The game did not start well for the home side, as goalkeeper Adam Lawlor was judged to have brought down opposition striker Adam Podmore within the first minute.

Liam McFayden dispatched the resulting penalty to the left of Lawlor to hand the away side a 1-0 lead.

It was a soft penalty, but Emley's defending in the situation was questionable at best.

The home side immediately responded to the early setback. Ruben Jerome was instrumental, as he fired a dangerous cross into the Athletic box that could not be converted.

In his next attack, he surged into the box from the right hand side, and looked to have been brought down. However, the referee waved play on.

Jerome soon received support, as Kenworthy's excellent hold up play was beginning to open the game up for Emley with the likes of Hallam and Leonard benefitting from his play.

It summed up the first half. All the approach play was impressive, and yet few clear cut chances were created.
Athletic did not attack much, but when they did, it was clinical. Luckily for Emley, Lawlor had recovered from the penalty set-back to impact the game massively.

First, an Athletic one-two saw Scully freed on the right hand side, his pacey cross directed towards Podmore. Lawlor seized his chance and snuffed out the chance, and took a hard kick for it.

Again, Scully was to cause problems, as his stinging drive was denied stylishly by Lawlor.

With half time approaching, Emley created three great opportunities. A Townend cross was the most dangerous, but Athletic managed to block both follow up efforts.

Soon after, Leonard unleashed a fierce drive just wide of Oxley's post, before a corner was headed just over by captain Paul Sykes.

The second half continued in much the same fashion, with Emley trying to find an equaliser they more than deserved.

Emley almost repeated their earlier mistake by conceding swiftly in the half, but Lawlor again stood strong to deny Luke Forgione with the save of the game.

Hallam and Leonard were beginning to find their feet, with the former hitting cross after cross into the box. The best of which was volleyed over the bar by Antony Leech. In the centre, Leonard was firing one long range effort after another at the opposition.

With both sides stretched, errors began to creep into the game. First a defensive mix up allowed the quick thinking Alex Hallam to steal in behind the full back and fire an effort at Oxley.

Moments later, and it was Emley's turn for an error. Lawlor rushed out, and Ryan Poskitt chipped the keeper, but Paul Sykes was there to heroically head off the line.

After all the attackers had shown, it was a defender who turned out to be Emley's saviour. Leech had charged forward for much of the game, but his miss from a cross in the final minutes was gilt-edged.

Thankfully, there was time for redemption. With almost the final kick of the game, Emley won a corner. The ball was swung in and, after a hectic goalmouth scramble, Leech was able to deflect the ball into the net for the equaliser.

The final seconds descended into a scrap, and neither side were able to grab a winner.

For Emley, their overall play was impressive, but there will be a feeling of disappointment as they were unable to grab a deserved victory.

Man of the Match (chosen by mascot Jake Wood): Antony Leech