Report: West Dids. & Chorlton (H)

A strong second 45 minutes saw Emley defeat both the weather and West Didsbury & Chorlton as they ran out emphatic 4-0 winners in the FA Vase on a stormy day at the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground.

It's a win that stretches Emley's unbeaten run to 17 games and into the 4th round of the FA Vase for the first time in 11 seasons.

There was little between the teams in a tight first half but there was a huge gulf in the second half as Emley dismantled their opponents from the NWCL.

Emley were on the attack from the off winning a corner that was blown behind by the swirling wind which didn't let up all game, that was followed by a dangerous low ball in from the right but was missed by everyone, Emley were awarded a free kick which wasn't cleared but Barks couldn't steer his shot on target.

With a quarter of the game gone, both sides were struggling to get any fluency in their game and the weather was doing its best to make things hard, a Jake Kelly corner caught the wind and caused the keeper concern before he could finally gather it safely.

West did get a sight of Emley's goal though and as the ball evaded keeper Bancroft, James Knowles was on hand to clear the danger, they saw an another attack end with a shot that went well wide before Emley stepped it up a bit.

First, Jerome tried a a 25 yard shot that went wide and then Walshaw thought he was in, the keeper made a good block but the offside flag was up anyway.

West managed to test Bancroft again on the half hour but the Emley stopper was equal to a good drive from the edge of the area, that would be the visitors' last chance of the half as the weather, and Emley took control.

Jake Kelly went on a familiar marauding run down the right but his cross beat everyone and again the weather played a part as a Hardaker corner was almost blown in but it was eventually cleared as half time came and the players ran to the warmth of the dressing rooms.

H/T- EMLEY 0-0 WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON.

With the wind howling around and the rain lashing down, there was no hint of the destruction to come as both teams came out for the second half, the visitors kicking off and trying to use the wind to their advantage by lashing a shot down towards the Warburton end but it was never in danger of troubling Bancroft.

Emley, playing towards their vocal support in the shed started to get on top and had a couple of half chances cleared as they couldn't quite find that cutting edge, however within 10 minutes of the restart, Emley were ahead and it was a goal that lit up the gloomy scenes inside the ground.

Kelly found space on the right, the cross in was deflected by a West defender, another West defender failed to clear with a header and the ball fell nicely for Alex Metcalfe to crash a left foot volley into the bottom corner.

Emley were on their way, and Metcalfe was eager for more, within 2 minutes he smashed another shot goalwards but it was a yard or two wide of the upright.

Metcalfe and Kenny were in total control in midfield for Emley and the visitors had no answer but to keep fouling to break things up, it was another foul that led to Emley's next chance, Walshaw fired a 20 yard free kick over the bar.

The visitors did threaten on the odd occasion but Bancroft and his defenders were steady away and there was no real threat from them, a couple of corners were cleared before Emley struck again and another corker!

The ball was moved upfield to the left wing where Paul Walker looked up and curled a cross/shot towards the danger area, the flight of the ball was misjudged by the keeper and the ball smashed off the far post and in, whether Walker meant it or not it was certainly a cracking goal and one that probably finished West off.

It quietened down their travelling support who had been noisy all game but who were by now soaked and silent, they had their keeper to thank for keeping it 2-0 when he stopped Ruben Jerome with a fine 1-on-1 save but the big Emley striker wouldn't have to wait too long to add to his goal tally.

By now, West were becoming a bit of a rabble, arguing with the ref and becoming more and more frustrated, Emley made a change, Walker off to be replaced by Curtis, Curtis was involved straight away, pulling defenders out of place with his clever runs.

With the match now into the final 10 minutes and no let up in the wind and rain, Emley were awarded a penalty for another frustrating challenge from a West Didsbury defender, after more protestations, Ruben Jerome smashed the spot kick home to make it 3 and Emley fans were more or less there.

It was certainly the Emley fans making all the noise in the last few minutes as the visitors had no answer to Emley's dominance, Joe Clegg replaced Tom Haigh and Donae Lawrence on for Walshaw who had certainly made a nuisance of himself.

Donae wasn't hanging around and his nifty run down the left caused havoc in the West ranks but was eventually cleared.

Emley eventually put their visitors out of their misery but not before a 4th goal was celebrated, with the game in its dying embers, Metcalfe burst his way through a couple of defenders before squaring to Ruben Jerome who was completely free to tap home and send the Emley fans into raptures as they witnessed another impressive show from their team.

A visit from another NWCFL side, Charnock Richard is the reward for the Pewits, but next up is a NCEL Premier Division clash with Eccleshill Utd next Saturday.

F/T- EMLEY 4-0 WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON.

ATTENDANCE- 385
EMLEY- Bancroft, Kelly, Hardaker, Metcalfe, Knowles[c] Barks, Haigh, Kenny, Jerome, Walshaw, Walker:
Subs used- Curtis, Clegg, Lawrence; Unused- Porritt, Randall, Eyles.
GOALS- Metcalfe (55') Walker (72') Jerome (84'Pen, 90').

Moxon and Co. Man of the Match- Alex Metcalfe.