By Martin Eastwood
Emley’s hopes of a Wembley appearance were ended with a 4-0 FA Vase quarter-final defeat at Worcester City on Saturday.
On a difficult pitch, the Pewits found themselves 2-0 down at half-time and had to play with 10 men for 20 minutes.
There were injuries to key men Ruben Jerome and captain James Knowles. Knowles was forced off after he made a big tackle with only 15 minutes gone and top scorer Jerome would gingerly carry on until half-time.
The home side took the lead in the 21st minute through Liam Lockett before Emley’s James Walshaw was harshly penalised for a foul, spoke out of turn to the referee and was sin-binned for 10 minutes.
Joe Clegg and Jack Cowgill were both denied as Emley tried to get back in the game but as half-time approached there came a terrible piece of bad luck as Ross Hardaker appeared to lose his footing on an area of the pitch resembling a beach and his header back evaded Aleksander Petrovic and the ball rolled into the net to make it 2-0 at the break.
Jerome didn’t return for the second half but, despite the disruption, Emley looked a better outfit but they just couldn’t make the breakthrough.
Emley were again reduced to 10 men when Joe Kenny incurred the wrath of the referee and was ordered off for 10 minutes.
Two minutes later Worcester took advantage when Lockett bagged his second, smashing home at the back post.
That proved to be game over and the scoreline was made to look harsh on Emley when Izak Reid made it 4-0 in stoppage time with a cool finish.
Emley – still six points clear at the top of the Northern Counties East League Premier Division – return to promotion action on Saturday March 16 when they take on Silsden at the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground.
Image by: MARK PARSONS
