Emley were beaten at home by North Ferriby and are making hard work of securing a play off place in the Northern Premier League Division One East after a frustrating afternoon at the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground.

It's a story that is beginning to repeat on Emley as the same thing happened last season too, where Emley's end of season form escaped them and they limped into the play offs only to be beaten in the semi final at Dunston, the destiny is still in Emley's hands but with only two games left and 3 of our play off rivals winning, it makes the task just that bit harder.

Ferriby are comfortably mid table but were too good for the stuttering Pewits and took all 3 points, as is often the case in this fixture, Emley have only beaten North Ferriby once in the last 7 meetings and have failed to score past The Villagers in the last 3, the result perhaps not too surprising, but probably not many would have predicted this result after Emley's bright start, despite missing a few regulars, Emley's makeshift team started well, attacking the Warburton End.

In the very first minute, strikers Laurence Sorhaindo and Gabriel Johnson combined but the Ferriby defence cleared for an early corner, which the keeper was happy to catch hold of, 5 minutes later and Emley were attacking again, this time down the right, but Sheppeard's good run ended with a cross being too near the keeper who again, was only too happy to catch under his bar.

The visitors put an attack of their own together but big centre half Niall Heaton was on hand to turf them out of Emley's half and then set up an Emley attack which ought to have led to the opening goal, good work from Sorhaindo sees the ball delivered into a dangerous position and with panic setting in, Jack Boyle's goalbound shot looked to have crept in, but it was somehow kept out and the visitors survived.

A tame shot from Gabby Johnson a minute later didn't trouble Ferriby keeper Bottomley, after an early change due to an injury, Ferriby came again and created a good opening, getting into the area but it was cleared by the Emley defence, the usual midway lull then set in with neither side creating anything of note.

An Emley free kick looked to be a dangerous one but the keeper again commanded his area well and claimed, Ferriby themselves also saw a free kick fail to trouble the keeper as Emley's Roxburgh punched clear before The Villagers created their best chance of the game so far, Roxburgh did well initially to block the first shot and the rebound looked ripe to be poked home but the shot was instead sent over the bar.

Right on half time, Kurtis Turner tried his luck for The Pewits but it was well wide and didn't trouble the keeper at all, all square at the break then.

H/T- Emley 0-0 North Ferriby

Up until a month ago, Emley had a very good home record, they went a spell of winning 9 in a row and only conceding once between October and the end of February and scoring 21 in the process, sadly though, that record now seems a long way away as Emley yet again struggled to find cohesion and clear cut chances hard to come by in front of their home supporters.

Ferriby were on the front early on in the second half, with successive corners with the last one seeing a wayward shot blazed over after a close call from the original effort, another chance came and went for the visitors as Emley were struggling to contain them, Roxburgh watched as the shot again was off target.

Emley's usual first change around the hour mark saw Bailey Thompson replace Jack Boyle as Ferriby also made changes, but it didn't change the direction of the game as the visitors continued to cause problems for Emley, there was a brief respite for Emley though as more good work from Sorhaindo saw him win a corner and then Hardaker curled a shot just wide after the ball wasn't cleared.

Roxburgh was called into action again, after the initial ball in wasn't cleared, Roxburgh then saved Emley from the second effort, another succession of corners put Emley under pressure again but a clearance from under the bar kept them out this time, there was a sense amongst the Emley fans that Ferriby would make the pressure count and so it proved on 71 minutes when Emley failed to clear the danger initially and then a low shot from Jones nestled into the bottom corner.

It was probably no less than they deserved, Emley had been under a lot of pressure in the preceding minutes, but the goal seemed to spark the hosts a bit, another corner was won by Sheppeard's dart into the area but it came to nothing, a second sub for Emley saw Turner replaced by Jacob Hanson, and then a huge throw from Niall Heaton, who caused problems and created Emley's equaliser at Ossett on Monday looked like it could the same but Dawson's effort was deflected over.

Thompson was next up for Emley for trying to beat the keeper, a neat through ball found the striker in the inside right position but the shot was beaten away by Bottomley and Emley were unable to react to get the follow up.

With just 5 minutes remaining, Emley kept trying to find a way but stubborn defence from the visitors limited them and eventually, The Villagers put the game to bed with a second goal, a searing break left Emley all at sea, the first effort hit the woodwork but fell nicely for Aynsley to wrap up the points for Ferriby.

Hanson then suffered an injury and so we saw the unusual sight of the sub being subbed as Emmaisa Nzondo made another return to Emley first team action, a Ross Hardaker effort that hummed wide was the only other chance Emley created as the play off race gets even hotter as wins for Dunston and Bradford closed the gap on Emley who now need a result in a massive game now at Pontefract on Friday, a third straight home game.

A draw would have been enough to see Emley confirm a play off place, but with only 1 win from the last 7, like the same stage last season, Emley are hanging on for a top 5 finish!

F/T- Emley 0-2 North Ferriby.

Attendance- 410

Emley- Roxburgh, Sheppeard, Hardaker, Lindley, Heaton, Farrar, Turner, Dawson, Sorhaindo, Johnson, Boyle:
Subs used- Thompson, Hanson, Nzondo
Unused- Clegg, Hurdiss.