Forty-six years ago, almost to the day, Emley met Thackley in the fore-runner to the Northern Counties East League Cup, the Yorkshire League Cup, with a semi-final place at stake.  On that occasion Emley were lucky to progress despite dominating large parts of the game.

Emley began the game with gusto, pushing Thackley back from the kick-off.  From a corner after 5 minutes they could have taken the lead but the effort was cleared off the line. Seven minutes later Emley’s pressure did finally tell when Stuart Greaves headed home as the ball bobbed around in the goal mouth.

Emley continued the pressure, Thackley’s tactic of leaving a man clear in an offside position did not worry the Emley defence and every time the ball was cleared they fed it back into the area.  After 30 minutes, Kettlewell’s sizzling free-kick was tipped over the bar.  Thackley did attack spasmodically but Emley’s defence held firm.  Their best effort came when Pointer broke through, Barker got a tackle in, and the ball was partially cleared but an Ingham shot from outside the box looked goal bound before Sharp pulled off a great save.

Brookes then had a chance at the other end following good work by Pamment, but his wild swing at the ball missed it completely.  Then Sharp was called into action again to punch the ball away from another Ingham shot.

Just as Thackley were beginning to take control of the game as half-time approached, Emley went 2 up.  S.B.Greaves received the ball from Stuart Greaves and his pace took him away from the Thackley defence before he fired the ball into the far corner of the net.

It was nearly 3 soon afterwards when Pamment put S.B.Greaves clear again, his cross found Cook but he was denied by a last gasp tackle.  Then Emley were awarded a penalty when Brookes was fouled.  However, Stuart Greaves’ penalty was saved by the ‘keeper.

The second half was an open affair with both sides creating chances.  Pamment headed just over and Cook hit the bar, but Thackley also had their chances and after 72 minutes they got their reward to set up a nervy finale.  A long ball over the Emley defence found Johnny Ingham, who had been playing for Emley the previous season.  As often happens with ex-players Ingham punished his former club with a fantastic volley high into the net.

Emley were struggling to manage the game and were getting caught up field too easily and Thackley continued to press, but Emley still had their chances to kill the game.  Stuart Greaves forced a great one-handed save from the ‘keeper and Pamment missed an easy chance.  Emley’s defence held firm though and Emley went through to face Lincoln United in the semi-final.  A win there took Emley to the final against Ossett Albion where they suffered a 3-1 defeat.

Team: Sharp, Barker, Kettlewell, Skirrow, Burke, S.Greaves, Brookes, S.B.Greaves, Pamment, Cook, Fielding.

Headlines and some photographs courtesy of Huddersfield Examiner and the Huddersfield and District Chronicle