By Martin Eastwood
Emley AFC turned in their best performance of the season as they spanked Bottesford Town 6-1 and star man on the day Matty Sykes grabbed a nine-minute hattrick.
The victory moved the Pewits up to 14th in the North Counties East League. Apart from conceding a 21st minute equaliser, Emley were never really troubled by their visitors.
The rout started in the 7th minute when Callum Charlton’s fine run down the left and squared ball found the feet of Jack Bennett who slotted home from 12 yards out.
The Poachers did manage to find a way into the game after 21 minutes. A rare attack saw a well-placed curled shot from Ben Johnson beat Sam Kelly in the Emley goal for the equaliser.
The Pewits regained the advantage in the 24th minute. Max Tweddle sent over a lovely cross and found George Doyle who had shaken off the defender at the back post to head back past the keeper for 2-1.
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It remained 2-1 at half-time – and would get worse in the second half for the visitors.
On 69 minutes, a surging run through midfield by Tweddle found top scorer Doyle, who took a touch 18 yards out and smashed the ball into the bottom corner to make it 3-1.
Emley were soon celebrating again in the 75th minute as a crude challenge on Sykes led to a penalty. Sykes duly stepped up to make it 4-1.
Emley kept pushing for more goals and in another attack Sykes got the ball 35 yards out on the left, he skipped towards the edge of the box and let fly with a thunderous 20-yard strike – 5-1!
Sykes crowned his man of the match display by scoring his 3rd goal in the 86th minute. He found space on a counter attack and again let fly 20 yards out. The ball rocketed into the bottom corner.
Emley are back in league action on Wednesday evening at Staveley.
Here is a gallery of pictures by MARK PARSONS
