Emley AFC and Liversedge shared the spoils in a tightly contested 1-1 draw at the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground, with Storm Darragh playing a significant role in the proceedings. Despite the challenging conditions, both sides created moments of quality, with Luke Parkin’s first-half strike for Emley cancelled out by a stunning J Crook free-kick for Liversedge early in the second half.

The match attracted 383 supporters, who braved the storm to witness an intense and competitive clash. Harry Sheppeard earned the Man of the Match accolade for his excellent defensive performance, while goalkeeper Dec Lambton’s crucial stoppage-time save ensured Emley secured a point.

Emley manager Richard Tracey said: "To be honest, I think it was a fair result. The conditions were terrible. As everyone knows, we had the storm. We played with the wind in the first half and got ourselves in front with Luke scoring.

“However, I felt like we needed a second because of the conditions. I wanted to give ourselves that breathing room. I don't think we created enough in the game, but we had a couple of chances.

“They got the equaliser in the second half with the wind behind them. It was from a free kick; disappointingly, our wall broke, and the ball went into the unguarded side of the net.

“However, I will say that I thought Liversedge did have enough spells in that second half to have probably merited an equaliser, and we didn't do enough to then get back in front and win the game in tough conditions.”

The draw leaves Emley second in the Northern Premier League Division One East table, just one point behind leaders Cleethorpes Town, who they face tonight in a crucial top-of-the-table clash.

A win would see them leapfrog the Lincolnshire side and claim top spot, while Cleethorpes will be looking to extend their lead and complete a league double, having triumphed 3-0 in the reverse fixture in October.

The Owls come into the game off the back of a surprising defeat to Ossett, raising questions about their form, especially given their recent home league loss. Emley, on the other hand, boast an impressive away record, having conceded just one goal on the road and maintained nine consecutive clean sheets.

Manager Tracey is confident his team can rise to the occasion and deliver a better performance than in their previous meeting. Speaking ahead of the game, he said:

“If we'd have won the game against Liversedge, that would have given us an opportunity to go top.

“However, we didn't take that opportunity, so tonight's going to be a big game. It's an opportunity for them to extend their lead at the top, but it's also an opportunity for us to surpass them and go top of the league too.

“I think that they were good value for the win at our place. After the first 20 minutes, I thought we were very good; we hit the bar, but didn't score. Then we conceded, and we didn't react very well to that.

“So, we will be looking for a much more positive performance than the home game a few weeks back and hopefully give Cleethorpes a better account of ourselves.

“We believe we're a good team and we've got good players, and we know Cleethorpes have.

“If you're in Cleethorpes’ shoes, I think there's probably more pressure on them tomorrow than us. They are expected to be up there; we weren't, so hopefully we can go play the football I know we can play under a little less pressure.”

Emley will travel to Cleethorpes without Donae Lawrence and Ross Hardaker, who are unavailable for the fixture. There are no fresh injury concerns, giving Tracey confidence that his side can deliver a strong performance in what promises to be a thrilling encounter at the top of the table.

This top-of-the-table clash marks the seventh meeting between the sides, with Cleethorpes holding the historical edge. Intriguingly, while Grimsby Town play their football in Cleethorpes, Cleethorpes Town are based in Grimsby, adding a unique twist to an already fascinating fixture. (Thanks Martin for mentioning this in tonight's Match Preview).

With all to play for, the stage is set for an enthralling contest that could shape the remainder of the season for both sides. Follow along on X for match updates.