Emley AFC return to the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground this Saturday looking to continue their strong run of form as they welcome promotion rivals Dunston in what could prove a significant fixture in the Northern Premier League Division One East play-off race.

The Pewits head into the clash full of confidence following an impressive 4–0 away victory at Matlock Town, a result which strengthened their position near the top end of the table and extended an excellent run of performances. Dunston arrive sitting just behind Emley in the standings, making Saturday’s encounter a key test between two sides firmly targeting the play-offs.

Manager Richard Tracey believes his side’s recent success has been built on preparation and execution. With a 4-0 win over Matlock Town last weekend which was followed by a 2-1 victory away at Ashington. On these games Tracey said, first reflecting on Matlock: “When we arrived at Matlock, we actually had a couple of concerns with the pitch, but credit to them because they clearly put a lot of effort into getting the game on. We knew they were a good side who would have possession, so our approach had to be a bit more direct.

“We got off to the perfect start from a goal kick that was flicked on, Joe Stacey squared it and Bailey showed great desire to get into a scoring position and slide it home. That early goal probably took a little bit of the stuffing out of Matlock and helped us settle.”

Tracey was particularly pleased with his side’s defensive commitment as they secured another clean sheet: “Matlock stepped things up and asked questions, but I thought we defended brilliantly, blocks in the box, bodies on the line and real commitment from the lads. The players in front were absolutely dying for the cause.”

Despite the convincing scoreline, the Emley boss stressed the result came from discipline rather than dominance: “Some people might say Matlock had a lot of the ball, but we went there with a game plan and executed it. For us, it was a deserved result.”

Attention quickly turned to a demanding midweek trip to Ashington, where travel and fatigue proved challenging: “It’s a tough task after Saturday, some of the lads are doing 250 to 300-mile round trips straight after work without the luxury of travelling by coach. Anyone who thought Ashington would be a walkover was mistaken.”

Now, focus shifts to Dunston a side Emley know well following several recent meetings, including last season’s play-off semi-final defeat.

Tracey expects another fiercely competitive contest: “Dunston are a very good side with a strong management team and we’ve built a good relationship with them. We look forward to welcoming them to Emley, but we’ll go into the game fully intending to win.”

With both sides competing around the play-off positions, the stakes are clear: “It’s a huge game because they’re in and around us in the play-off places. If we can win, it opens up a significant points gap and puts us in a really strong position in the push to secure a play-off spot.”

Team news remains largely unchanged heading into the weekend: “Gabby is still away and Isaac is getting valuable minutes at Golcar, so we’ll be going with the same squad as the last couple of games.”

Tracey also encouraged supporters to stay behind after the match for the club’s race night event: “We’d love to see as many supporters there as possible. It’s a great opportunity for fans to spend time around the players and staff while raising money for the club. Hopefully we can finish the day with a good win and a really good night afterwards. That would be the dream.”

With momentum building and a packed home crowd expected, Saturday presents another major opportunity for Emley to strengthen their promotion ambitions.