AFC Emley returned to winning ways and stay top of the NCE League Division One after a 3-0 victory over Knaresborough Town – Steven Kenworthy bagging a hat trick.
The away side who began the game the brightest, Hilliard Serrao managing to get behind the Emley defence and fire at goal, however, his shot hit the upright and Mitchell Hamilton followed up but couldn’t force the ball home due to pressure from Michael Starkey.
Following the early scare, both sides gained a string of corner set pieces, however, neither side could find the decisive touch to trouble either goalkeeper.
Emley made the break through midway through the first half, when Kenworthy ran onto a pass from Max Leonard and after seeing his initial shot parried by Paul Hagreen in the Knaresborough goal, bundled the ball into the net.
Leonard then came close to getting himself on the score sheet, however his long range effort was fired wide of the goal.
Knaresborough then had their own long range effort, Ben Parkes firing the shot on goal, but Adam Lawlor was equal to it and held comfortably.
Emley thought they had doubled their lead, when Leonard found himself behind the Knaresborough defence, however, the winger fired his shot wide of the mark.
The home side did double their advantage after the interval thanks to Kenworthy. Lawlor gathered the ball in his area and quickly found the run of Leonard, who beat his fullback, before pulling the ball back for Kenworthy to tap home.
Knaresborough nearly found themselves back in the game on multiple occasions, first Byron Littlefair put his effort over, his shot just missing, and then Liam Tuck jinked his way into the Emley penalty area, before seeing his effort blocked. The rebound fell to Liam Gray, who then saw his own effort deflected behind by the Emley defence.
Gray then had another chance to half Emley’s advantage as he got behind their backline, but could only drill his effort wide of the back post.
The visitors were then reduced to ten men as Will Lenehan received his second yellow card of the game for what appeared to be dissent.
Kenworthy completed his hat trick in the final stages of the game, sub Alex Hallam putting a cross into the box, which Hagreen fumbled, allowing Kenworthy to stoop in and head home.
