Emley show dominance in midfield and class all over the park as we breeze past Bradford Park Avenue, in a West-Yorkshire derby that left no-stone unturned, giving a packed Fantastic Media Welfare Ground a performance to really write home about.

The game started a little cagey, with both sides taking a while to settle into any kind of rhythm and put a marker down on the occasion.

The afternoon began with a very back and forth affair, as both sides were eager to get off to a flying start and catch the other off guard and nick a quick goal.

Bradford did threaten now and again; however, it was nothing that the assured and capable Pewits could not handle, rendering anything they could throw at them fruitless.

However, sadly for Tracey’s men the story was very much the same at the other end, as despite Emley's’ best efforts, they likewise could not break the deadlock until a moment of absolute brilliance occurred to separate the two sides on the night.

After earning his first start and a well deserved MOTM last time out in the 3-0 victory over Stocksbridge Park Steels, Hayden Lindley was hungry to impress once again.

The ex Aston Villa and Manchester City man stepped up when his team needed him, absolutely blasting a shot from more than 25 yards out, with a postage stamp of a finish that is one of, if not arguably up for goal of the season, to send the boys in claret and blue into a well-deserved lead.

Avenue looked to respond quickly, as five minutes after the opener, the visiting striker was bearing down on goal, in a one-on-one situation that presented a promising chance to level the score. Yet, Declan Lambton showed his ability, making himself big and swallowing up the opportunity.

From here it was clear that Bradford was becoming frustrated, and with the halfway point fast approaching, they looked to go into the changing rooms either level or just one goal behind, but not to be.

The opposition had a corner with less than five on the clock, which ended up being a poor delivery that was comfortably swept away by Donae Lawrence. The looping ball was heavily misjudged by Avenue’s Keenan Ferguson when the ball bounced up and over his head, allowing Amir Berchil to capitalise and begin an all-out assault to the goal.

Knowing he couldn’t catch him, Ferguson pulled at Amir’s shirt, dragging him to the floor denying a clear opportunity which earnt him his marching orders, reducing the opposition to 10 men.

This threw a real spanner in the works for Avenue but made the afternoon even more promising for Emley as they now were both a goal up and a man ahead going into the second 45.

H/T EMLEY AFC 1 – 0 BRADFORD PARK AVENUE

The second half was very similar to the first, as Emley dominated proceedings, and it became clearer and clearer that the man advantage was beginning to influence the play.

The Pewits began to settle into a comfortable rhythm from here on out, making passages of play and linking together beautifully to keep the visitors on the back foot and really cause an issue for an already weakened defense.

20 minutes in and after chipping away at the visitors with attack after attack, Emley’s lead doubled as the ball swept out to Amir finally proved successful, as he squared it inside to Rodrigues who smartly took his time, and capitalised on a wrong-footed keeper, sending the attending masses into cheers once again, as the Pewits pulled further away.

Avenue were not yet down and out, and despite an overall poor showing, were not willing to let Emley have it all their way, as very much against the run of play, Jordan Preston broke onto a loose ball and chipped the ball over a no-mans-land placed Lambton to bring the visitors to back within sight of gaining at least a point from the affair.

It was very much game on from this point, with everything to play for, with both sides now slightly altering both their approaches and attitudes going into the final 20.

Bradford were looking to build up momentum and catch the Pewits off guard and nick an equaliser, whereas Emley were aiming to take the sting out of the game, slowing the visitors down and controlling as much as the ball as possible, and whilst they hoped for a third, they did not want to throw the kitchen sink at it and risk what they had already worked so hard to achieve.

It took until one of the last kicks of the game, but the Pewits finally managed to kill the game off and put it beyond doubt as Berchil once again had the defense exactly where he wanted them.

Following a slight knock to Rodrigues, he was precautionally brought off for Laurence Sorhaindo, who with virtually his first touch, got onto the end of a ball from Amir, who had ripped the defense apart, to cement the win and get both hands clearly on all three points.

Overall, Emley were the dictators for the large majority of the rainy afternoon, and really showed their class, determination and capability to put the opposition to the sword, and put a stranglehold on an uncomfortable visiting team.

F/T EMLEY AFC 3 – 1 BRADFORD PARK AVENUE

Attendance - 564

Emley - Lambton, Sheppeard, Hardaker, Lindley, Cowgill [c], Barks, Parkin, Dawson, Lawrence, Rodrigues, Berchil
Subs Used - Kenny, Sorhaindo, Baldwin
Subs Unused - Clayton, Curtis

Goals - Lindley (28') Rodrigues (64') Sorhaindo (89')

WM Sykes Man of the Match - Hayden Lindley