Football: Gearing for showdown! AFC Emley hope for big promotion backing

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), Dec 23, 2008

Byline: By DOUG THOMSON Deputy Sports Editor

AFC EMLEY are gearing up for their big promotion showdown with Barton Town on Saturday (3.00) buoyed by a 3-1 home win over Appleby Frodingham.

With Town not in home action until Scunthorpe's visit on Sunday, Welfare Ground officials are hoping for a bumper turn-out for the Northern Counties East League Division I clash.

A crowd of 94 saw the victory over Frodingham, when all Emley's goals came in the first half. Ex-Town junior Steve Kenworthy got the opener in the ninth minute before Gavin Armitage notched in the 20th and Lee Hill in the 21st. Michael Bettney pulled one back for the Scunthorpe side after 56 minutes, but Ian Banks' men held out for the three points without any real problems.

The win puts them sixth in the table, 10 points behind leaders Scarborough Athletic but only six adrift of second-placed Askern Villa, who have played two games more.

Barton are fourth, a point better off than Emley, after slumping 6-1 at Scarborough on Saturday.

The side from the shadow of the Humber Bridge beat Emley 2-0 in the first match of the campaign back in August.

Now Banks' men, who have won six of their eight home league games so far, will fancy their chances of revenge.

Meanwhile Banks' former assistant Ashley Berry is no longer manager of Salford City.

The Huddersfield-based boss parted company with the UniBond League Division I North club after heavy home defeats by Chorley and Garforth.

Berry, who has also bossed Bridlington and Glasshoughton and worked on the management teams at Ossett Albion and Wakefield FC, left Emley to take over at Salford only in September.

Salford, in their first season of UniBond membership, are battling against a quick return to the North West Counties League.

The side are eight points adrift at the foot of the table going into their Boxing Day derby at Trafford Borough.

CAPTION(S):

JUMP TO IT: action (above and opposite) from the District League Second Division match between Honley (stripes) and Westend, which the latter won 2-0 to move up the table. Pictures by Andrew Catchpool. (AC201208Ehonl-08)