Emley AFC
Matches
Wed 02 Oct 2019  ·  First Division North
AFC Darwen
L Creech (21'), C Harrison (42')
2
3
Emley AFC
Emley AFC
J Eyles (5'), C Glavin (31' Pen), A Metcalfe (43')
AFC Darwen 2-3 Emley

AFC Darwen 2-3 Emley

Martin Eastwood2 Oct 2019 - 21:22
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Emley up to 5th with good away win

Emley came away with all 3 points from a humdinger at the Anchor ground,beating AFC Darwen 3-2.
5 goals in an entertaining first half certainly warmed the crowd up on a cold midweek evening, and it was Emley who were on the attack early, Callum Charlton nicked the ball and hits a cross shot but it missed the target, and Jimmy Eyles couldn't get to it either.
But the Emley fans wouldn't have long to wait until they could cheer, a free kick on the edge of the box was fired in, the initial shot was saved by then Jimmy Eyles was right on cue to tuck the rebound home.
Emley kept the pressure up and Tom Rose tried his luck from distance but it was way off target.
Darwen then started to pick up and cause a few problems for the Emley defence, a shot from a throw in was deflected, but thankfully the resulting corner came to nothing, not long after an offisde flag saved the Pewits as they were caught out defensively.
It didn't take much longer for Darwen to eventually find the equaliser, a cross and a well placed header was enough to beat George Clarke and restore parity, things didn't get any easier for Emley, when player-coach Steve Nicholson had to come off injured, Conor Glavin replaced him.
But then Emley were handed a gift, Eyles, was taken out in the area and a penalty was awarded, that man Glaving stepped up and slots it home to give Emley the advantage again, but again, Darwen came back at them, Clarke makes up for an error with a great point blank save to keep the lead intact, and then could consider himself unlucky, with another good save but he couldn't keep the rebound out and the hosts were level again!
It was end to end stuff as the chill set in, but once again, the Emley supporters' hearts were warmed by a 3rd goal for the visitors, Jimmy Eyles started the move with a break downfield, squares it to Alex Metcalfe who shoots, but the keeper can only parry and Metcalfe is on hand again to tuck in the rebound.
An entertaining half had come to an end with Emley holding a slender lead.
H/T 2-3.
Amazingly there was to be no further scoring in the 2nd half as both teams more or less cancelled each other out.
Emley again started the half well, but couldn't find a breakthrough, Rose tried anotrher shot from distance but that was off target as well, Glavin then found a well connected header heading into the top corner but the keeper did well to tip it round the post for a corner.
Then it was Darwen's turn to have a missed chance, a header from a corner only just missed the target.
Callum Charlton then decided to get in on the act, a pacy run and shot by the Emley winger and again the Darwen keeper is equal to it and saves well for another corner, Charlton had another effort saved a few minutes later as Emley looked to seal the game..
As the minutes ticked by, both teams were still giving their all to try and score either for a home equaliser or a 4th and sealing goal for the visitors, but it didn't come, Emley managed to see the game out and claim a vital 3 points to keep up their top 4 push.
They are now sitting in 5th, just a point behind the top 4.
Cup matters now take over for Richard Tracey's men as they look to progress in the PlayerMatch cup against AFC Blackpool on Saturday at the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground (3.00pm)
F/T 2-3
EMLEY- Clarke, Dawson, Gibson, Price, Nicholson, McManus, Metcalfe, Rose, Knight, Eyles, Charlton; Subs used- Glavin, Bordman
Goals- Eyles (5) Glavin (31 pen) Metcalfe (43)
Attendance - 101
Hepworth Group Man of the Match- Jimmy Eyles.

Match details

Match date

Wed 02 Oct 2019

Kickoff

19:45

Attendance

101

Competition

First Division North

League position

5
Emley AFC
16
AFC Darwen
Team overview
Further reading