FLYNN FINISHES PARKGATE'S FA CUP CHALLENGE AS EMLEY PROGRESS

AFC EMLEY 7 V PARKGATE 1
FA CUP EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND @ THE WELFARE GROUND
16 AUGUST 2015 3-PM

AFC EMLEYS WELFARE GROUND LOOKING NICELY POPULATED

[A few unused pictures will also be on the 'we all stand together' Facebook page]

AFC Emley demolished Parkgate's FA Cup challenge with seven goals from open play including clinical finishing from Ashley Flynn who finished with 4 consecutive home goals.  It was a dominant performance from The Pewits who looked to relish the challenge against the side from a league higher in the NCEL Premier Division.
To the day and after a cracking nil nil game yesterday today had expectations of a few goals and upon setting off from base station the day promised much with a first visit to Emley as a village never mind the football club.  Although in the region of 45 miles away from home territory this is a ground I had wanted to visit for a while especially with the chance of viewing the massive Emley Moor TV mast something that over the last few visits to Yorkshire as followed us all around the place!

TOWERING ABOVE EMLEY THE TV MAST

A lot of the blogs Yorkshire journeys arrive at Kirkgate station and today was no different and I still ask the question when will the work finish on this stations improvements they seem never to be completed.  With a little while to pass we finally got a little to eat and it was time for the aquamarine bus to depart us to the hills.  A meandering journey around Horbury and Flockton deposited us 30 minutes later in Emley.

ST MICHAELS CHURCH

With an hour and a half to kick off the blog did a circular walk around the village taking in the lovely St Michaels Church which was open and well worth a visit for its very wide aisle and from the grounds further commanding views of the TV mast which commands the area.  While completing the walk the blog actually took a picture of a small bungalows impressive front garden which was a picture of colour with its summer bedding plants.

LOOK AT THE FLORA AND TIME SPENT HERE

Upon completion of the tour the white cross at one of the major[?] road junctions leads to the clue as to where to get into The Welfare ground as opposite this is a small alleyway that expands out into a bar, youth centre and AFC Emley and its sports bar.
Cup day excitement mounting I arrive early enough to get hold of a programme which was later to sell out but the club have kindly offered to send copies out to disappointed spectators.  Not sure if they were taken a back here by the crowd in attendance, 249, this it would appear was always likely for a Sunday game. There were indeed many hoppers with cameras and notepads and this helped to swell not only the gate but the snack bar and bar I'm sure.

VIEW FROM THE STAND WITH THE TV MAST STILL KEEPING WATCH

Once through the turnstile we see the ground is a three sided ground with the far touch line open for the adjoining cricket club to overlap onto the football playing area.  Behind the near goal is a collection of 5/6 stepped covered terracing and at the far end a lovely three stepped concrete terrace at the angle behind the corner flag with no cover and a small distance away from the pitch edge.  Straight on from the entrance turnstile on the left are the changing rooms which have a caged access to the pitch after this a tight walkway lead to the bar which is smart and well attended today with the notable 'lads' and 'wags' toilets a very funny touch! 

LADIES TOILET DOOR, YES I KNOW WHERE IS MY
PHOTOGRAPHY GOING

We then come to the impressive main stand with yellow tip up seats this area offers a commanding view of the proceedings.  To the far end is the snack which is housed under the stand, also beneath the stand to the rear is a nice little hospitality area and the toilets which have had a source up and are nice and clean-well done AFC Emley nice to see clean toilets at a football ground.  Continuing on we have a deep concrete walkway with a double stepped terrace to the rear this continues behind the far goal but the steps are deeper with less height here.  The ground has a lovely old style feel to it with three little gated exits including one behind the far goal down a small flight of steps adding to its intrigue.
There was a chance before the game to catch up with quite a few of the ground hoppers the blog knew including goalkeeping coach Nigel and Pete from Chesterfield who would later kindly offer the blog a lift all the way back to base a cracking offer many thanks mate!

KIERAN RYAN AFC EMLEY

So to the game and Parkgate were the visitors from the NCEL Premier league and it was expected that 1st Division AFC Emley would give them a game but not what was to follow.  In fairness I'm told Parkgate only had 4 players in the side from the one that beat Tadcaster last week due to unavailability etc, but take nothing away from Emley some of the finish was clinical today.

4 GOAL STAR MAN ASHLEY FLYNN

The name that rings around this fixture was Ashley Flynn with 4 goals in a row for the home side his hat trick came in 7 minutes with sharp finishes from the edge of the 6 yard box in almost identical fashion on 19, 23 and 26 minutes.  The home side were looking like running away with it but on the stroke of half time Parkgate were awarded a penalty with Oliver Graham converting to give the South Yorkshire side hope.
The second half started with hope for Parkgate with Jonathan Wragg crashing a header against the bar.  But there was no holding back Flynn who on 64 minutes got his and Emley's fourth when he fired home from 14 yards out to create a remarkable sequence of goals.
When the number 9 went off injured it still didn't stop Emley who managed to score three more goals in the last 13 minutes.  When Kieran Ryan was put through on goal he proved he could match Flynn's finishing to make it 5-1 and then Jordan Coduri cut in off the right to fire past Richard Spink into the bottom right hand corner.  The game and the scoring was rounded off in stoppage time with a cracker of a finish when Ryan turned supplier for Alex Hallam to lash the ball home with gusto.

FLYNN [9] RECEIVES CONGRATULATIONS ON HIS HAT TRICK

An excellent result for Emley who many people will remember from the 97/98 cup run that finally took them to West Ham United for a round three challenge at Upton Park, in a previous guise before the club reformed in 2005 as AFC Emley.

KIERAN RYAN GIVEN CLOSE ATTENTION AND IN NUMBERS

A nice little village with not a piece of graffiti spotted on any of the bus shelters and a ground that is really given a big feel by its main stand and amazingly large for the size of the population as with all three sided grounds this would be even better with the open side enclosed.  Another note the club seem to have a lot of helpers [sure they would welcome more of course] from raffle to bar and turnstile to snack bar etc in a visible sign of pride in this nice little club.
With the prospect of a bus back to Wakefield and a dash to Kirkgate for the returning train the blog was delighted by the offer of fellow football/rugby league/speedway traveller Pete who kindly chauffeured the blog back to base.

REFEREE JAMES PRICE SHOWS US THE EXIT POINTS
FROM THE GROUND