Emley started strongly with three chances in the opening 10 minutes. Coban Bird threatened, with Luke Pilling making a spectacular quick-reflex save before another effort flew over. Former Rylands player Alex Kiwomya then battled for a header, again testing our number one.
But for all of that pressure, it was Warrington who made the breakthrough, and it was a familiar feeling for the in-form striker Harrison Wood. Calum Costello combined with Ben Hardcastle down the left channel, and the midfielder’s cutback across the Emley box felt like a game of pick your poison. Wood used his sharpness to poke Rylands ahead at the quarter-hour mark.
Rylands didn’t stop there as Costello worked his magic down the left-hand side again. The Fleetwood loanee curled in a cross that bypassed everyone and, luckily for the Pewits, clipped the crossbar before the defence scrambled it away for a corner.
Hardcastle then came close from 20 yards, whipping a delicious free kick whiskers over the bar.
With around 10 minutes before the break, Rylands and Wood struck again. A long ball was flicked ahead by Hardcastle, and Wood knew exactly what to do when peeling away from Jacob Hanson, lethally finishing past Ben Bottomley in the Emley goal and notching his seventh league goal already.
The Pewits then got their act together just minutes into the second period. Ross Hardaker swung in an inviting ball, Rylands’ failed offside trap didn’t go to plan, and it led to a very well-taken volleyed finish by Charlie Barks.
But just 10 minutes later, parity and a security goal was restored as Rylands once again made it 3-1 at home, although this one was not without controversy. Blues winger Jawad Jebrin did remarkably well to chase down a through ball near the sideline. Coming across Hardaker and despite going to ground, Jebrin appeared to play his own advantage. Rylands switched on, Wood was found, and the number seven scored the first of hopefully many Warrington hat-tricks this season.
Former Baller League star Edy Maieco met an impressive over-the-top chip by Pewits captain Harry Sheppeard with an outrageous overhead kick that was met by an equally impressive save by Pilling. A standing ovation from the home supporters, and rightfully so.
And in an interesting ninth additional minute, Rylands weren’t happy with just another three. They piledrived home a fourth through Ben Hardcastle, latching onto Stanley Holder’s layoff on a fast break before giving the keeper no chance. Top corner. Job done emphatically by Rylands.
Not too long after, the final whistle went, and it saw the Blues enter the top six of the playoffs for the first time since the start of the season. The momentum only keeps growing before we face Leek Town on Tuesday night.
Match Report by Jack Dowling