Emley AFC manager Richard Tracey reflected on a frustrating afternoon as his side fell to a 2–0 home defeat against Bishop Auckland, their third home loss of the season before turning his attention to this weekend’s tough trip to Heaton Stannington.

Emley made a bright start to Saturday’s game at the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground, creating several chances but failing to convert them.

“We actually started the game really well,” Tracey said. “For the first half hour, I thought we were the better side and we created a number of good opportunities. On another day, we could have been two or three goals up quite comfortably. But again, that little bit of quality and composure in the final third just wasn’t there, and that’s what’s cost us in a few games this season.”

Illness and injuries disrupted the Pewits’ rhythm after their strong start: “We went into the game knowing a couple of the lads weren’t 100%,” he explained. “Archie Christie-Crainie and Chris Dawson were both struggling before kick-off, and at half-time we had to withdraw them because they were unwell. That forced a couple of changes we didn’t want to make, and we never really found our rhythm again after that.”

Things got worse for Emley when Isaac Baldwin was forced off with a head injury, leaving the hosts stretched: “Isaac suffered a head injury and had to come off with concussion,” said Tracey. “That was our third enforced change, and within a few minutes of that, we conceded. It’s a poor goal from our point of view, we didn’t deal with the cross properly and allowed them a simple finish. The second goal was just as frustrating, coming from a second ball off a corner. Those are the types of moments we’ve got to be stronger in if we want to compete at the top end of the table.”

The defeat continued a concerning pattern in Emley’s home form: “It’s been a theme this season, all three of our defeats have come at home,” Tracey admitted. “That’s something we’ve got to change. If you want to be in the mix near the top, your home ground has to be a fortress. Our away form has been very good, we’ve looked solid and organised, but at home we’ve just not quite found that consistency or ruthlessness.”

Tracey was quick to credit the visitors, while emphasising that his side must look inward to find solutions: “Bishop Auckland are a big club at this level with good resources,” he said. “They’ve turned a corner recently under their new manager and have picked up some strong results. But that’s the nature of this league, anyone can beat anyone. We saw that when Silsden went there and won just a few days later. The margins are fine, but for us, it’s about looking inward and making sure we’re performing to our potential because, at the moment, I think we’re underperforming for the quality we’ve got in the squad.”

Attention now turns to Saturday’s trip to Heaton Stannington, a ground Emley know well after a 2–0 defeat there earlier in the season in the FA Trophy: “It’s never easy going up there,” Tracey said. “Heaton’s ground is right in the shadow of St James’ Park and it’s a proper footballing environment. They’re a good side, well organised, energetic, and they make life difficult for you. They beat us there in the FA Trophy earlier in the season, and although we played well for large spells that day, they punished us when it mattered.”

The manager remembers that performance clearly: “For about 40 minutes in that game, I thought we were excellent,” he added. “We were on the front foot, moved the ball well, created chances but once they scored, the momentum shifted. Then, as we chased the equaliser in the second half, they got a second goal that effectively killed it off. That’s what this league is about: taking your chances when you’re on top and defending properly when you’re not.”

Tracey knows Saturday will demand a full-blooded performance: “It’s a difficult pitch up there,” he said. “It’s not the same surface quality as ours, and the conditions can make it a bit of a leveller. You don’t always get the rub of the green from the officials in the North East either, so we know we’ll have to work for everything. We’ve got to be switched on, compete for every ball, and make sure we play to our strengths.”

Emley’s injury list remains a concern: “We’re assessing the fitness of Lawrence Sorhaindo and Joe Clegg,” Tracey confirmed. “Isaac Baldwin is obviously out with concussion, and Harry Sheppeard came off with an ankle issue that’s been troubling him on and off for a while. The hope is that Archie and Dawson will be fine after illness, and our new signing Bailey Thompson will be available too, which is a big boost for us going forward.”

Despite the knocks, Tracey remains upbeat about the squad’s depth and spirit: “Cleggy’s had no luck at all this season,” he said. “Every time he gets back fit and on the pitch, he seems to pick up another knock. It’s been tough on him because he’s a talented lad who just wants to play football. But the positive is we’ve got a really strong group of around 18 players, and Bailey’s arrival gives us more competition up top. We’re still working hard to strengthen other areas because competition for places is what drives standards.”

With a quieter run of fixtures approaching, the manager believes the timing could work in Emley’s favour: “It’s been a demanding few weeks with games coming thick and fast,” Tracey said. “Now we’ve got a bit of breathing space, which is good. It gives us time to get lads back to full fitness and do some proper work on the training ground. That’ll be important because there are things we want to improve, our sharpness in front of goal, our decision making, and just our overall tempo. If we can get those right, I’ve got no doubt we’ll start picking up results again.”

Tracey ended with a message of determination ahead of the weekend’s clash: “We know Heaton away is a tough one, but we’ve got a good group with the right mentality,” he said. “We’ve shown in spells what we’re capable of now it’s about putting a full performance together and getting the result that our hard work deserves.”