Emley face a midweek trip to the North East on Wednesday following a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup 1st qualifying round with Bishop Auckland at the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground, after the Two Blues stunned the Pewits with a late equaliser.

It was a fairly even contest with both sides probably believing they could have won the tie on the day, but we need to go and do it all again in the replay in Co.Durham on Wednesday evening.

A very early shot by the visitors was stopped by Barks, taking a stinger to the face in the process but he was good to carry on after treatment, another shot by Bishops was sent soaring over the roof and into the car park as Emley looked to suppress their early start, Diego De Girolamo had the Pewits' first shot but the keeper was able to make a comfortable save.

Emley had stopped the early pressure from Bishops and were now forcing them back, good, patient build up play eventually found Aaron Haswell who tried his luck but could only shoot wide, Emley kept up the pressure and were almost rewarded on 20 minutes when Gabby Johnson broke through in the inside right channel but his angled shot hit the far post and Bishop were able to clear eventually.

On the left side, Kiwomya forced the issue by getting deep into Bishop Auckland territory but unfortunately he got his angles wrong and the ball in drifted over the bar, Bishop kept pushing forward but Emley were looking the more threatening, Johnson again found some space in the box and dinked a ball across the goal but no one was there to take advantage.

At the other end, the visitors sent a warning that they too could be dangerous, a quick attack created space for a shot just inside the box but the shot was saved by Bottomley, Emley's next attack saw Charlie Barks stride purposefully up to the edge of the Bishops box and he tried his luck but his shot ran wide.

It was the Two Blues' turn to attack next and another sweeping move saw the ball on their left, the ball was whipped in from the byline but it took a deflection off an Emley defender and away from goal and Kiwomya then completed the clearance, down the other end and Rinor Ejupi got on the end of another Emley attack but his stabbed shot went wide and it was all square at the break.

H/T- Emley 0-0 Bishop Auckland.

Emley started the half as they ended the first, on the front foot, and again it was Ejupi with an effort from the outside of his boot that curled wide, next, a chance for Haswell after the ball was shifted right to left but he got under the ball and it too flew over the shed roof. Six minutes later and Emley fashioned another chance, Lindley's run into the box was stopped but Johnson picked up and his ball in was deflected back towards Lindley but a Bishop boot got there first to clear the danger.

Emley were enjoying the lion's share of possession and threat at this stage but couldn't break open the stiff resistance, Kiwomya got into the area but couldn't pick anyone out, then Ejupi from the right dug a ball into the far post but it was too far for anyone to reach, following a couple of substitutions, the visitors then picked up a little and created a good chance of their own, for once, the Emley defence was carved open but Bottomley made a fine save to keep the scores level.

That save would prove crucial as Emley would take the lead within minutes, but before that, changes were made, Carlos Rodrigues replaced Ejupi which saw Kiwomya move to the right and Carlos occupying the left wing, just 5 minutes later and the breakthrough came, Emley pushed deep into the Bishops half and as the shot came in, the defender got everything, including hands in the way of it, the ref had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Up stepped Gabriel Johnson to smash the pen into the top corner to give Emley, a lead, that we probably just about deserved and with 10 minutes remaining, it looked like Emley had got themselves into the hat for the draw for the next round. Two more subs saw Hanson replace Kiwomya and Farrar replace De Girolamo as Emley looked to hold on that slender lead.

Bishop Auckland seemed to gain some confidence from Emley appearing to sit back and hold on, Bottomley was booked for time wasting as the game approached the end of 90 minutes and the visitors were the ones now enjoying the possession and looking the more threatening, twice, Bottomley denied them with good saves, the latter, pushing a fine header over the bar for a corner, Emley stood firm though, for now, as we entered into 5 additional minutes.

Another let off for Emley in the last minute of time as another Bishops attack ended with a shot that flew wide and it seemed almost inevitable that the equaliser would come, and it did, in the 2nd minute of those 5, a crisp shot finally beat Bottomley to trigger celebrations amongst the staff and travelling support from the North East.

Emley were crestfallen and with just seconds remaining, Bishop found more space in the Emley area but the ball was eventually cleared away, the final act saw Hayden Lindley with a tame shot straight at the keeper and with that, both teams earned the applause of the crowd as we now head up the A1 on Wednesday to find a winner.

F/T- Emley 1-1 Bishop Auckland.

Attendance- 428

Emley- Bottomley, Sheppeard, Bird, Lindley, Cowgill, Barks, Ejupi, Haswell, De Girolamo, Johnson, Kiwomya;
Subs used- Rodrigues, Hanson, Farrar;
Unused- Cressey (GK), Hardaker, Murray.

Goal- Johnson (80')

WM Sykes Man of the Match - Charlie Barks