With thanks to ANDY WELLS and IAN MASON for the words and MARK PARSONS for the pictures
Sandy Masuku broke the deadlock as three second half goals in just 15 minutes sealed a decisive victory for Emley AFC Academy against local rivals Huddersfield Town Academy.
Emley v Town is always a pre-season fixture to look forward to but this Kirklees classic was different to other years, coming so close to the start of the season for both clubs.
The Academy sides took to the spotlight – under the floodlights – at a rain-drenched Fantastic Media Welfare Ground on Friday night – and it was Emley who claimed local bragging rights with a 3-0 win.
The goals came from Masuku, Luke Brooksbank and Hayden Webster as the young Pewits dominated despite all the obvious skill of the talented Town opposition.
READ MORE: Emley AFC boss Richard Tracey previews the new season
The skiddy pitch gave Emley the advantage in their style of play of throwing the ball forward to attack the Huddersfield goal. In a through ball to Frasier Beckett, the Pewits looked ready to score as the ball flew beyond Petrovic’s reach and inches wide of the right post.
Town came alive and broke away, pushing the Emley defence just after ten minutes. For a shot that was well on its way into the net, French palmed the ball away for a corner in a full stretch save.
Just minutes later, Jimmy Pursell for Emley was clean through on goal. The Town defence took advantage of his moment of hesitation to muffle the attack but Masuku was free on the wing to receive the ball. Masuku’s blasted shot was pushed away for a corner.
Amongst a flurry of toothless attacks from the young Terriers, Masuku, again, found his way through on goal to fire another bullet that led to another corner. Following the flagkick, Auty booted the ball into the net but was caught off-side.
The first half ended quietly, with just one good attempt on goal coming from Brooksbank on the half hour mark which missed the target by inches as spectators watched the ball fly over the crossbar and rattle around The Shed like a pinball.
After the break, Town opened the attack early but it was soon muted by Emley’s defence. On the counter attack, Emley broke away and were clear of the Town defence which led to Masuku, on the third time of asking, blasting the ball into Town’s net to break the deadlock and put the Pewit’s 1-0 up after 50 minutes.
The floodgates opened and, for the most part, it was one-way traffic. Just five minutes later, Hayden Webster, who featured in the U23s cup final, rounded the keeper and clinically put the ball away to double Emley’s lead.
On the 65th minute, just 15 minutes after the first goal, Brooksbank saw the opportunity to treble Emley’s lead and took it. The ball ricocheted off the cross bar and into the back of the net.
Not much was seen of Town in Emley’s half besides the odd corner. Despite that, there was some skilful, professional football to be seen among Huddersfield’s young talent.
The full-time whistle blew to bring the game and, ultimately, pre-season fixtures to a close with an emphatic 3-0 victory. In a dominant display by the Emley Academy, led by Sam Sutton, the future of football in Emley looks bright.
Today (Saturday) Emley AFC commence their first game of the season in the NCEL Premier Division, first game ever in this division as ‘the new club’ in fact, away at Winterton Rangers.
Next Sunday at 1.30am, the Pewits will be at the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground against Congleton Town in the FA Cup.
