Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Garforth Town 0-2 Emley AFC
Emley AFC got their season back on track with a deserved victory at fellow high-flyers Garforth Town.
Jake Kelly’s early spectacular rocket gave Emley something to cling onto and Alex Metcalfe’s goal sealed the win in the final minute.
Garforth, who finished with ten men, were lethargic and rarely threatened.
Emley, on the other hand, played like a team determined to make their injured striker Joe Jagger smile after a difficult few days.
The opening goal was one to remember. Kelly sent a thunderous effort into the right-hand top corner from a difficult angle on the right side of the penalty area.
The goal itself was worthy of winning any game.
The rest of the first half was a feisty and distorted affair. Garforth’s danger man James Burgess was distracted by several bust-ups with Emley’s defenders and his influence on the clash was limited.
Garforth’s best chance of the game fell close to half-time when Charlie Marshall’s goal-bound free kick was dealt with by goalkeeper Declan Lambton’s out-stretched arms.
The impressive Donae Lawrence almost doubled Emley’s lead in the second half.
Kelly crossed and Lawrence headed wide from close range.
Garforth’s hopes of finding an equaliser were hampered by Dexter Ball’s red card for a second bookable offence.
Miners goalkeeper Toby Wells was then quick off-his-line to deny a through Callum Charlton.
Whilst also slowing the clock down, Emley still rained efforts in on Garforth’s goal
Joe Clegg was denied by another top Wells save.
Eventually the second goal did come – Metcalfe driving a low finish into the far bottom corner from around ten yards.
What They Said
Garforth Town manager Paul Marshall
“It was a poor game.
“I thought we were poor and they were poor.
“We gave a poor goal away (for the first one) but it was a great strike from the winger to be fair to him.
“We underperformed.
“We’ve just gone through our players and there’s probably only three players who came out with any credit.
“We never got anything going.”
Emley AFC manager Richard Tracey
“I thought we did deserve it today.
“I thought we started well on the front-foot without creating much but I thought we had the territory.
“Once we went 1-0 up I felt we surrendered a lot of territory and Garforth really got into the game.
“They had a couple of opportunities where they didn’t quite get an end product.
“Second half, we came out and I thought we were on the front-foot again.
“Declan has made one save by dealing with a free kick and he’s had a quiet day.
“Toby Wells made two really good saves and we missed a couple of other chances so I thought we were deserving of the three points.”
The Teams
Garforth Town: Wells, Ejupi, Omosebi, Ball, Woods, Parkway, Marshall, Thompson (captain), Burgess, Barker, Witter. Subs: Denton, Dugdale, Silva, Brown, Leach.
Emley AFC: Lambton, Pashley, Hardaker, Metcalfe, Knowles, Paylor, Kelly, Kenny, Gooden, Walker, Lawrence. Subs: Cassius-Gill, Clegg, Charlton, Harrison, Dry.
Who Was In Charge
Brandon Blackham (6/10)
How Many Were There
429
Man of the Match
James Knowles (Emley AFC)
