Defenders chip in with the goals in Emley’s third straight home success
Goals from two defenders made it back to back home wins for Emley in the NPL Premier as they beat Whitby Town 2-1.
The Pewits have now won four of their last five matches and have posted three successive home wins for the first time this season with their resurgent form seeing them move to 12th place, writes Martin Eastwood.
After a splendid remembrance service and an impeccable two minutes silence, the near 500 crowd were treated to an entertaining game which hung in the balance right until the end.
The visitors had the better of the opening exchanges with a shot as early as the second minute which flashed wide, another couple of half chances proved easy for Emley keeper Bottomley to handle.
Emley saw their first chance after a ball from the right was not dealt with and Diego De Girolamo’s goalbound header was blocked.
Neither keeper was really busy, but Ben Bottomley was forced into a save low down when a deflected shot from Whitby was saved.
Alex O'Connor blasted a shot high and wide, but the next home attack would hit the spot.
A good spell of pressure pinned Whitby into their own half and Danny Devine’s precision ball into the area was met by a lovely touch from Niall Heaton who saw his effort dink over the keeper – a smart finish to open the scoring.
Another good chance followed as Lewis Gould spun his man and aimed to find striker Gabriel Johnson, but he could not quite beat the keeper to it.
Emley started the second half well and were only denied by a clearance off the line following a De Girolamo cross. But they would get their second just five minutes later.
Devine’s ball in fell nicely for Ellis Farrar to bury at the back post to give the Pewits a bit of breathing space, which they would need.
After De Girolamo fired a half-chance well over Whitby pulled a goal back as following a dangerous ball into the area Bottomley came off his line and upended an attacker. A penalty was awarded and Hewitt put it away to make it game on again with 20 minutes to go.
The game was on edge, the atmosphere was crackling as both sets of fans willed their teams on, and it was Emley who almost had a third. A cracking ball in from the left found Johnson, but he could not steer his header on target.
In four minutes of added time Whitby pushed for an equaliser, but Emley stood firm for another win.
Frustratingly, perhaps, they have a week off now due to Avro's involvement in the FA Trophy and are back in action on November 21 at home to Hyde United.