New signing Jagger shines on debut but Emley AFC are soundly beaten

After Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat at Staveley Emley were looking to bounce back, but they were soundly beaten.

They did create chances that on another day might have bore fruit, but Barton were resolute in defence and clinical in attack.

There was little sign of what was to come in the early stages, both teams had only scraps to go on, but the Swans took the lead on 18 minutes, a cross from the left turned home from close range by Jamie Goddard.

Emley looked to hit back as Callum Charlton got forward as he often does to put over a lovely cross, but the ball just beat Jack Bennett at the back post.

A counter attack caught them out, however, and Sam Kelly came out to smother the danger only to have been adjudged to have felled the Barton man. The resulting penalty was duly dispatched by Ben Hinchliffe.

Emley were still in the game and Jamie Price found himself involved in the next attack, but he fired his shot over. James Burke, up from right back, also failed to find the target after being set up by George Doyle.

A surging run from Jack Bennett then saw the young forward pushed as he made his way into the area and the referee gave another penalty, this time to Emley.

Matt Sykes stepped up, but his spot kick was saved well by the keeper. Doyle was on hand, however, to fire the rebound back into the danger area and Sykes got a touch to bundle the ball past the keeper.

Emley almost had an equaliser on half-time. Charlton, again, freed from the shackles of his defensive duties, linked with Sykes on the left and whipped a luscious ball across the face of the goal, but again, it just eluded Bennett’s right boot.

Emley made a double change at the break, new signing Joe Jagger on for his debut and Max Tweddle introduced with Doyle and Burke going off.

Jagger wasted little time in introducing himself to the Barton defence, setting up Sykes whose shot was cleared. Sykes sent a free-kick wide and Jagger then saw his shot brilliantly saved by Barton keeper Emery.

Barton wrestled the ascendency back and wrapped the game up as a left wing cross was headed home by Thomas Waudby and a few minutes later Mitchell Levi-Lewis fired home.

Emley kept battling away with Jagger putting himself about, earning corners, free-kicks and the man of the match.

But Barton sealed the emphatic win with Hinchliffe netting his second 10 minutes from time.

Plenty of food for thought for the management team before Emley now face an FA Vase round one clash at home to Longridge Town this Saturday.