Emley return to West Yorkshire with a well deserved three points after a sodden afternoon in Northumberland.

The soaked Emley faithful who had travelled to Blyth had to wait until the 90th minute to celebrate the winner but the Pewits dominated proceedings and fully deserved the win.

From the very first minute, Emley were on top but couldn't force a goal in the atrocious conditions.

Despite being on top, Emley didn't create that many clear cut chances in a fairly tepid first half, a Joe Stacey ball across the area missed everyone. A succession of corners for Emley failed to breached the home defence.

Emley forced numerous corners and forced Blyth into conceding free kicks and Hayden Lindley stung the hands of de Jesus in the Blyth goal a couple of minutes before half time.

Despite no goals, Emley fans felt confident that they would seal the deal in the second half.

H/T- Blyth Town 0-0 Emley.

The hosts had been pretty quiet in the first half with Lambton having little to do in the Emley nets but they threatened at the beginning of the second, but a ball into the danger area ran dead and then relief for Emley as a header at the far post was missed and the follow up was saved by Lambton.

Carlos Rodrigues was Emley's dangerman and he was starting to cause major problems down Blyth's left, twice in two minutes he skinned the defenders but failed to trouble the keeper as the shots blazed wide.

Along with Carlos, Manny Mampala and Jaanai Gordon were all guilty of frustrating the Blyth backline, the three of them combined to send Rodrigues away again and he won a corner from which Charlie Barks powered a header against the woodwork.

Two minutes later and Emley won another corner, Barks again got a head to it but he was leaning backwards and it sailed over before Rodrigues again burst through into the box but was again off target.

Blyth did cause Emley a few problems, pushing forward and forcing Emley into some tough defending which they were happy to oblige as the rain continued to lash at the Northumberland coast.

Entering the last ten minutes and the game, despite the appalling conditions was end to end with both teams scrapping for everything, Blyth won a corner after a spell of pressure but Emley dealt with it and then had to defend a back post header from a free kick which went wide.

Another Carlos Rodrigues run and shot flew wide as Emley made changes as Mampala and C.Rodrigues gave way to debutants Ceesay and Chentouf, and Emmaisa Nzondo replaced Joe Stacey.

Emley continued to push and pinned Blyth back in their own half and the travelling support got right behind them.

They were finally rewarded with the clock ticking over 90 minutes, a strong tackle in midfield by Captain Chris Dawson led to Ceesay skipping down the left, his well timed pass found Lindley who blasted a shot goalwards, only for it to be blocked, luckily for Emley it fell nicely again for Hayden Lindley who rifled into the net and set off raucous celebrations amongst the Emley bench and fans.

There was a scary moment a minute later as Blyth attacked and won a corner, Emley hearts were in mouths as the header crept wide of the post, but Emley held firm in the monsoon conditions to seal three points and remain unbeaten and move to second in the Northern Premier League Division One East table.

F/T - Blyth Town 0-1 Emley.

Attendance- 293

Emley - Lambton, Sheppeard, Baldwin, Lindley, Hardaker, Barks, C.Rodrigues, Baldwin (c), Gordon, Mampala, Stacey;
Subs used- Ceesay, Chentouf, Nzondo;
Unused- B.Rodrigues, Whittingham.

Goal- Lindley (90')

WM Sykes Man of the Match - Hayden Lindley