Match Reports - v Askern Villa Home Date:27.09.11

AFC Emley 3-1 Askern Villa. NCEL Division One (27/09/11)

Emley extended their winning run to 6 games despite a below par performance against Askern Villa. Their 3-1 win moves them up to 7th in the table but they will need to improve if they are to get anything out of Eccleshill on Saturday.

The game started off in an entertaining manner with Emley looking dominant. David Heagney had a couple of early chances from distance before he put side in front after 13 minutes. Josh Ingham broke away down the left wing and squared the ball perfectly into the path of Heagney who finished with a clean strike past Liam Copley from 12 yards out. This was the prolific striker’s 11th goal of the season and his 10th in consecutive games.

Heagney saw a well hit effort sail over the bar before putting a good move together with full back Antony Leech who eventually saw his header well saved by Copley.

Gavin Armitage thought that he had doubled Emley’s lead after slotting the ball past Copley after being put through by Mark Stuart but was ruled offside. He also went close with a volleyed effort whilst Chris Wydowczyk had a long range saved by Copley.

Villa created little in response and it was mostly one way traffic until Stuart received 2 red cards for stamping on an opponent and then dissent to the referee Nigel Haycock. Whilst he will feel aggrieved that the stamp was in reaction to a clumsy foul inflicted upon him he can have little to argue about and will now face a lengthy ban.

Instead of allowing Askern a route back into the game Emley continued their dominance with Heagney hitting a fine free kick from the edge of the D which curled just wide of the target. Soon after Heagney linked up well with Ingham who ran free of the Askern back line before returning the ball to the striker who went close from long range.

John Cyrus went round an Askern defender before delivering an angled drive which was blocked well by Copley. This would be Copley’s final meaningful contribution to the game however as he too was sent off after elbowing Josh Ingham in the face just on the stroke of half time.

Emley started the second half strongly with Armitage hitting an angled drive across the face of goal with replacement keeper Ralph Starkie well beaten.

Then on the 50 minute mark Ingham was brought down by a rash challenge in the penalty area. Starkie kept his side in the game, diving to his left to stop Heagney’s spot kick before his side got back into the game.

Askern midfielder Andy Towler, who stood out for his side slipped through the Emley defence before hitting an angled strike past Clarke to draw the scores level on 53 minutes.

Emley were back in front a minute later when Sean Hazelden hooked the ball back in a crowded penalty area to see it deflect into the net off the visitors full back Danny Taylor.

Askern worked hard to get themselves back into the game and if anything performed better after the loss of their regular keeper. Towler and Lee Pugh both tested Clark from distance before a curling effort from Mark Vicerage 40 yards out almost crept in at the far post with Clark alert enough to palm it over the bar to safety.

The visitors chances were restricted mostly to long range whilst Emley failed to make the best of their possession with the final pass frequently letting them down. They did however wrap the game up on 77 minutes with a well worked move which was started by Marc Townsend down the right flank. The pacy midfielder pulled the ball back for Heagney who laid it off into the path of Armitage who blasted the ball past Starkie into the roof of the net.

What began as an entertaining game turned into a scrappy affair following the two red cards with incidents turning the attention to the referee rather than the football. Neither player could complain about the decisions and both would have to hold their hands up and apologise to their teammates after the game.

Emley:
Clark, Leech, Tayo (Dowling 67), Cyrus, Colley (Horton 73), Wydowczyk (Townsend 46), Ingham, Heagney, Armitage.
Subs not used: Amos, Ryan. Man of the Match: Josh Ingham Att:103

Red Card: Stuart. Yellow Card: Ingham