Village People

Emley 0-4 Spennymoor Town (FA Cup Second Qualifying Round)

It’s been fifteen years since I last visited Emley’s Welfare Ground, a then scouting mission to watch Stocksbridge Park Steels in the Sheffield Senior Cup, I remember the game because my report wasn’t needed in the end as the cold wet snap put pay to our following weekends fixture, but I recollect sitting in the old Main Stand looking out towards the Emley Moor tower underneath dark chilly skies hearing the deep thud of a football being pumped around the park, thinking to myself ‘this is bloody lovely’.

Emley have FA Cup history, I remember their magical run in 1997/98 when they beat both Morecambe and Lincoln City on penalties after replays, to set up a third-round tie at Premier League West Ham United.

The Pewits (as they are nicknamed) lost 2-1 at Upton Park, falling behind to a Frank Lampard goal in the first half, they levelled through Paul David who rose above Rio Ferdinand of all players to head home from a corner, but a late John Hartson winner was the difference, Emley doing themselves and the Northern Premier League incredibly proud.

That’s the best they have done in the competition, and like many clubs since fallen on harder times, they completely dissolved in 2014 after a failed merger with Wakefield but in 2019 re-appeared as ‘AFC’ and ever since, we’ve seen progress under the single Emley banner again.

After winning the Northern Counties East League in 2024 the club gained promotion back to the Northern Premier League playing in the First Division East, gaining promotion again last season they have now returned for the first time in twenty years to a level Emley had previously been at throughout the 90’s and early 2000’s.

Spennymoor Town weren’t even established when Emley were rebranding and disbanding, formed themselves in 2005 they have since risen up the ranks to surpass todays hosts on the non-league ladder, and have been in the National League North now for ten years since gaining promotion from the Northern Premier League in 2017.

The Moors have twice reached the first round of the cup, losing 3-2 to MK Dons in 2017, they were beaten by Barrow last season but have had a couple of recent tastes of Wembley winning the 2013 FA Vase (2-1 v Tunbridge Wells) and losing (3-0 v Aldershot) in the 2025 FA Trophy final.

This season Spennymoor have struggled at the foot of their division, Manager Tommy Miller resigning at the start of the month has been replaced by interim Jason Ainsley, the cup a nice distraction for them having not won since the second weekend of the season (eight matches ago).

Emley are doing alright in their league campaign, fifteenth, they lost 4-0 at Bury at the weekend (Bury are battering everyone) but beat Bishop Auckland in the cup to set up this tie against more North Eastern opposition, Spennymoor to Emley is about an hour forty south down the A1, whilst for me it’s around a similar drive north from Nottingham, where I’ll be mostly travelling up the M1 on this bright and clear (but windy) September Saturday afternoon.

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The Venue

I’m off at Junction 38 past signs for Yorkshire Sculpture Park and through West Bretton before turning left down the Wakefield Road. I actually miss the turning to the village of Emley as I’m too busy casting eyes towards the famous tall tower in the background, the transmitting station is over a thousand feet in height, dominating the skyline from as south as Sheffield and as north as Leeds.

A few winding roads later I finally find the village, I’ve pre-planned to park on a side street and walk the remainder, a stroll along Upper Lane which is quiet but for some dog walkers, before a sharp left turn by the community centre, and into the grounds car park which although free, I avoided for a quicker get away later.

It’s about as village a football ground I have been to, right in the heart of the community it sits besides the village cricket club which uses a large part of the football pitch during the summer, a partition of temporary metal railings with cover separating the two sporting centres of this Denby Dale parish of less than 2,000.

Just one turnstile open, I’m through the gates at the cost of £12 and take a couple of photos inside the humble home quiet an hour or so ahead of kick off, the sloped roof main stand is one that I remember, it looks in good nick, plenty of modern rehomed white seats which I hear were donated from Huddersfield Town, the former brick build clubhouse next to it has been painted grey, it even has solar panels on its roof installed since my last visit here all of fifteen years ago.

The pitch slopes from right to left, lovely fluffy natural grass, imperfect greenery with tall breeze block walls surrounding a couple of sides, they might need to be soon replaced (or softened) under recent legislation of player protection.

I park myself down back row top of the Main Stand, there’s a couple of posts in view, one right in the middle of the goal to my right, behind that a low roofed terrace area, opposite is sparse green land of the cricket pitch, partitioned, fenced off, beyond that houses, and to my left a thin strip open end which has back gardens behind some standing room, it’s a proper community hub this place, as an old boy sits besides me and introduces himself, whilst trying not to spill his Bovril.

“I used to live in Emley” he tells me, “I brought up my kids here, it’s a wonderful place to bring up children”. He’s with his son today who’s got his mates around him having a laugh and joke, as other folk sit nearby, large groups chatting together with a beer or a brew, everyone seems to know each other and it feels like a popular meeting place for locals of the village and surrounding areas.

The Game

Emley are in sky blue, wearing a kit that apparently marks ten years of partnership with ‘Fantastic Media’ who hold bragging rights to the stadium name, Spennymoor are also in blue, navy and amber, as the match gets underway under the sunshine, in the wind, as the tempo between the two is relatively slow.

In truth it’s not great, as both teams battle with the elements, both struggling in their tables of late, both a little devoid of confidence perhaps, are giving each and other far too much respect.

Junior Mondal scuffs an early chance for the visitors as he races through on goal all too easily to place wide as the Emley defence opens up, Bennett then forces Bottomley into a save as Matty Dolan fires the rebound wide, whilst at the other end Gabriel Johnson’s header is saved by Matty Urwin before the linesman’s flag is waved for what looks to be a push. It wouldn't have counted had it gone in.

It’s scrappy, the hosts 4-4-2 look decent out wide with pace, they get long throws into the box, their star man is Diego De Girolamo who’s a lovely forward, dropping deep and getting on the ball, whilst Gabriel Johnson next to him, is the blonde battering ram whose usual good touch doesn’t look so deft today. In midfield the duo of Haswell and Lindley graft plenty but their passing leaves a lot to be desired, the home fans are getting irate, with the odd outburst suggesting things are ‘not good enough’ and to perhaps ‘do better’ next time they are on the ball.

Slightly better of the two evils, I’m not totally impressed with Spennymoor who’s 4-3-3 is unspectacularly solid, midfielder George Cantrill who signed from Alfreton in the summer is right back, the three in the middle are work horses, not particularly blessed in finesse, but up top Richie Bennett is tall and useful, he has a nice touch with Junior Mondal out left always posing a threat with pace.

The Score

There’s been little doing before a long throw in by Dan Jones falls somehow to Jack Young inside the Emley box, the blonde haired midfielder scuffling the ball towards the bottom corner to give the away side a lead which on evidence, they probably just about deserved.

I ask the old boy at half time his thoughts on the first half, “rubbish” is the answer and I’m in agreement, saying to him “it all feels a bit too nice” as Emley are passive, allowing Spennymoor to get a foothold.

I'm expecting the hosts to come out of the traps quickly but before they can even stamp their authority on the second 45, a Spennymoor attack has Jack Young grabbing a second, his late unguarded run is rewarded by a ball flicked into his path, Young taking a touch and stabbing home in front of the few away supporters behind the goal to my left, who are suddenly starting to sing Young's name.

That goal on 51 is a killer blow and Emley never really look like getting back into the game, there’s a couple of bookings and a few subs, one of which is lively, Carlos Rodrigues comes on out left for Emley and as he races into the box and tumbles over it looks like the Referee has awarded a penalty, but as the roars around me lessen for nervous preparation of a spot kick the actual verdict is he’s pointing for a goal kick, in the aftermath an Emley official in the dugout is booked and there’s a few choice words aimed at the man in black, who trots away oblivious to the drama he’s caused.

It all feels a little too late, but with five minutes left Emley actually start to play, as Spennymoor retreat to protect, the home side stick centre halves forward and gamble with a 2-4-4 formation, they whip crosses into the box but they risk getting undone on the counter, one pass pumped forward on ninety has Glen Taylor running through, he finds Jack Young who can round things off with a hat-trick, Young decides instead to pass to Danny Johnson who has an open goal to place into, Spennymoor are three on one, and the outcome is inevitable.

By now the seats around me are emptying with locals trotting out to beat the traffic, but there’s a few minutes of injury time remaining, the Emley formation has completely evaporated and Spennymoor are through again, Glen Taylor one on one dinks home over the keeper to get himself on the scoresheet, it was never a 4-0 thumping but nobody can say the best team didn’t win.

The Stars

In the end it proved the gulf in class between the bottom placed team in the National League North and the fifteenth best in the Northern Premier was perhaps wider than I might have even thought? Spennymoor’s blonde haired playmaker Jack Young wasn’t anything special, he didn’t particularly catch the eye for doing the spectacular, but what he did was do things simple, do things good, he was in the right place at the right time and took his opportunity with two good goals, with one unselfish assist, he worked hard and utilised the ball well, was arguably the best player on the pitch today, he's certainly worth another look at.

I did like Richie Bennett who battled well up front, tall and awkward to contain he linked well with those around him, whilst Glen Taylor does what Glen Taylor does, now 36 years old he came on for Bennett and provided just as much quality as the Moors main target man.

Junior Mondal is a player who at the level is always consistent and hard to contain, he has pace and is a key asset to the Spennymoor attack, whilst defensively they were at times tested, Ben Pollock and Dan Jones doing well in their duals, but they will have bigger and tougher tests to come. The experienced Matt Urwin in goal having a relatively solid debut following a move from Chorley.

As for Emley, Diego De Girolamo is a player I have long liked, he tried, but alone it was all in vain, his touch is lovely, he does things with guile, with style, but not many were on his wavelength today. I felt for him, as I did Gabriel Johnson who’s usually a menace, still bulldozing defences, I have however seen him have better days, out wide Joe Stacey shown glimpses, he is quick and can chuck a ball far, Alex Kiwomya with dad Chris watching in the stands was poor, but I did like the feet of left back Coban Bird, far from the finished article, technically very good, he got man of the match from the home sponsors which was announced over the tanoy.

The Verdict

Solid, unspectacular, Spennymoor beat a team that in truth they should have beat, and in the end will perhaps take confidence at doing so with more ease than expected.

As for Emley, not a great performance considering they had nothing to lose, they didn’t really touch gloves with a team that looked far from confident early doors, that grew in demeanour the greater the game went on, I think a tough season ahead continues for both teams, both have more than enough capabilities for the levels they are at, to get themselves out of trouble, Spennymoor at least have something nice to look forward to with a third qualifying cup draw ahead, also boosting the clubs cash take.

One little note about my visit to the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground, a proper little village home, it is a pipe and slippers sort of place, a real local Yorkshire, countryside kind of vibe. Friendly, they love their football here and if folk aren’t playing their part on the pitch they’ll soon tell them about it from the sidelines, but bigger and better than what goes off across that white line, is keeping this club running for the sake of the community, for the sake of the pyramid, and the sake of the great and good of the English game.

A gorgeous place to watch football, a home where you get a real sense of identity, a place where community matters more than what happens on the field of play, it feels like going back in time and seeing good old England how it was way back when, when football was cheap, when the game was simple, and earthy, and the liniment oil stunk out from the changing rooms below.

The Teams

Emley: Ben Bottomley, Harry Shepherd, Coban Bird, Hayden Lindley, Jack Cowgill, Charlie Barks, Alex Kiwomya (Rinor Ejupi 70), Aaron Haswell (James Murray 79), Diego De Girolamo, Gabriel Johnson, Joe Stacey (Carlos Rodrigues 70).

Spennymoor Town: Matt Urwin, Dan Jones, George Cantrill, Jack Jenkins (Frankie Whelan 70), Junior Mondal, Sam Murray, Ben Pollock, Cam Salkeld (Danny Johnson 70), Richie Bennett (Glen Taylor 61), Jack Young, Matty Dolan.

3:00pm Kick Off. Saturday 19th September 2026, Welfare Ground, Emley (att 424).