Yorkshire Amateur’s bright start, leading Emley 1-0 at half-time, was clouded by a second-half come-back by The Pewits, losing 2-1 in the NCEL Premier on Saturday at a foggy Fantastic Media Welfare Stadium.
Alfie Wilkinson’s reputation for distance shooting was further improved when he found the net from 25-yards with a half-volley to give Ammers the lead.
Joe Jagger earned and scored Emley’s penalty equaliser before Iyrwah Gooden hooked in a loose ball at the far post to earn the hosts victory.
Ashin Rashin returned in goal, replacing midweek hero but absent Fabio Intumbo.
Omar Gikineh returned from injury, joined by Benjamin Quartey and Sam Pickles, completing four changes to the starting line-up.
New signing trio Josh Brown, Matthew Hatch and Aaron Kitao all joined the bench.
League top scorer Joe Jagger got his first shot off within three minutes, hitting a loose ball after a corner from the right.
Iyrwah Gooden had been found by a diagonal ball over the Ammers defence before crossing into the box, which was met only by a Jordan Spencer clearance behind.
Converted centre-half Spencer had to cover the run of Gooden again three minutes later, a pass through the middle beating the initial Ammers press but eventually cleared.
Jamal Stewart failed to hold the initial pass forward down the right by Quartey but with the Emley clearance handing the pair a second chance, Stewart was passed into goal, beaten in the race by Emley ‘keeper Declan Lambton.
Alex Metcalfe pushed his way through Keanan Mannings and the middle of the Ammers’ half only to hook a shot wide from 25-yards.
Paul Walker’s effort, a mirror of Metcalfe’s previous, was much closer, past Rashid at full stretch but also the outside of the left-hand post.
Almost the entire Ammers squad contributed a pass in the Ammers’ next attack, only Louis Fialdini, Stewart and ‘keeper Rashid weren’t involved.
The ball moved along the Ammers’ defence, advanced by Pickles and back across to the right, through the midfield before Quartey was fouled, cutting inside towards the box. Kadeem Morton’s delivery looked to have found Gikineh but is headed clear.
Alfie Wilkinson’s eye for goal was in once again with his opener, a first touch to control before half-volleying through Lambton’s dive.
Ammers kept a deep cross alive on their left, skipped Keanan Mannings with the pass inside, choosing Wilkinson in greater space to set himself up to open the scoring.
Fialdini was denied an Ammers second from a tight angle, found by Stewart’s flick on towards the left.
Fialdini rounded the defender in the left of the box but with the angle against him, the ‘keeper closed down to block with his body.
Rashid was then tested at the opposite end, smothering Gooden’s shot after the winger had rounded a challenge on the edge of Ammers’ box to shoot.
Two claims for a penalty for Emley followed.
A swinging leg by an Ammers defender was deemed creditable, Emley’s control of the box apparently lost as it rolled into Iyrwah who shot the loose ball hard into the near, right-hand side-netting.
The second claim looked to come from the grounded James Walshaw but the referee again waved his arm to gesture it’s fine.
Gooden’s job was to hold up, this time, feeding the deep run of Joseph Konny inside the right of the box, his route at goal denied by the covering Spencer.
Jagger’s head was found by a cross from Ross Hardaker from the half-way line, the effort deflected off Walshaw into Ashin.
Emley’s final effort to level before the break was denied by Morton, the last man against Gooden on the left, rising to intercept with his toe.
TJ Kongolo replaced Pickles at half-time and the new left full-back was immediately in action within a minute, sliding inside his own the box to block a shot.
Quartey’s first-touch from a high diagonal went round one way of his marker, Quartey round the other, winning the race. His second touch let him down, however, tempting Lambton out his goal to collect.
Gooden drilled a cross along the face of the Ammers’ goal, passing the group in the middle and landing at Walker beyond the far post who couldn’t redirect his first-time shot on target.
Rashid was required on the next attempt, tipping a Jagger header round his left-hand post.
The Ammers ‘keeper and Jagger’s latest battle then went the way of the league top scorer, Rashid fouling the forward in the box after spilling a cross into the path of Jagger.
Jagger found the bottom right-hand corner, from the spot, despite Rashid’s hand.
Gooden gave Emley the lead but all credit must go to Samuel Pashley’s run from inside his own half.
The right full-back ventured from his base position into the left of the Ammers’ box, poking to goal, parried towards the far post by ‘keeper Rashid, the ball landing at Gooden to hook in, first-time.
Jagger’s 25-yard free-kick tested Rashid again minutes later, drilled straight into the ‘keeper’s arms, however.
Curran-Nicholls found substitute Kitao advancing down Emley’s left. The winger cut inside and looked to have assisted Wilkinson to attempt from range once more but at the last second, Wilkinson poked to ball out right to Morton.
The converted winger’s cross was too deep for Kitao to reach.
Jagger’s trademark free-kick flew over the top left-hand corner in his second attempt.
Josh Brown’s first action on his Ammers debut was to track Gooden to block his cross, sliding inside his own box following his 77th-minute introduction, alongside Matthew Hatch.
Pashley’s attempted assist with his head this time, following a free-kick delivery across the box, found Jagger central who’s flicked header glanced wide.
Jagger’s third free-kick attempt, a much tighter angle, results the closet, Rashid forced to tip onto his near right-hand post.
Fialdini controlled a long-ball forward and advanced down the Ammers’ right but his cross was too close to Lambton who saw Emley see out victory.
Ammers return home in the NCEL Premier next, hosting Albion Sports on Saturday 5th November.