Teversal FC v AFC Emley - NCEL 22nd September 2012

The opening stages of the game were entertaining enough with both sides looking to play decent football but it was 15 minutes in before either side managed to create a decent chance. Anthony Haigh attempted to chip home keeper Danny Herring from 30 yards out but his effort sailed over the bar whilst at the other end of the field John Cyrus denied James Meachan with a well timed challenge as he teed up a shot.

Good work by Doran Jordan and Matt Thornton down the right hand side played in Ashley Flynn who slipped through the home defence only to be denied by Herring with a close range block. Emley did take the lead on 24 minutes however with a well worked move, Haigh sprayed the ball out wide to Curtis Roberts who in turn lobbed it back into the centre, straight into the path of Maturine who shrugged of the attentions of the home defenders inside the box before slotting home past Herring.

Emley were in no mood to sit back on things and went in search of a second, Thornton made plenty of ground driving forward from deep but was stopped in his tracks with the ball running free to Haigh who drove a well hit if a little optimistic strike from all of 35 yards out which Herring held onto at the second attempt.

Teversal levelled things up on 29 minutes as Jez Mitchell latched onto a long ball over the top, composed him and struck a low angled drive past Herriot into the bottom corner of the goals.

Less than two minutes later Emley had regained their lead as Teversal conceded a free kick out on the touchline. Thornton launched the ball into the box and it appeared to have evaded both sets of players before Cyrus popped up to drag the ball back from the touchline into the path of Haigh who swept the ball home from just inside the box.

Haigh and Roberts both had decent chances to increase the lead but the score remained 2-1 at half time.

Emley started the second half strongly and Haigh almost caught Herring out, picking up the loose ball from a corner and curling it back goalwards, unfortunately it fell just the wrong side of the post with Jordan inches away from diverting it in also.

Flynn was brought down just outside the Tevvie penalty area and curled the resulting free kick in forcing a solid save from Herring who was at full stretch. The keeper did well again minutes later saving a first time hit from Roberts in a similar fashion.

The Emley defence were alert to the threat of the league’s leading goalscorer Dave Cockerill and gave him little space to influence the game. It was the strike partner Mitchell who proved to be Teversal’s biggest threat and he almost had a second on the hour mark, jinking and weaving through the Emley defence but Herriot was alert and made a good save.

Emley landed the killer blow a minute later as Flynn beat the Teversal offside trap and raced onto a through ball, rounding Herring who forced him out wide before slotting home from a tight angle. Straight after manager Darren Hepworth brought on fresh legs in the shape of Steven Kenworthy for Maturine and Ash Ellis for Josh Ingham.

Kenworthy almost made an immediate impact, latching onto a beautifully weighted ball by Liam Schofield, then curling a shot towards the top right hand corner which Herring did well to save. He was the architect of Emley’s fourth goal on 66 minutes delivering an unselfish ball for Flynn to stroke home from 10 yards out.

Flynn was denied what would have been a deserved hat trick as Herring made three excellent saves from him through the remainder of the game. At the other end of the field Teversal’s Greg Tobin fired wide, Cyrus blocked a shot from Eli Mitchell and Herriot saved a tricky shot by Danny Pearson through a crowed penalty area to ensure that his side won by a convincing margin.

This was a fine team performance from Emley and it was difficult to single out the contribution of an individual. John Cyrus was outstanding at the back, Anthony Haigh on top form in midfield, Doran Jordan and Curtis Roberts were a constant threat on the flanks and Ash Flynn was great value for his two goals.

Teversal:
Herring, Harcourt (Swales 46), Pearson, Henshaw, C. Cockerill, Atkins, Meachan (Blake 76), Dickinson, J. Mitchell (Tobin 76), D. Cockerill (c), E. Mitchell. Subs(not used): Smith, Wood.

Emley:
Herriot, Thornton, Schofield, Ingham (Ellis 62), Cyrus, Banton (c), Haigh, Jordan, Flynn, Maturine (Kenworthy 62), Roberts (Bradshaw 86). Subs (not used): Hazelden, Irving.

Teversal Cautions: Meachen, D. Cockerill. Emley: none. Att: 53.

Goals:
Teversal: Jez Mitchell 29.
Emley: Levi Maturine 23, Anthony Haigh 31, Ashley Flynn 60, 66
Man of the Match: John Cyrus.