Knaresborough Town v AFC Emley - NCEL 8th September 2012

The league newcomers took a deserved 2-1 victory over Emley who fall to 10th in the table.

Emley dominated the first half hour of the game and made a dream start taking the lead within 2 minutes of the kick off through Dean Wharam. The prolific striker grabbed his 4th goal of the season from close range turning home a cross from Doran Jordan.

Jordan might have added a second for Emley soon after as he tried to get on the end of a cross from Curtis Roberts but the ball was marshalled out by the home defence. The resulting corner was cleared as far as Josh Ingham who struck a well hit shot which seemed destined for the top corner but deflected to safety.

The visitors piled on the pressure forcing corner after corner but couldn’t find a way through to force a second goal. Knaresborough appeared frustrated and conceded two bookings in quick succession following clumsy challenges.

Winger, Jordan continued to cause problems for the home team and found Wharam who made space for himself before firing just wide. John Cyrus made a terrific challenge in midfield before driving forward and finding Wharam in the box, this time the striker was on target but Dave Thomas made a timely block.

The home team had barely threatened the Emley goal up to this point. Luke Herriot had dealt with the aerial ball well but not had a shot to save. They were back on level terms on 33 minutes however as Leech conceded a penalty for a needless push on Ben Clayton in the box. Thomas made no mistake blasting home the spot kick past Herriot.

Knaresborough were nearly in front soon after with the Emley defence caught napping, Daniel Clayton shot just wide of the upright. Sebastian Carole also had had a decent opportunity after being fed by Steve Bromley but was also off target.

Emley responded with Wharam delivering an intelligent chip over the defence into the path of Ash Flynn who was denied by a brave block by the keeper Jack Rushworth. Both players received a lengthy spell of treatment as they collided but were ok to continue.

Knaresborough had the final chance of the half as Carole struck the bar following a corner but the scores remained level at the half time whistle.

The home team started the second period as they had finished the first whilst Emley looked a different side altogether to the one that looked so threatening in the first half an hour. Without the intervention of Herriot in goals the home team could have run away with a more emphatic scoreline.

The keeper turned similar 20 yard drives round his near post from Carole and Bromley in quick succession but picked up an injury to his left side in the process. He played on despite being in obvious pain.

Offered little protection from his defence he then tipped a Bromley header over the bar with the striker in acres of space. Daniel Clayton was next up to try his luck after latching onto a deep free kick into the box, but Herriot was at full stretch to palm the ball round the post.

Herriot was the creator of Emley’s only decent chance of the half as he punted a long ball upfield which was flicked on by Flynn into the path of Wharam who scooped the ball over the home keeper but also over the bar.

The keeper continued his heroics saving a dipping half volley from Bromley before the home striker finally made it 2-1 in the 70th minute. He got the better of Emley’s Sean Hazelden before picking his spot from inside the penalty area and precisely firing past Herriot.

Hazelden, who pulled his hamstring was forced off immediately after forcing Cyrus, Emley’s most impressive outfield player to move to centre back. Herriot managed to hold on until 13 minutes from time before being replaced by reserve team keeper Paul Day. With Steven Kenworthy already on the field as a straight swap for Flynn, Darren Hepworth was unable to bring on any further substitutes to change the system and force an equaliser.

The game petered out in the final stages with neither side really creating much. Thomas did try to catch out Day hitting a long free kick from just inside his own half but the keeper dealt with it comfortably enough.

For Emley this was another frustrating performance where they once again dropped points after failing to capitalise on early chances. Darren Hepworth must now look to turn things around as his side face two big tests in the forthcoming week – on Wednesday they travel to Louth in the league (7.45pm) before visiting NCEL Premier side Maltby in the FA Vase on Saturday (3.00pm).

Emley:
Herriot (Day 77), Leech, Thornton, Cyrus, Hazelden (Ellis 70), Banton, Ingham, Jordan, Wharam, Flynn (Kenworthy 68), Roberts.
Subs not used: Schofield, Maturine. Man of the Match: Luke Herriot Att: 161.