Flynn reaches 50 and fires up Emley
AFC EMLEY striker Ashley Flynn took his season’s goal tally to 50 as his side notched a 4-1 home win over Campion.
Flynn grabbed a hat trick in the win against Campion at the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground as manager Darren Hepworth’s side closed the gap on Northern Counties East League Division One leaders Pontefract Collieries, whose game against Brigg Town was postponed, to six points.
However, the game did not get off to the best of starts for Emley as Campion talisman Eli Hey’s header silenced the home fans midway through the first half.
Campion inflicted defeat on Emley earlier in the season and looked set to do so once again after Hey’s looping header put the visitors in front against the run of play.
However, a second half onslaught, inspired by Flynn’s hat trick and a Jordan Coduri penalty, gave Emley backto-back wins in the league.
Daniel Armitage in the visitors’ goal kept their lead intact to half-time as Flynn threatened to score an equaliser in the lead up to the interval.
It took just four minutes after the interval for Emley to get the goal they deserved when Flynn was clumsily pushed over inside the penalty area.
Coduri dispatched the ball from 12 yards out and paved the way for an impressive Emley comeback.
Flynn opened his account for the afternoon on his return to league action after a neck injury when he hammered the ball into the top corner at the back post just three minutes later.
It took just over ten more minutes for Flynn to strike again, beating the offside trap and slotting under Armitage’s diving body with aplomb.
The two sides clashed in the 75th min- ute following a push on Coduri, who was shown a bizarre yellow card, along with Flynn, but Campion’s Greg Porter was sent off.
The man advantage helped Flynn notch half a century in all competitions for the season as he smashed past Armitage.
Fellow promotion rivals Hall Road Rangers also had their match postponed, but fourth placed Penistone Church beat Rossington Main 3-0.
Emley are on the road again next Saturday, where Hepworth will take his side to face Yorkshire Amateur at the newly-named Southerns Stadium. Pontefract Collieries ........................ 35 AFC Emley .............................................. 35 Hall Road Rangers ............................ 32 Penistone Church .............................. 33 Hallam ...................................................... 34 Grimsby Borough .............................. 32 Knaresborough Town ..................... 35 Campion .................................................. 34 Glasshoughton Welfare ................. 33 Eccleshill United ................................. 34 Winterton Rangers ........................... 33 Selby Town ............................................. 33 Yorkshire Amateur ........................... 33 Shirebrook Town ................................ 32 Teversal .................................................... 32 Brigg Town ............................................. 32 Ollerton Town ...................................... 35 ossington Main ................................... 35 Dronfield Town .................................... 30 Worsbrough Bridge Athletic ...... 31 Westella & Willerby ........................... 32 Nostell Miners Welfare ................... 35 26 24 22 21 20 19 17 16 14 15 14 12 11 11 11 11 9 8 9 5 5 3 4 4 5 7 5 7 12 7 7 4 5 8 8 5 4 2 6 7 3 5 4 5 5 7 5 5 9 6 6 11 12 15 14 13 14 16 17 19 20 20 18 21 23 27 108 102 82 75 85 77 72 80 63 76 67 51 65 45 53 45 51 46 44 27 37 45 43 45 37 30 42 51 48 60 55 75 51 59 68 73 70 82 77 68 69 92 88 113 82 76 71 70 65 64 63 55 49 49 47 44 41 38 37 35 33 31 30 20 19 14 Striker Ashley Flynn fires home his first goal against Campion and (inset below) celebrates as he went on to score a hat trick and take his tally for the season to 50