Joe Clegg struck a 93rd minute equaliser as Emley fought back to earn a derby day point at Ossett that helps keep the promotion push running as the race hots up.

It was far from Emley's best performance on a bone hard and dusty pitch that saw the ball bobble and bounce everywhere and the hosts took advantage of that as they dominated the majority of the first half, an Ossett attack in the first minute was nullified by an offside flag as United made the early running.

But on the next attack, Ossett won a corner and from the right, the corner was whipped in and evaded everyone and appeared to go straight in to give the hosts a lead that they held for almost 90 minutes, former Emley winger Carlos Rodrigues was then booked for diving as Ossett mounted another raid on Emley's goal but this time the shot was pulled wide.

Emley had to wait until the 12th minute mark to finally make a mark on the game, but from a ball in from the left, Gabby Johnson nodded wide of the target, the game entered a lull for the next 15 minutes or so with no real chances or attacking threat from either side, an Emley free kick then caused some excitement as Barks made contact but it was cleared for a corner which then came to nothing.

Carlos Rodrigues then showed the kind of pace and trickery he showed at Emley as he went on a run down Ossett's left but Roxburgh stood firm in the Emley goal to thwart him, along with Clegg, playing in an unfamiliar right back role, Clegg was involved in Emley's next attack but his shot was blocked and then cleared by the home defenders.

Joe Stacey and Ossett's Tweed were then both shown yellows for their involvement in a scuffle before Ossett looked to add a second, a free kick on their left was whipped in dangerously to the far post but it was cleared, then right on half time, perhaps Emley's best chance so far as a good move down the left found Johnson but he fired well over and that was the last action of the half.

H/T- Ossett Utd 1-0 Emley.

Emley started the second half better than they had the first as within a couple of minutes, The Pewits were on the attack but Clegg's cross hit a bobble and flew well adrift, but a minute later, another attack had the Emley fans hoping this could be the turning point as the visitors put the hosts under some pressure for the first time really.

A bullocking run downfield by Barks saw the ball reach Jack Boyle who struck it well enough but an Ossett boot got a block in, a couple of minutes later and Emley won a corner after Gabriel Johnson did well inside the area, the corner was a good one put into a good area but Bailey Thompson couldn't get enough purchase on a header and it went wide.

Emley made their first change with Laurence Sorhaindo replacing Joe Stacey and the big forward caused Ossett some problems straightaway, linking play up well to create another decent chance, but Thompson's deft header on couldn't reach Johnson and the chance was gone, Sorhaindo was again involved just 2 minutes later as Emley looked to turn pressure into goals, he did really well to earn a corner and from it, Farrar's shot was blocked and the resulting throw in was cleared.

It had been mostly all Emley in the second half so far and they created another good chance after great work by Boyle in midfield released Thompson but he cracked the shot wide. A second change for Emley saw the returning Niall Heaton replace Ross Hardaker in defence and Heaton would have a major impact in the remainder of the game.

However, Ossett sent a reminder that they weren't giving up their lead easily as they fight for their lives at the bottom, a free kick some 20 yards out saw Emley keeper Roxburgh make a good save and the corner came to nothing, Sorhaindo then found himself in a decent position inside the box but couldn't shift the ball enough to get a shot away.

The ball wasn't fully cleared by Ossett and Heaton stepped up with a bullet of a long throw which pinged around but Barks couldn't get enough contact on it and Ossett manage to clear, Heaton was back upfield for a corner, but his header didn't get the desired strength and direction and was caught easily by former Emley keeper Petrovic.

Emley's third change saw Kurtis Turner replace the industrious Jack Boyle in midfield, but Clegg was then cautioned for a rash and mistimed challenge on halfway

It was all Emley again now, backed by a big and noisy support, they tried desperately for an equaliser, but were denied by some stubborn last ditch defending by their hosts, first, Sorhaindo was denied when his shot was well saved by Petrovic and then Turner's follow up drive was blocked as Ossett defended their lead valiantly, from the resulting corner, Ellis Farrar flashed a header wide.

Emley were then helped immensely by a moment of madness from Ossett's Adam Tweed who committed a foul on halfway and then booted the ball out of the ground straight after, he'd already been booked and so the hosts would have to defend their slender lead with only 10 men for the remaining time which included a fair bit of added on time as Ossett players kept picking up injuries, along with tactical advice from James Walshaw and his staff on the sidelines every couple of minutes, a tactic which ultimately could have cost Ossett 3 valuable points. Walshaw received a yellow card for something that was said to the officials, met with ironic cheers from the Emley fans who once cheered him as a promotion winning Pewit.

Emley continued to press and look for an equaliser, but a combination of Ossett defending well and the bounce of the ball not favouring Emley, it was become frustrating, time and again, Emley got into decent positions inside or just around the Ossett area but time and again were repelled, Ossett did manage to get some injured players back up to have their own moment when they attacked and Lindley had to concede a corner but it was dealt with. A yellow card for Emley's bench this time for another comment added to the frustrations.

It was looking like Emley's best hope was one of Heaton's long throw ins, a tactic that had caused panic previously inside the area but which Ossett survived, Johnson saw a shot blocked and Dawson also saw an effort blocked, but Dawson's tenacity saw him win a corner as the game entered into added on time but the header didn't trouble the home defence.

After another stoppage for an Ossett injury, and yet more time to be added, Emley pushed again, winning a throw on the right deep inside Ossett territory, up strode Heaton from the back and he launched a missile of a long throw into the area, it was headed on and landed at the feet of Joe Clegg, the Emley boy, at the far post who steered it past Petrovic to the delight and relief of the Emley supporters, who once again made up a large percentage of Ossett's biggest crowd of the season.

The Emley players and fans celebrated, the Ossett contingent sank to their knees, as Blyth Town's win over Spartans in the Blyth derby meant that United drop into the relegation places, maybe the "injuries" cost them after all?

That delight was almost doubled just a minute later as the trick was repeated, Heaton again launched a troublesome throw in but it was saved this time and then right on time, after an Emley corner was partially cleared then recycled, Barks saw a shot straight at the keeper who caught easily as the final whistle blew.

For Emley, it was a valuable point that keeps us right in the play off mix but for our rivals it puts them in even more relegation danger, Emley have a chance to seal a play off place next Saturday when we host North Ferriby.

F/T- Ossett Utd 1-1 Emley.

Attendance- 720

Emley- Roxburgh, Clegg, Farrar, Lindley, Barks, Hardaker, Boyle, Dawson [c], Thompson, Johnson, Stacey:
Subs used- Sorhaindo,Heaton, Turner.
Unused- Meeres, Stennett.

Goal- Clegg (90+3')

WM Sykes Man of the Match - Ellis Farrar.