Vase
AFC Emley were 3-1 up with 15 minutes to go in their FA Vase tie until Congleton Town hit back to dramatically win 4-3 at the Welfare Ground.
Second half goals from captain Michael Tunnacliffe and a quick-fire brace from Ashley Flynn appeared to put Emley in control, before Congleton fought back as a double from striker Declan Fletcher added to Scott McGowan’s equaliser after he had scored one earlier in the game to give Congleton the lead in the first half.
It was the visitors who troubled first, with captain Scott Sephton putting a free header over the bar early on.
Darren Hepworth named the same XI that started against Hallam last time out, and Ashley Flynn wasted a glorious chance to give Emley the lead, after Jordan Townend laid the ball on a plate for him, but, with the goal at his mercy, Flynn somehow put it beyond the post.
It was Congleton who struck the only goal of the first half as they broke on the counter from Emley’s corner, the ball was given to Brian Matthews on the wing who put it in the area for Scott McGowan, and his initial effort was well saved by Adam Lawlor, but McGowan was on hand to poke home the rebound and give his side the lead at the break.
The game sprung into life in the second half, as Emley captain Michael Tunnacliffe bundled the ball over the line after some fine work down the right by Jordan Coduri, who found Kieran Ryan inside the area, and he fired towards goal, with Tunnacliffe getting the final touch as the ball went over the line.
Things got better for Emley soon after as they took the lead, Ashley Flynn rifling home after the ball dropped to him just inside the area, and he launched an unstoppable shot that the visiting goalkeeper Andrew Farrimond tried in vain to save.
Flynn then went one better just moments later after a neatly worked one-two with Kieran Ryan put him one-on-one with Farrimond, and the striker kept his composure to chip the goalkeeper to notch his 27th goal of a so far incredible season.
Congleton weren’t fazed though, and replied through Declan Fletcher’s outstretched boot, as he turned home Scott McGowan’s centre, beating Adam Lawlor to the ball in the process.
Congleton then equalised as the strike partnership of Fletcher and McGowan combined once again, with Fletcher collecting a through ball and rounding Lawlor in the Emley goal, only to take too many touches and narrow the angle, allowing Emley’s defenders to get back and block his goal bound effort. The ball came back out to Fletcher, who kept his composure to pick out Congleton’s top scorer McGowan in the area, and his effort deflected past a rooted Lawlor.
A deflated Emley then suffered a final blow, with Fletcher scoring his second of the game as he rose to head home Brian Matthews’ corner to give the away side a 4-3 win and send them through to the next round.
AFC Emley: Lawlor, Slack, D Ryan, Brennan, Jerome, Coduri, Spicer, Tunnacliffe, Townend, K Ryan, Flynn. Subs: Scrivens, Howson, Egemole, Hallam, Graham.
Thanks to Josh Lindley for this report.
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