Emley 1-1 Cleator Moor Celtic

Missed opportunities!
How Emley must be sick of seeing and hearing that phrase, as yet again the Pewits failed to take advantage of numerous great chances in a thoroughly entertaining 1-1 draw with Cleator Moor Celtic.
Not for the first time this season, Emley were left to rue missed chances and instead had to settle for a draw with their Cumbrian visitors, but in all honesty, Emley should have wrapped up 3 points here at the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground.
Amid a dark sky, wind, rain and rainbows, Emley were straight on the front foot and attacking the Warburton end, and within 2 minutes, Jimmy Eyles was put through clean on goal but his shot went wide, a sighter perhaps, as just a couple minutes later he was through again, a clever run beating the offside trap but Cleator Moor keeper Devine was there to save his team.
Emley continued to pile the pressure on, but to no avail though, Callum Charlton tried his luck, but his shot was too close to the keeper who gratefully saved.
Cleator Moor had spent the first 15 minutes completely on the back foot, but as the rain started tumbling again, they managed to get a small foothold in the game, first, a shot was fired in from 20 yards but only troubled the car park, but then a scare for Emley, a well worked move saw a shot fizz just wide of George Clarke's goal, shaving a post as it went, Clarke was then clattered by one of his own men, and after a scramble, the shot was wide as the visitors took hold of the game, Emley managed to stem the tide and break downfield, but a fizzing ball across the goal evaded everyone, Eyles, then spurned another opportunity as he couldn't make us of another well timed run.
Then came Emley's best spell of the half, and probably their most frustrating, after chances galore came and went.
Eyles again, shot straight at the keeper when either side of him would probably have seen the net rippling, Bordman had a shot well saved, then good work from Charlton, and Bordman couldn't find the net from a good cut back, It looked like Bordman had finally broke the duck with a rasping free kick, but the keeper was down well to tip it round the post, the corner came to nothing.
Then, Emley's best move of the half, again, Charlton, causing problems, a great ball found Declan Dawson, marauding forward from right back and his shot flew past the right hand post and out, countless chances missed for Emley as the half time whistle sounded.
H/T 0-0
Emley started the second half in the same vein, on the front foot, and were in straight away after the restart, but the same outcome too, both Charlton and Bordman were given space to shoot but both failed to pull the trigger and the defence cleared the danger.
With the pitch becoming heavy, the game was getting bogged down in midfield somewhat, some crunching tackles and good commitment from both teams, but Emley kept plugging away, and they were finally rewarded with the opening goal, although, it came from sheer persistence and effort rather than a clear cut chance, a through ball looked to be running harmlessly over the dead ball line, ushered out by a Cleator Moor defender, but Tom Rose showed a great attitude and desire to chase it down, he managed to nick the ball past the defender and fire an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net, to the relief of the shed end faithful and no doubt his team mates and manager.
Emley then should have wrapped the game up but were again guilty of missing gilt edge chances, Eyles, so often in the right place at the right time, but his finishing lets him down, as it did within the space of 2 minutes, first, in good space, his shot was turned behind, then, when clean through again he managed to shoot wide when it seemed most of the crowd were waiting for the net to bulge.
Emley were hoping they wouldn't regret those chances as the visitors broke away downfield, another good move saw the shot away but George Clarke made a great save to keep Emley in front, then a handy looking chip was put wide as the visitors came back strongly.
The post then came to Cleator Moor's rescue when Tom Rose thought he had a second goal, but a defenders deflection saw the ball strike the post and go for a corner, which Charlton put far too wide.
With time ticking down it looked like Emley had done enough to secure a second successive home win and keep their top 4 chase up, but as usually happens and far too often for Emley's liking, they were hit by a deflating equaliser late on.
After a cross wasn't dealt with, the ball was put back in and after a scramble, a header from Birdsall somehow found its way in, the goal was met by cheers from the small Cumbrian contingent who were finally rewarded for their long trip south, and met with a familiar air of resignation from the Emley fans.
Eyles had one last chance to win it for the hosts, but again, clean through, he couldn't beat the keeper.
With both sides giving it their all and looking for a winner, the Cleator Moor goalscorer Birdsall showed his frustration once too many times and was invited to sit the last few minutes out by way of the referee's yellow card, into the sin bin he went.
Neither side could find a winner though and both teams probably deserved a point each for their efforts, but Emley's failure to put chances away is becoming increasingly frustrating for everyone, going into an important part of the season, with an away game at AFC Darwen on Wednesday (7.45pm) and cup games to come in the next few weeks.
F/T 1-1
EMLEY- Clarke, Dawson, Gibson, Price, Riordan, McManus, Metcalfe, Rose, Bordman, Eyles, Charlton; Subs used- Haw, Glavin; Unused- Knight, Nicholson
Attendance -105
Hepworth Group Man of the Match- Tom Rose