A goal in either half from James Walshaw ensured there was no FA Cup hangover as Emley AFC returned to league action with a 3-0 win at Rossington Main.
The Pewits cruised to victory in South Yorkshire thanks to a brace of headers from Walshaw either side of a Donae Lawrence goal.
Emley resumed league action for the first time in three weeks after a string of matches in the FA Cup and FA Vase but any fears of a hangover were calmed after just three minutes as Walshaw’s bullet header from a pinpoint Ross Hardaker corner gave Emley the lead.
Emley almost doubled the advantage from a carbon copy from Hardaker’s delivery. This time it was the head of Sam Pashley but his header went wide.
There were also chances for Lawrence and Ruben Jerome while Dec Lambton in the Emley goal had a quiet time as the Pewits’ defence dominated.
The hard-working Lawrence got reward for his industry when he was in the right place at the right time when a Hardaker corner snaked through a crowd for him to poke home to make it 2-0 on the hour mark.
Rossington’s best chances of the game also came from a pair of corners in quick succession but only one required the intervention of Lambton.
Emley ramped up the pressure again with a long range effort from Alex Metcalfe dropping narrowly wide.
Hardaker clinched a hat-trick of corner ball assists on 76 minutes with another wicked delivery. Walshaw beat the floundering keeper to it and claimed his second of the night with his final touch before making way for sub Shiraz Khan.
The unlucky Jerome was sent off late on for a second yellow card but that was the only blight on a good night’s work.
Emley’s next game is against Campion at the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground on Saturday October 7 (3.00).
Image by: MARK PARSONS
