By Eddie Willis
Sub Iyrwah Gooden scored a late hat-trick to set the seal on Emley AFC’s 8-1 demolition of Yorkshire Main as they began their defence of the Sheffield and Hallamshire Senior Cup.
The Pewits put the Central Midlands League North Division outfit to the sword at a fog-shrouded Fantastic Media Welfare Ground on Halloween night.
Emley went ahead in the 15th minute when Nathan Curtis headed home a Jake Kelly corner. The floodgates opened once Emley found their touch, looking more relaxed after the opening goal.
Harrison Rowley almost found the second as he had a near-post effort saved, before Alex Metcalfe won a free-kick in textbook Paul Walker territory. The versatile winger thumped an effort on target that cannoned off a navy shirt and into the Yorkshire goal to double Emley’s lead.
Just moments later, Kelly showed his class as he ghosted past Yorkshire Main’s full-back, outsmarting his opponent with quick feet, before drilling a low cross into the box to find a very advanced Jack Cowgill, who slotted home. Emley were 3-0 up and cruising after half an hour.
Metcalfe had a standout first half and was visibly hungry for a goal as he unleashed a cracking effort from 30 yards that looked to be nestling in the top corner but it whistled inches wide.
Emley made it 4-0 at the break through Rowley who showed intelligent positioning and quick reactions as he followed up Walker’s parried free-kick to tap home.
With the game all but won, Emley kept the pressure on their visitors as the fog over the moors thickened even more.
Metcalfe wasted no time in continuing Emley’s rout, as he showed perseverance to follow up his own blocked shot. At the second time of asking he made no mistake, firing into the roof of the net.
Yorkshire Main held out until star man Gooden was introduced from the bench. Predictably, the striker proved to be a huge problem for the Yorkshire Main defence, netting a hat-trick within half an hour.
His first was textbook Gooden, as he knocked the ball past his opponent and tore into the box. His shot across goal nestled in the bottom corner.
A mix-up allowed Main to grab a consolation when Ash Cantrill lobbed into an empty net to make it 6-1 but in the last two minutes Gooden headed home from a Curtis cross and then nodded in from a corner with the last action of the game.
It’s back to the league on Saturday November 4 (3.00) with a trip to Silsden AFC.
