Toolstation NCEL Division One
AFC Emley 3-1 Glasshoughton Welfare
Tom Brennan scores for AFC Emley against Glasshoughton. Picture: Alan Sedgwick
AFC Emley face an agonising seven day wait to see if they will win the NCEL first division title or even be promoted automatically, despite this win over Glasshoughton Welfare.
Despite Hall Road Rangers taking top spot earlier in the day at Rossington. Emley moved back to top of the league with this win in their last game of the regular season.
Emley now have to wait until next Saturday to see if Hall Road and Pontefract slip up in their final league games next weekend.
Glasshoughton made three changes for this game with Adam Walsh replacing Mike Brearley and Sam Varley replacing the injured Andy McManus. With Olly Maude suspended, Gareth Hunter came back in and he had a solid game showing the class of his performances last season. Outstanding for Welfare was goalkeeper Jordan Bradshaw with a first half penalty save. He went onto make outstanding further saves in the second half.
In front of an excellent 332 spectators the opening exchanges were even, but Welfare took the lead on 9 minutes when Lewis Akeister sent Nathan Keightley away down the right and his cross shot bamboozled home keeper Graham McLachlan and nestled in the net at the far post.
A few minutes later welfare may have had a second when Andy Horbury’s cross looked as though Conor Glavin was certain to score but the ball drifted away
At the other end prolific striker Ashley Flynn just failed to get on the end of a cross from the right.
The home side drew level on 25 minutes when Jordan Coduri hit a free kick into the top corner despite a valiant effort by Welfare keeper Jordan Bradshaw to keep it out.
Back came Welfare and a great Hunter ball set Horbury ball set Horbury up but his effort flashed inches wide of the post.
Horbury and Mclachan then tangled for the ball on the edge of the home area and the loose ball fell to Glavin who could not capitalise.
Emley had a chance to go in front on 37 minutes when Adam Walsh was harshly judged to have fouled a home player in the penalty area. However the well hit penalty from Coduri was brilliantly saved by Bradshaw diving to his right.
Within two minutes of the second half opening Emley took the lead when Walsh slipped attempting to clear and the ball fell to substitute Ash Scully who fired across Bradshaw into the far corner.
The home side went in search of a third and got it a few minutes later when Bradshaw blocked a point blank header from a corner and with the Welfare defence dithering Tom Brennan hammered the ball home.
Welfare were not quite out of it asMcLachlan tipped a driven Keightley cross away. Keightley then got in behind the home defence but put his shot wide of the post.
Bradshaw then kept Welfare in the game with an instinctive save with his feet before palming away a stinging shot.
For Welfare Akeister shot wide and debutant substitute had a good chance but his week shot was easily saved.
In the final stages Flynn just failed again to get on the end of another cross and Scully brought the best out of Bradshaw again to deny him a second goal.
What They Said
Glasshoughton Welfare joint manager Darren Holmes
“It was a game of 2 halves today .Stuck to the game plan first half keeping our shape very well and moving the ball quickly into sensible areas and pushing Emley back .We dominated the first 20 minutes and if some very strange decisions had gone our way could have gone in at half time in front.
“The second half, we have seen too often this season where individual errors, missed chances, and the lack of commitment in and around our own penalty area has again resulted in us getting nothing from the game.
“Being more consistent over 90 minutes is the difference between top 6 and everyone else and cost us a top 10 finish. We move onto Tuesday and we must learn from today and step up to the plate and be counted.”
The Teams
AFC Emley: McLachlan, Carney, Schofield (Scully), Graham, Jerome, Brennan, Coduri, Townend (Joseph), Flynn, Jackson (Robinson), Charlton. Subs unused: Slack, Ingham.
Glasshoughton Welfare: Bradshaw, Marsh, Cunliffe (Brearley), Hayton (Pashley), Walsh, Varley, Keightley, Hunter, Horbury, Akeister, Glavin (Holdsworth).
Thanks to Garry Mollon for the report.