Emley fail to make chances pay in narrow defeat
AFC Emley’s run of four consecutive league games unbeaten came to an end as they lost 2-1 at Hemsworth Miners Welfare.
Ashley Flynn’s 31st goal of the season cancelled out Samuel Jones’ opener, before Nash Connolly grabbed the winner for the home side.
Things started badly for Emley, who went into the game off the back of a penalty shoot-out win in the NCEL League Cup.
Hemsworth’s Jones received the ball from his captain Jason Yates, evaded the challenge of Tom Brennan and then Adam Lawlor couldn’t get enough of a block on the shot to prevent it from going in.
Flynn hit an upright in the first half after a ball over the top from Kieran Ryan, who himself had a couple of efforts in the opening period, one when Jordan Coduri broke down the right and found Ryan in some space, only to fire wide, and another when he got his head to Sam Scrivens’ corner, but Hemsworth goalie Chris Snaith was equal to it.
Emley, who beat Hemsworth 4-3 away in the cup earlier this season, tested the keeper again late in the first half, when Ryan played in his strike partner Flynn, and his shot towards the near post was parried behind for a corner by Snaith.
From the resulting corner, Flynn blazed over without troubling Snaith’s goal.
Hemsworth centre-back Jack Steers had a chance to double the lead, but he could find only the trees behind the goal from Shane Kelsey’s drilled free kick.
Captain Michael Tunnacliffe hit a post directly from a corner a few minutes into the second half, when Ryan also attempted to lob the keeper but aimed wide.
At the other end, Dominique Blair’s dummy and shot was unable to trouble Lawlor.
The equaliser came soon after, as a well-worked passing move out from the back, which started with goalkeeper Lawlor, ended with Ryan passing the ball to Flynn, who beat the offside trap and coolly slotted home to make it 1-1.
Substitute Darcy Pugh should have put Hemsworth back in front, somehow diverting Adam Wilson’s centre wide of the target from just a couple of yards out.
Emley then had some great chances to make it two, as Flynn found some space in the area, but he couldn’t direct Ryan’s cutback from the right towards goal.
Brennan then had an effort cleared off the line after a corner.
The away side were punished for not making their chances pay as Hemsworth scored the decisive goal.
A free-kick was whipped into the area and Connolly made the most of a mix up between goalkeeper and defence to score.
Emley tried had to find a second equaliser, but Flynn’s free-kick was comfortably held by Snaith in the Hemsworth goal, and efforts by Coduri and Sam Jerome went over the bar.
