Impressive Emley turned in a superb first half to blow away the challenge of play off chasing Pontefract and take 3 points to keep them third in the Northern Premier League Division One Table.

This was a tough test between two good, form sides on paper but Emley tore the paper up and produced an impressive display in atrocious conditions at the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground.

Emley's new strike partnership of ex Ponte man Bailey Thompson and former Bury striker Gabriel Johnson, along with a man of the match performance from Joe Stacey saw off the Colls in this West Yorkshire derby, which was a slow burner as both sides tried to come to grips with the rain.

On ten minutes, Emley broke that calm as a fantastic move led to the games' opening goal, Stacey and Thompson combined to stretch the Ponte defence and Stacey's ball in was met by Gabriel Johnson who slammed home for his second goal in his second game. The Pewits almost doubled their lead two minutes later, another fine move and another good ball in by Stacey found Thompson who got a toe to it but couldn't steer it on target.

Emley were well on top and playing some neat football and putting the Pontefract defence under constant pressure attacking the shed which was in good voice, Johnson couldn't get enough power and precision on a shot and it was claimed by the keeper low down, Dec Lambton, Emley's hero last week had to do the same a minute later as Colls had their first real chance.

The visitors then created another chance which looked like it had produced an equaliser, but thankfully for Emley, the shot didn't quite go over the line and was cleared from almost off the line by a Pewits boot.

There was a bit of a lull in proceedings for a few minutes as the rain started to really lash down, but again, Emley lifted the gloom and brought a cheer to their fans with a second goal, another good attack saw a corner from the right whipped in by Stacey to be met by a crashing header from captain Jack Cowgill, he missed an identical one last week so it was good to see him so happy that he nailed this one!

Pontefract kept grafting away but got very little change out of a strong Emley defence, former Emley skipper Alex Metcalfe saw a shot blocked by his former team mates and Lambton was again called into action to make a save, but with just two minutes left of the half, Emley wrapped the game up with a truly scintillating third goal!

With a break upfield on, the two new boys up front combined, Johnson played a lovely weighted ball into the path of a rampaging Bailey Thompson, who took a couple of touches before absolutely smashing the ball into the top of the net from outside the area to bury his ex team, his second in three games, a wonderful goal and thoroughly deserved the applause as did the entire team when they came off at half time.

H/T- Emley 3-0 Pontefract Collieries.

The second half would fail to live up to the standards and excitement of the first half but Emley won't care about that at all, although there was another quality goal to celebrate.

The rain was biblical at times and with the pitch getting heavier, it made free flowing football difficult, with many games postponed or abandoned in the area, it's a credit to Emley's staff and both teams that the game got finished.

Fresh legs were the order of the day as neither side could create much in the first quarter of the half, Mampala was replaced by Clegg as Emley were made to defend their lines, a brilliant cover tackle from the impressive Ellis Farrar stopped a Ponte attack dead and then another good Emley move, again, involving Johnson-Thompson saw the latter's shot saved by the keeper.

Another Emley change, Thompson was given a rousing reception as he gave way to Kieron Ceesay, his ex team mates probably breathing a bit easier seeing the back of him, Ceesay wasn't on long before he was involved in the Pewits' next attack but he couldn't find space to get a shot away.

Pontefract were probably even more relieved on 80 minutes when the hugely impressive Johnson was taken off to be replaced by Jaanai Gordon, but Emley weren't finished yet and rounded off the scoring just 4 minutes later.

Joe Stacey was an absolute menace down the left for Emley all afternoon and it was his run down the left channel that set up a nice ball for Kieron Ceesay to steer home to make sure the points would stay at a sodden Emley, it was Stacey's third assist of an extremely productive afternoon for him.

Emley used their final two subs as they were able to see out the game, Hardaker and Baldwin replacing Stacey and Cowgill, Pontefract did have their moments but nothing that really troubled the Emley defence, who were firm and strong all day as we wrapped up the points ahead of a tough trip to Dunston on Tuesday night.

F/T- Emley 4-0 Pontefract Collieries.

Attendance- 344.

Emley- Lambton, Farrar, Sheppeard, Lindley, Cowgill [c], Barks, Mampala, Dawson, Thompson, Johnson, Stacey;
Subs all used- Clegg, Ceesay, Gordon, Hardaker, Baldwin.

Goals- Johnson (9') Cowgill (29') Thompson (43') Ceesay (84')

WM Sykes Man of the Match- Joe Stacey.