The game was delayed for 66 minutes when West collided with AFC Emley goalkeeper Danny Armitage. With an ambulance called, the player remained on the pitch for treatment until the medics arrived.

West had been Hallam’s best player in the opening period. In the first minute he, along with strike partner Nick Owen, went close but neither could get on the end of a good cross from James Cook.

On 14 minutes West put the visitors ahead. Sam Jerome was caught out by the bounce to let Owen streak towards goal. Under pressure from Armitage, the ball broke to the Hallam number 9 for him to tap home.

Armitage saved bravely at the feet of the striker on 24 minutes but their next duel ended in the collision that stopped the game for over an hour.

When the game restarted, Hallam focused on a long ball game, attempting to catch out Jerome for a second time. It failed however as the Emley centre-back was equal to an on-going personal battle with Hallam’s Owen. Captain Paul Sykes was also on hand, winning almost every header he challenged for.

Going forward, Alex Hallam was at the heart of Emley’s most productive play. He combined well with Brighton Mugadza to reach the edge of the Hallam box, but the resulting Doran Jordan shot was well over.

The same three names featured in the Emley equalizer. Just as the half was, finally, coming to a close a Mugadza corner from the left brought a spectacular overhead kick from Jordan. It was well saved but striker Hallam was on hand to finish emphatically on the rebound.

Josh Ingham replaced Jonny Irving at the interval and Emley looked a lot brighter in the second half – especially with the introduction of Jordan Townend, replacing Mugadza.

In the opening seconds of the half, a strong shout for an Emley penalty for a Hallam handball was waved away. But Emley had the lead on 55 minutes. Driving forward into the opposition box, Anthony Leech’s endeavours put him one-on-one with ‘keeper Lewis Barnsley. Unselfishly the right-back squared the ball to Hallam who made no mistake from about 10 yards out.

It was 3-1 just 5 minutes later. Barnsley cleared under pressure straight to sub Jordan Townend. He shot first time from distance as the ‘keeper could only recover his ground in time to watch the ball drop into his empty net.

But Emley didn’t make it easy for themselves or their supporters, gifting a goal back as the defence failed to deal with a goal mouth scramble and leaving Adam Carter to poke home with the vital touch.

The two-goal lead was restored on 69 minutes. A superb run down the right from Townend was followed by a quality cross that Mark Crossfield duly dispatched to make it 4-2

Despite the setback and earlier loss of West, Hallam continued to put Emley under pressure to the very end and got a consolation with almost the last kick of the game. Owen on hand to stab home from a Ishmael Lemmy cross.

AFC Emley: Armitage, Leech, Schofield, Irving (Ingham, 45), S Jerome, Sykes (c), Tunnacliffe, Jordan, Crossfield (R Jerome, 86), Mugadza (Townend, 53), Hallam

Subs not used: Roberts, Senior

Emley goals: Hallam (44 and 55), Townend (59), Crossfield (69)

Booked: Tunnacliffe (66), Sykes (86)

Emley Man of the Match: Alex Hallam

Attendance: 137