Pickering Town 2-5 Emley

Emley rounded off their successful 2023-24 NCEL Premier Division campaign off with a fine win as they came from behind to record a solid win in a hugely entertaining game enjoyed by their travelling fans.

Despite the game being in some doubt hours during the course of the day, Emley were again backed by good numbers who made up a decent percentage of the crowd and were rewarded with some great play and fine finishing.

After coming from a man and a goal down inside the first 15 minutes on a tricky pitch it could have been a slip up for The Pewits but they showed their champion quality by bouncing back superbly to take the game beyond the hosts by half time, although to be fair, Pickering made a good go of it but the scoreline could have been more emphatic had Pickering keeper Elliott not pulled off some superb saves.

Playing down a sizeable slope, Emley took a while to get going, Pickering tried their luck from the kick off but a shot went harmlessly wide as did an Emley shot from Curtis a couple of minutes later.

The first major incident came in the 12th minute, following a lengthy injury to Town's Ndaw which saw him stretchered off, the referee , after discussions with his assistant showed a straight to red to Emley's Kieran Haigh. Making only his 2nd start for Emley looked bewildered as did most of the crowd as Emley had already been awarded a free kick, it appeared the linesman had spotted something off the ball that no one else had.

Just 2 minutes after that, Pickering took the lead, a free kick beat both the wall and Randal in the Emley goal, they almost doubled their lead shortly after. Randal was beaten to the ball but the shot thankfully went wide.

Emley started to get a foothold, but after Gooden and Curtis combined well inside the area, Gooden couldn't quite get the ball out of his feet to get a shot away. Ruben Jerome was starting to come alive and his fabulous, bursting run into the box deserved better than the shot he put wide.

Pickering came back, seeing a shot hit the side netting, another go wide and then somehow seeing the ball cleared off the line when it looked certain they would score again. They had another good chance when Randal failed to deal with a ball over the top but luckily the shot clipped the bar.

Emley then came to life spectacularly, a 3 goal burst before half time put the game beyond Pickering. A super Clegg ball in from the right was right on the money, Walshaw met it with a firm header but the Pikes keeper was down quick as a flash to make a wonderful save, however, it would all be in vain as from the corner, Hardaker whipped in a wicked ball which was turned home by the league's top marksman Ruben Jerome.

Emley would continue to surge down the hill, scattering defenders everywhere, Gooden and Jerome were enjoying themselves and it was just 5 minutes later that the travelling support would be cheering again, Jerome did brilliant to chase a loose ball down. He looked up and lofted over a lovely ball into the path of Iyrwah Gooden who let fly into the back of the net and the champions were ahead.

It was Gooden's 20th goal of the season and just 5 more minutes later Emley would further extend their lead, Nathan Curtis, burst into the inside right channel and was unceremoniously dumped inside the area and Emley had a penalty, it was no surprise to see Ruben Jerome step up, send the keeper the wrong way and notch his 38th goal of the season, and Emley were just about home as the half time whistle sounded.

H/T-PICKERING 1-3 EMLEY.

It was a fantastic turnaround by Emley and they would come out eager for more in the second half although they did get bogged down (pardon the pun) going uphill on a pitch showing some wear and tear from the rain.

It would take 15 minutes for the game to reignite and when it did, it was Walshaw who almost made it 4 for The Pewits, following some beautiful work by Jerome who skinned the defence, his pull back was inch perfect for Walshaw but the ball slammed off the crossbar, however the Emley fans were cheering again just a few moments later.

Jerome again, terrified the defence with his power and pace, his ball across the face of the box was met by Joe Clegg who drilled low into the net for Emley's fourth. 2 goals and 2 assists for Jerome now, the Pickering defence couldn't get near him!

The hosts were given some hope of a comeback on 62 minutes when another free kick by Dyer, just like in the first half beat the wall and the despairing Randal. Randal to his credit made a crucial save a few minutes later when Emley's 10 men were caught out and the low shot was well saved by the Emley stopper.

On 75 and Walshaw was unlucky again, after being played in by Clegg who bamboozled the defender, he got his shot away, but again, a good save by the keeper denied him, it was to be Wally's last action of the league season as he was replaced by debutant Nathan Fletcher.

It was almost 5 for Emley shortly after, Jerome again causing panic amongst the home defenders but his powerful drive was tipped onto and over the bar by that keeper Elliott again. Gooden found himself in space on the right of the box but his shot went wide before he too saw out his league season, replaced by youngster Ethan Twigger.

Into the final minutes now and Emley still on the attack, Curtis into the box, but the ball was nicked away in the nick of time, Jerome, yet again tied his defender up and got a powerful shot away, but once again, the Pickering keeper was down low to turn it away, he was having some game.

With the game moving into injury time, the scene was set for one of the moments of the night, if not the entire league season!

Jerome again found space in the area, his shot was blocked by a defenders' foot, the ball rebounded for Paul Walker who smashed it towards goal. Another block from a defender before Jerome got another touch which was almost turned over the line by a Pickering defender, instead it rolled wide of the post, then from the resulting corner, the ball was recycled by Barks. The keeper this time fumbled, it hit the post, bounced back out and there it landed at the feet of captain James Knowles, the wily defender then casually flicked it up and in the same move, bicycle kicked into the bottom corner!

Unbelievable scenes at one end of Mill Lane in Pickering, Knowles was mobbed by his team mates and probably shocked that he turned into Zico on a wet night in North Yorkshire.

A remarkable goal and perhaps a fitting one that the man who lifted the championship trophy last Saturday should score Emley's final league goal in their title winning season.

A thrilling game to end the league campaign, both teams, and the match officials all played their part, for Emley it was a 26th league win of the season. Jerome's first goal in the 32nd minute was Emley's 150th in all competitions this season, and they will hope to add to it when Bottesford Town visit the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground for a league cup quarter final clash on Saturday.

F/T- PICKERING 2-5 EMLEY.

ATTENDANCE- 116

EMLEY- Randal, K.Haigh, Hardaker, Walker, Knowles [c],Barks, Clegg, Curtis, Jerome, Gooden, Walshaw;Subs used- Fletcher, Twigger; Unused- Cowgill, Metcalfe

GOALS- Jerome (32', 44' pen), Gooden (37') Clegg (60') Knowles (90')

RED CARD- K.Haigh (13')

Moxon and Co. Man of the Match- The whole team for the season!