Emley AFC head into Tuesday night's Northern Premier League East Division play-off semi-final full of belief after securing their place with a thrilling 2–1 win over Consett at the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground. Goals from Jack Cowgill and Luke Parkin sealed a crucial victory on the final day of the season, confirming Emley's fifth place finish in their debut campaign at this level for many a year. It was a nervy but determined performance, with Emley resisting sustained second-half pressure from Consett, while results elsewhere notably Newton Aycliffe being held to a draw by Ossett helped keep the Pewits' promotion hopes alive.

Reflecting on the match, manager Richard Tracey admitted: "We could have made it easier for ourselves. I thought we had an excellent first half, played with a lot of quality, and created good chances. But in the second half, we slipped into some bad habits, poor decision making and not managing the game the way we should have. It made the match much harder than it needed to be and certainly more uncomfortable than it should have been."

However, he praised his team's resilience, adding: "At the end of the day, when you're in a situation like that, it doesn’t matter how pretty the performance is. It's all about getting the result. The lads dug deep, stuck at it, and secured the win. That’s all that mattered and we were absolutely delighted."

Dunston, who finished second in the division after 42 games, will provide a stern test. They ended the regular season with 24 wins, nine draws, and nine defeats, scoring 82 goals and conceding 47, finishing four points ahead of Emley. Their form coming into the play-offs includes a win over Carlton Town and a draw against Garforth Town, although they recently fell to a 1–0 defeat at Stocksbridge Park Steels. Dunston’s leading appearance holder is Harvey Neary, who has played 48 matches this season, while their top scorer is JJ O’Donnell with 16 goals.

The sides have already met three times this campaign, and honours have been largely even. Emley defeated Dunston 2–0 in the FA Trophy back in September, before the two teams played out a 2–2 league draw in October at the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground. Dunston gained revenge in March with a 3–0 win on their own patch, a performance that Tracey is keen to learn from. He said: "The last time we played up at Dunston, it wasn’t one of our better days. We didn’t perform, and they punished us. The game was effectively over early on. We know that if we don't turn up properly on Tuesday night, the same could happen again."

Yet Emley travel north with a sense of freedom and hope. "All the pressure is firmly on Dunston going into this game," Tracey said. "They set out their ambitions at the start of the season, they expected to be challenging for promotion, and they finished second. For us, it's a fantastic opportunity. It's a one off match, and we can approach it without pressure. We're the underdogs, and we can go there, play with freedom, and give it absolutely everything we've got."

Tracey believes the experience Emley has built up throughout the season will serve them well, noting: "We can take confidence from our performances against them earlier in the season. We beat them in the FA Trophy and we drew with them in the league after being 2–1 up with seven or eight minutes to go. We know that if we play to our potential, we've got a real chance."

He also warned of the need for focus. "It could be quite a tactical battle. At this stage, no team wants to open up too early and leave themselves vulnerable. Having lost in the play-offs last season, there might be a bit of added tension for Dunston. Sometimes that pressure can help a team raise their game but sometimes it can cause mistakes. We'll be hoping that we can capitalise if they show any nerves."

Whatever the result, Emley can be proud of their achievements this season. "For us, it’s a free hit," Tracey said. "We’ve already achieved something special by getting into the play-offs in our first year at this level. We’ll go up there, give it everything, and see where it takes us."

Dunston will no doubt be desperate to go one better after the heartbreak of last year’s play-off final, where they drew 4–4 with Stockton Town before losing 5–3 on penalties. Emley, meanwhile, travel to the North East full of character and belief, determined to extend their remarkable journey for at least one more game.

UP THE PEWITS, COME ON EMLEY AFC