AFC Emley aim to mark their moment in the spotlight by chalking up a fourth successive Northern Counties East League win and staying top of the First Division.

With Town out of action due to the international break, the Welfare Grounders are the highest ranked Huddersfield side in action as they host Rossington Main on Saturday (3.00).

Emley have seen off Hemsworth Miners Welfare, Penistone Church and Teversal in their last three league outings and lead Clipstone on goal difference.

In addition, Widnes were beaten 2-0 in the FA Vase at the Welfare Ground last Saturday to seal a first round proper trip to North Shields next month.

Emley, who have re-signed prolific striker Ash Flynn from Frickley Athletic, were beaten 1-0 at home by the South Elmsall side in the Sheffield Senior Cup on Tuesday.

But boss Darren Hepworth believes the display against Northern Premier League Frickley, who scored in the first minute, bodes well as Emley battle to finally win promotion to the NCEL top flight.

“It was a shocker of a start nut an excellent performance overall. We were definitely the better side and I’m not being biased,” said Hepworth, whose men have won nine out of 11 league games.

“It was a clash of contrasting styles, Frickley being very direct while we are committed to a more passing style which we’ve worked hard to establish.

“It’s a style the players have bought into, and the big thing is that they are enjoying their football, which at our level especially, is very important.

“Things are going well, both on and off the field. We have a lot of volunteers helping out and the club is shaping up well and the ground looking neat and tidy.

“The development team are top of their league (the Lancashire East Division) and the Under 19s are getting up and going (under new coach Howard Cartledge).

“Both sides are very important because as a club we are all about build not buy and we aim to make sure we are still around in another 20 years.

“The value of the development system was shown last Saturday, when I had seven first teamers out for the Widnes game but was able to call on a bunch of younger players.

“We won a game which I am pretty sure that in similar circumstances, we would have lost a couple of years ago.”

Hepworth added: “There is a lot of football to be played, and we certainly aren’t getting carried away, but we are top of the league and I would rather be there than anywhere else.

“It’s the best platform we have ever had at this stage of the season and we are enjoying being up there.

“We know it’s still early, and we have been in this kind of situation in the past only to fall away, but we will just keep working hard and chipping away.

“It’s important we used the experience of recent seasons and don’t panic if we hit a sticky patch”

The visit of 12th-placed Doncaster side Rossington marks the start of a busy eight days for Hepworth, who is approaching the fourth anniversary of his appointment as manager.

Emley go to Leeds side Yorkshire Amateur on Tuesday then head for Bradford to take on Eccleshill United next Saturday.