Report: Frickley Athletic (A)

In a game which almost had everything, including a red card for Emley's James Walshaw, Emley came from behind to stun their hosts only to be pegged back late on before finding a dramatic injury time winner, with all 5 goals in the second half and 4 of them in a thrilling final quarter.

The match swung one way then the other throughout, with both teams enjoying spells of pressure and possession, Frickley started the brighter but a chance at the far post on 5 minutes was cleared.

Emley started to get a foothold in the game and were soon dominating but a combination of wayward shooting, poor final balls or good defence prevented The Pewits from opening the scoring, Skipper Alex Metcalfe saw a snap shot saved after Gooden-not for the last time- perplexed the defence, Jerome also shot wide following Emley’s recycle of the ball.

Jerome was involved 2 minutes later when he set up a chance for Clegg, but the keeper made a save, Jerome himself was thwarted when he was stopped by a brilliant defensive tackle.

Frickley were looking to hit Emley on the counter attack but Cowgill and Barks stood firm at the back to protect Lambton in goal, it was Cowgill who then spurned Emley’s best chance so far, lashing over the bar from 8 yards, Iyrwah Gooden then produced the best play of the game so far, turning his marker on the edge of the box he curled a lovely shot which fell agonisingly wide.

Frickley were by no means out of it and Keita was a menace and it was his forward thrust which led to their best chance of the game, but the shot flew wide from 12 yards.

Gooden again saw a shot wide, as did Metcalfe as Emley looked to take a half time lead, the game became a bit fractious, something that was to continue into the 2nd half.

With a couple of minutes of the first half remaining, Frickley had a big appeal for a penalty for handball turned down, but the game remained goalless.

H/T- FRICKLEY 0-0 EMLEY.

Emley came out firing for the 2nd half and should have taken the lead within the first few minutes, Curtis broke the offside trap superbly but knocked the bouncing ball over the bar and Gooden found himself free in the box but was stopped by a couple of defensive blocks.

The hosts then enjoyed a good spell of pressure as they pinned Emley down in their own half, a close range header was saved by Lambton and then after Emley failed to clear their lines, a rasping shot took a slight deflection for a corner, within 2 minutes though the deadlock was broken.

Another Frickley corner, hotly debated by Emley, wasn’t dealt with, and a close ranger header beat Lambton, it was tough on Emley, and they now had to show all their strength to come back.

A Curtis header from a free kick, one of many that were awarded as the game became even more fractured and feisty, Joe Kenny then almost got lucky when he burst into the area, but his shot hit a defender and then ricocheted back off him into the keepers grateful arms.

Frickley were holding on somewhat and using delaying tactics and the game was taking its toll on the players with men going down all over the pitch.

Emley made changes as Walshaw replaced the strong running Curtis, and Clegg was replaced by Tom Haigh, Walshaw’s game wouldn’t last very long though, as within 5 minutes, the linesman agreed with the Frickley protests that Walshaw had raised an arm, and he was shown a straight red, Emley’s task had now got decidedly harder.

However, somehow, Emley found a second wind and completely turned the game on its head within the space of 5 minutes following the red card, they took the game straight to Frickley and the hosts had no answer, on 75 minutes, another free kick from Emley was whipped in from the right and Charlie Barks met it with a firm header to draw level.

Emley were straight back on the attack though and Frickley were in disarray, fouling, spoiling, and trying everything to hold back the yellow tide, but they couldn’t hold out for long as just 4 minutes later, Gooden took advantage of a defensive lapse to make his way into the area before squaring to an unmarked Ruben Jerome to tap home to put the 10 man Pewits into the lead and send the travelling fans into raptures.

The twists wouldn’t end there though, with time ticking down and Frickley now, unsurprisingly eager to get things moving, nicked an equaliser, after a spell of pressure themselves, they too capitalised on an error, as the ball fell to edge of the area and Binns swept past Lambton for the leveller.

The clock ticked down, both teams were now looking for a winner, Frickley were moving the ball quicker than they had in the previous 89 minutes, but it was Emley who looked the stronger and had 2 good chances to win it, Gooden was wide after he connected with a long throw before Jerome had a glorious chance to wrap the win up, but the keeper pulled off a fabulous save to deny him.

Frickley desperately piled forward trying to snatch it themselves, but Emley remained firm when they needed to be and then stunned the hosts with a winner deep, deep into injury time.

With the game entering its 7th or 8th minute of stoppage time, Emley received a throw deep in Frickley territory following a last ditch defensive effort to stop Pashley driving into the box, Pashley himself took the throw, it was recycled and played in from the right and landed plush on the head of Ruben Jerome who buried a header into the Frickley net, cue absolute pandemonium as Emley’s players all ran over to a section of the travelling support and players and fans embraced and celebrated together, Frickley were down and out, Emley were home, dry and top of the league.

The final whistle brought more jubilant scenes from those of an Emley persuasion, but Frickley certainly played their part in an absolute thriller in front of 321 fans.

Emley once again had to dig deep, possibly deeper than ever before to get a result and that’s why they are league leaders, going into the weekend, although the 2 goals conceded were a disappointment, this was the 4th game in succession that Emley have put 3 past Frickley as we now look to continuing our defence of the Sheffield and Hallamshire cup against SJR Worksop on Saturday.

PHEW!

F/T- FRICKLEY 2-3 EMLEY

Attendance- 321

EMLEY- Lambton, Pashley, Hardaker, Metcalfe [c], Barks, Cowgill, Clegg, Kenny, Jerome, Gooden, Curtis.
Subs used- Walshaw, Haigh, Porritt, Walker.
Unused- Khan.
GOALS- Barks (’75) Jerome (’79,’90)
Red Card- Walshaw (’72)
Moxon and Co. Man of the Match- Iyrwah Gooden.