Toolstation NCEL Division One
AFC Emley 3-1 Yorkshire Amateur
Ash Flynn celebrates during AFC Emley’s 3-1 win over Yorkshire Amateur. Picture: Luke Greaves
AFC Emley picked up their sixth win in eight games to close in on the league’s frontrunners.
Similar to Wednesday night’s win over Rossington Emley left their flourish until late, but it was enough to beat a dangerous Yorkshire Amateur side.
Sam Jerome’s early header was cancelled out by Adam Shaw’s tap in, but late second half goals from Ashley Flynn and Kieran Ryan rewarded the hosts with all three points.
Emley traditionally start their matches at a fast-tempo, yet they found themselves on the back foot in the early stages against the Ammers, who pressed for a goal in the first couple of minutes. Some good defending from Tom Brennan and Sam Jerome ensured that the scores remained level.
Despite the visitors’ dominance, it was the hosts who took the lead. Yorkshire failed to clear a corner, which eventually met Jerome at the far post. The defender nodded into the bottom corner and Emley took the lead.
The visitors looked threatening on the right wing, which was accommodated by the rapid T’Nique Fishley. The winger continually caused Liam Schofield all sorts of problems and his hard work would soon be rewarded.
Stemming from his run, Carl Heard set his sights on goal. His rocketing effort was expertly saved by Graham McLachlan, but the rebound fell into the path of a very grateful Shaw, who tapped in to equalise.
But the second half started not too dissimilar from the first half’s proceedings.
It took a good 20 minutes for the game to burst into to life – when it did, it became a fascinating fixture.
Flynn went through on goal, but flashed his effort wide before missing a header from six yards out, teed up brilliantly by captain Ryan.
Then, it looked for the world that Yorkshire were about to make Emley pay for their missed opportunities when Shaw raced through on goal. McLachlan came to the rescue as he came up trumps in the one-on-one, making a game-changing stop.
Yorkshire’s threatening tone soon increased. Shaw, their standout star of the game, clattered the crossbar with a curling effort from distance.
But the hosts would not let Yorkshire’s pressure knock them off balance. Emley went on to take the lead for the second time in the match as a thrilled Flynn ended his mini goal drought, poking home with ten minutes to go.
The Ammers continued to demonstrate their threat to draw level and nearly did so with instant effect. Tom Rose could have responded rapidly but for Tom Brennan’s heroic goal-line clearance after McLachlan went missing.
Any nerves were eventually eradicated when KRyan connected with Jordan Coduri’s cross to volley into the top corner, clinically.
The Teams
AFC Emley: McLachlan, Carney, Schofield, Graham, Jerome, T Brennan, Coduri, Joseph, Flynn, Ryan, Noteman. Subs: Jordan, J Brennan, Slack, Daffern, Townend.
Yorkshire Amateur: Bojang, Swales, Rothel, Oyebanji, Freeman, Hitchings, Heard, Marsden, Shaw, Rose, Fishley. Subs: Thompson, Wadsworth, Townend, Normaschild, Mibire.
Thanks to Luke Greaves for this report.