Selby Town earn smash and grab win at AFC Emley

AFC Emley 0-1 Selby Town

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

AFC Emley boss Darren Hepworth rued his team’s killer touch as Selby Town earned a smash and grab victory in the Toolstation NCEL Division One encounter at the Welfare Ground.

Emley wasted chance after chance in the opening half hour and were made to pay when Louis Blackwell broke clear and scored against the run of play.

Selby then defended exceptionally to kept their lead intact and Ian Dring’s men held on for a first league win in three games.
The result consigned Emley to a second straight league defeat and reflecting on the missed chances, Hepworth said: “It has been the story of our season.
“It is frustrating because again we dominated possession and created a lot of chances and like Hemsworth last week, we were the stronger side.
“It was again a question of creating chances and not scoring and our opponent taking theirs.
“They have done it tonight and in the end we were not good enough to pull it back.
“Selby defended well, but we weren’t good enough to break them down. The frustrating thing for me was that we didn’t move the ball well enough. Only for small parts of the game did we do that and we need to do it more consistency as when we do, no one can live with us.
“We were a bit shy in the final third. We’re creating these chances, but they are not going in and it hurts because it is costing us.”

Jason Price

Former Doncaster Rovers striker Jason Price was missing from the Selby Town line-up as he still waiting for international clearance from the Welsh FA, but his new team managed to cope without him. However, the heroics of goalkeeper Lee Kelsey kept the visitors in the game. His save from an Alex Hallam shot from point blank range was the first of many.
Emley captain Paul Sykes was inches away from heading Emley into the lead when he missed a cross as the home side turned the temperature up on Selby.
Kelsey made a couple more saves before Selby took their only chance of the first half. Blackwell raced clear of the Emley defence and lobbed the on-rushing ex Garforth Town goalkeeper Chris Senior.

Emley bombarded the Selby box in the early stages of the second half in a bid to find an equaliser. Antony Leech had a shot saved at close range and the Aaron Joseph rebound attempt was blocked.

After the hour mark, Joseph wasted Emley’s best opportunity of the second half when he broke through on the right of Selby’s defence. But, with the goal gaping, the midfielder fired the post just wide of Kelsey’s post.

The writing was on the wall and former Farsley AFC and Garforth defender Nathan Kamara pulled a tremendous save out of Senior in the dying throes of the match.
Senior’s poor kick fell to Kamara who raced into the box and blasted the ball with venom at goal. Senior made the save and then managed to palm Senior’s rebound attempt over the crossbar.



That would have sealed the three points, but because of Senior’s save, Selby had to survive a number of late corners to earn the win.
Emley are hopeful of addressing their scoring problems by signing a South Yorkshire based striker from a rival Division One club this week ahead of Saturday’s game at Teversal and Hepworth added: “It is still early doors, we’re still in early September, but clearly it is something we need to address quickly, starting at Teversal on Saturday.
“It’s a game that has now turned into a must-win.

“We have to get ourselves quickly recovered and not be feeling sorry for ourselves so we can hunt for three points on Saturday.”

AFC Emley: Senior, Leech, Schofield, Tunnacliffe (Townend 81), S Jerome, Sykes (captain), Joseph, Jordan, Crossfield (Kenworthy 53), Mugadza (R Jerome 70), Hallam. Subs unused: Brook, Ingham.

Selby Town: Kelsey, Wolskii, Carter, Snaith, O’Reilly, Jones (captain), Kamara, O’Neill, Pashley, Blackwell, Owen (Muscroft 78). Subs unused: Tyson, Pearse.

Referee: W Escreet
Attendance: 87

Man of the match: Lee Kelsey (Selby Town)