The history of AFC Emley has been a typical one at our sort of level.

The new club, set up to bring football back to a small West Yorkshire village, was set up in 2005. After a season of establishing the club, they were admitted to the Northern Counties East division one. Since then, it has been a case of setting out at the start of each season, trying to get the the relative promised land of the Premier Division and just falling short. The main problem is that clubs are set up at this level fairly quickly and some, with the resources to fund a promotion push, tend to do well.

This season, the division is much more open with a number of teams having a good chance of hitting the top two spots.

Saturday was a top-of-the table clash against our local rivals, Pontefract Collieries. We visited Pontefract on a cold and wet January Wednesday evening when a 0-0 draw reflected the stalemate between the two sides. The most memorable incident that evening was the request from Daz, the manager, not to shout abuse at the referee while standing next to the dug-outs in case the ref thought it was him shouting.

AFC Emley approached Saturday's show-down fresh from a 2-3 win at local rivals, Penistone Church. It was an interesting match but I was more interested in the surroundings. Penistone is a team new to the league this year and, in true ground-hopper fashion, I went there in November when they played AFC Mansfield. Not only could I not see the church, I struggled, because of the thick fog, to see across the ground!

Anyway, my daughter and I decided early last week that a trip to Emley v Pontefract clearly outweighed Huddersfield V Rotherham United. 

We got to the ground early. The parking area behind the stands has suffered from the weather and parking can be a bit tight. The first thing that struck us was the shiny new floodlight on the half-way line to replace the one which dived in the January storms. This one sways but then again, you would in the wind that was blowing across the ground. The good thing about it was that Saturday was a bright and shiny day and the pitch was dry.

The match was sponsored by a guy from Ayr in Scotland whose name is .... Emley. The joys of google! Actually, the old Emley sold two players to Ayr United in the 90's so there is a link between the two areas. The crowd was 221, second at this level of the leagues.

Once inside the ground, I bought my lottery tickets. One pound to win a big Emley breakfast. Having been lucky enough to win a couple of years ago, I can state that it is big and it is a breakfast! A wander around the ground brought a series of chats, including our secretary telling me he had been in the Isle Of Man last week. Sadly, it was not to bank our gate receipts but filming with Adam off Countryfile (the joys of stardom!).

The game was settled by a Reuben Jerome goal after five minutes. Whether he caught it lucky or whether it as intended, it was a goal his brother, Cameron, would have been proud of. The lack of a second goal meant that the half-time was 1-0. Nick Handley from Pontefract was saying as he walked off att half-time that Emley were thinking of refunding the money paid by spectators. No need, a second-half performance against a Pontefract side throwing everything at us, and aided by a strong wind, made my entry-money well worth while.

So, the three  points put us top but with seven teams covered by seven points, the race for the title is still on. 

And I was 200 tickets out from the big breakfast. Oh, well, always next time!

Tuesday night, Grimsby Borough at home. Can't wait.