The Enfield branch of the Macmillan Cancer Charity are organising an community fundraising quiz at St Stephens Church Hall, Village Road, from 7pm on Saturday 18th November.

We are delighted that they have included ETFC Community Sports Development as one of the beneficiaries.

The quiz is in tables of six and proceeds will go to a variety of local good causes, including our own. If interested in participating or organising a team, please contact: hazyfundraiser@gmail.com

If you wish to be part of an ETFC team please contact Christine Hamilton on 07949 071587.

No guessing which game in our division has captured the imagination this weekend.

After whopping back-to-back wins against  Hashtag and Wingate and Finchley, we visit runaway leaders Hornchurch on Saturday (k-o 3pm) – the pre-season favourites for automatic promotion with a big-name squad and a manager whose previous job was in the EFL Championship.

Weather permitting, it’s first v second and while it may not quite be a free hit, we go there with plenty of renewed self-belief having hit our stride following those two agonising cup exits.

“I think we all realise this fixture is now looking like the toughest league game of the season,” said Gavin Macpherson for whom Ollie Knight serves the final game of three-match suspension. 

“Hornchurch have clearly made a massive statement this season and will be extremely difficult opposition.”

The Urchins finished second last season, only to lose to Aveley in the playoff final, and have spent big to try and improve on that.

They are unbeaten in the league both home and away and lead the table by eight points. But Gavin said from day one that he would relish pitting his wits against the best.

“They have made some excellent signings but we’re in a good place and the boys are working hard,” he said. “It’s a big test but one that we’re really looking forward to, every game is a challenge in this league.”

Andrew Warshaw

Wingate and Finchley 1 Enfield Town 4

Report by Andrew Warshaw

Whisper it quietly, Enfield Town are up to second in the table.

In an almost carbon copy of how Saturday’s game unfolded, Town ultimately demolished a slick and highly capable W and F side on Tuesday night with another cracking second-half display.

In front of crowd of 300 – a large majority supporting the Towners (including a heavily strapped but slowly recovering Jake Cass) – we had things far from our own way in the opening period before improving massively to give our hosts a Halloween fright.

Having said that, we got off to a perfect start on eight minutes. Scott Thomas launched a powerful downfield header that was collected by Marcus Wyllie whose delicious cross-field ball into the box was coolly dispatched by Reece Beckles-Richards against his old club.

Marcus almost added a second with a trademark strike that whisked past the post but Wingate, pleasing on the eye and using their pace, gradually gained a foothold and probably deserved their equaliser on 26 minutes on the balance of play.

Ruben Carvalho, a box of tricks in midfield, found an extra yard of space and fired in a shot that Rhys Forster could only push into the path Elliot Long who duly converted the rebound.

Town were perhaps fortunate not to go behind when Sam Youngs, tracking back, was dispossessed near our own goal-line but this time Carvalho screwed the ball wide of an open goal.

In an end-to-end finish to a highly watchable half, Marcus had another effort clawed to safety by Blues keeper Ben Goode.

H-T 1-1

Wingate’s wide and central midfield players had given us plenty to think about but after the proverbial half-time team talk, we looked a different side – just as on Saturday – as we upped our pressing game and went for the jugular.

On 54 minutes, Dylan Adjei-Hersey’s cross from the right found Wyllie who found the tightest pocket of space between two defenders and managed to get his shot away for his 10^th league goal of the season (pictured).

Now Town were firmly in the ascendancy.  George Sykes, making his first league start, stole in at the back post to convert a Joe Payne freekick for his first Town goal before Goode was forced into a smart save from a Beckles-Richards drive.

With seven minutes left, Town put the icing on the cake with what initially looked like an own goal by  former Towner Ben Frempah, only for it to later be awarded to Youngs whose goalbound header had taken a deflection.

After 10 goals in two games, next up the small matter of runaway leaders Hornchurch on Saturday but we go there with plenty of self-belief.

With a somewhat croaky Gavin Macpherson preserving his voice, the after-match analysis was provided by Steve Conroy.

“We knew we had to be on our game because they move the ball well but we were a bit loose in the first half,” said Steve. “They made it hard for us but the distance between our units was far too big.”

“We weren’t getting nearly close enough to them and they were dictating the ball. But second half we squeezed the pitch, nullified their strengths and went on the front foot which is how we like to play.”

Town:

Forster; Parcell, Richmond, Okotcha, Payne; Adjei-Hersey (Taaffe, 90), Thomas, Youngs (Onyeagwara, 84), Beckles-Richards; Wyllie, Sykes (Keeya, 74)

 Following a triumphant return to home soil on Saturday, Enfield Town are back on the road again tomorrow, Tuesday (7.45 ko), with a short trip to neighbours Wingate and Finchley.

Only two points separate the teams, both having played 11 games, and although Wingate were beaten at home by Dulwich Hamlet last Saturday, prior to that they were in strong league form, winning three on the bounce including a 6-2 demolition of canvey island.

Gavin Macpherson will certainly not let the boys sit on their laurels following our own six-goal feast at the weekend, especially since a trip to runaway leaders Hornchurch follows four days after the Wingate fixture.

Ollie Knight misses the second of a three-game ban while Louis Birch is again missing for medical reasons.

But Saturday’s thumping win over Hashtag will hopefully give the team plenty of confidence going into what is invariably a spicy derby.

“I’m fully respectful of Wingate because they have been causing teams problems,” said Gav. “They have a lot of pace in the side which is hard to combat. They play an open system which on the one hand is get-atable, if you like, but it also causes the opposition some thinking and we’ll need to be on our guard.”

Enfield Town 6 Hashtag United 3

Report by Andrew Warshaw

After six successive away games in all competitions, Enfield Town returned to familiar surroundings on Saturday and did so in style, smashing Hashtag for six including a Sam Youngs hattrick.

The only surviving fixture in the division because of weather-induced postponements and a raft of FA Trophy games, Town made it count by producing a scintillating second-half blitz to move up to third in the table, which we’d all have taken at this point of the season. Or any point for that matter!

Draw specialists Tag had only lost once in the league this season – at runaway leaders Hornchurch – and made us work for our openings in a relatively even first half.

Reece Beckles-Richards (pictured, celebrating) broke the deadlock on 28 minutes with a glorious strike from just outside the box after switching the ball from left foot to right having been played through by Obi Onyeagwara, making his first start for Town as Ollie Knight began a three-game ban.

In truth, however, there was little to choose between the sides at the interval with three ex-Towners in the visitors’ line-up, one of whom, Percy Kiangebeni, was a constant threat throughout the opening period in central midfield.

H-T 1-0

There was no hint of the goal fest to come, the less so when Greg Halford levelled from the penalty spot just after the break, Rhys Forster adjudged to have impeded Misha Djemaili when he actually got to the ball first.

It was a distinctly soft award but within four minutes we restored our lead, Marcus Wyllie collecting a Town corner and bending a beautifully executed shot inside the far post.

From then on, everything Town touched turned to gold…and goals.

Right on the hour, Tag keeper Ted Curd got a hand to a Sam Youngs header but was beaten for sheer power and three became six during a blistering 15-minute spell.

On 75 minutes, Josh Keeya ran on to a woefully short backpass from Matthew Wooldridge but when the Tag defender appeared to redeem himself with what looked a fair challenge, the referee awarded a second dubious spotkick, this time for Town. Youngs, as almost always, made no mistake for 4-1.

Town weren’t finished yet, saving the best till last.

On 86 minutes, Wyllie produced an early contender for goal of the season, turning on the proverbial sixpence and almost bursting the net with a 35-yard screamer, surely one of the best individual strikes ever seen at Step 3 level.

Town’s sixth was almost as memorable, a wonderful team goal finished off by a magnificent curling cross from Dylan Adjei-Hersey and a sumptuous finish from Youngs to collect the match ball.

With three points easily in the bag, a crazy game got even crazier right at the death when we took our eye off the ball and conceded twice, first from a corner, then a 25-yard effort from former Town favourite Kiangebeni. They gave a modicum of respectability to the scoreline but for Tag were far too little, far too late.

“At halftime, I gave them a bit of rocket because they were not doing what they were supposed to do,” explained Gav.  “We were far too deep and far too strung out between the various units which allowed Hashtag to pass the ball through our lines.”

“But I’m not surprised how they reacted because there are goals all over this team. It’s the reverse of last week at Lewes when I held my hands up. We’re a management team who know what we’re doing and once the players came with us today, we looked like a different side. Having said that they were deflated to concede those last two goals.”

“Our standards have to be there from first minute to last but we’ve entertained the fans and I’m delighted about that because we’ve been a bit up and down in recent weeks.”

Town

Foster; Parcell (Bailey, 68), Okotcha, Richmond, Payne; Beckles-Richards (Sykes, 82), Youngs, Thomas, Adjei-Hersey; Onyeagwara (Keeya, 58), Wyllie.

Tomorrow, Saturday, we entertain draw specialists Hashtag United (3pm kickoff), hoping to mark our return to home soil with three points following a positive display in midweek at Billericay.

Isthmian North champions last season, Tag were promoted to Step 3 and are currently 12^th in the table, three places below Town

Hashtag’s 11 league games this season have produced no fewer than seven draws including last Monday against high-flying Chatham

The fact that they have only lost once in the league, at runaway leaders Hornchurch, suggests they will be a highly competitive unit.

Unfortunately Ollie Knight starts a three-game suspension against Hashtag but after six straight away games in all competitions, Gavin Macpherson is delighted to get back to familiar surroundings.

“It’ll be difficult without Ollie obviously but we have scope in wide areas and are not short of options,” said Gavin. “It gives someone else a chance to come in and stake a claim.”

“It’ll be great to be at home again, it seems ages. But again, good opposition. We have to reach our levels every game no matter who we are playing.”

Andrew Warshaw

Billericay Town 1 Enfield Town 1

Report by Andrew Warshaw

Bodies on the line, togetherness, concentration, teamwork and a fair few good chances.

This was more like the kind of away performance Town fans and management alike have been seeking against one of the division’s big hitters.

If you don’t win, make sure you don’t lose may be an obvious cliché but the way the players covered for one another in our sixth successive away game was the perfect response to Saturday’s shambolic display at Lewes.

Gavin Macpherson made four changes for the trip to Essex, with Sam Youngs returning after suspension and Josh Okotcha, Reece Beckles-Richards and Dylan Adjei-Hersey brought back into the team, all playing their part in a battling performance.

Right from the off, the Ricay manager was barking instructions from the dug-out and while the hosts will rue rushing a string of half-chances and failing to capitalise on a raft of corners, we thoroughly deserved a share of the spoils and with a little luck might even have nicked all three points against a team who will be right up there come the end of the season.

Town’s endeavour and spirit was typified after 14 minutes when the hosts seized on a rare slip by Okotcha, only for Mickey Parcell to rush back and produce a sensational clearance off the line (pictured).

Marshalled by former Towner Matt Johnson, Ricay continued to probe, largely through Bradley Stevenson and Moses Emanuel, but we looked lively and energetic on the counter and so nearly grabbed the lead on the half hour when Adjei-Hersey cut in from the right and saw his diagonal effort come back off the post straight into the gloves of Dan Wilks.

As halftime approached, Town had their best period of the opening 45 minutes as Youngs headed wide from an Ollie Knight freekick.

H-T 0-0

Gavin sent the boys out early for the second period but we had the worst possible start. James Richmond was dispossessed just inside our half and Ricay burst forward and had two bites of the cherry before we just managed to clear the ball.

Moments later, however, they took the lead as Alfie Cerulli burst through the centre of midfield and unleashed a 30-yard worldie that left Rhys Forster floundering.

This was not a night, however, when we ever looked like buckling, with skipper Scott Thomas leading by example. Three minutes later,  Beckles-Richards was unceremoniously hacked down and Youngs’ resultant penalty was too well angled for the diving Wilks.

Now it was anyone’s game. Marcus Wyllie’s quick feet produced two decent chances, one whistling just past, while at the other end  Emmanuel missed an absolute sitter and Youngs blocked another Ricay goalbound effort.

In the midst of all this, how we were not given a second spotkick is anyone’s guess as Adjei-Hersey was blatantly impeded, the referee instead awarding a corner. In fact, we could well have had three spotkicks, a first-half foul on Knight adjudged to have been  outside the box when it looked inside to many.

As the game moved into six minutes of stoppage time, Ricay increased the pressure but we held firm and had the last chance of the game when Joe Payne lashed a freekick over the bar.

Town’s starting eleven last night are unbeaten as a unit and Gavin was quick to praise them.

“We couldn’t have played much worse than at Lewes and I don’t want that to happen again,” he said. “Billericay are being talked up yet we came with a 4-4-2 to try and win the game.”

“I wanted the energy levels and application we had earlier in the season and they certainly gave me that. I may be biased but I thought we shaded it though of course I’m happy with a point.”

Town: Forster; Payne, Okotcha, Richmond, Parcell; Knight, Thomas (Soulya-Osekanongo 90), Youngs, Adjei-Hersey (Keeya 83); Beckles-Richards, Wyllie

We’re delighted that our Community Sports Development section now has a new website, showcasing the efforts and achievements of all our community teams; from our youth soccer school, to walking football, disabilities teams, and more.

We have had some good news over the last month, with Tony Gibbs recognised for his sterling services to our community section by Enfield Voluntary Action, plus three of our first-teamers joining in with our Soccer School last weekend.

And you can now read about it on our new page: https://etfc-community.co.uk/ – this can also be accessed by clicking the Community logo at the bottom of our home page. You’ll also find this badge proudly on the back of all our men’s first team shirts once again this season – a testament to the hard work that all our volunteers and players put in, across the whole football club.

The games come thick and fast and certainly don’t get any easier.

Tomorrow evening (Tuesday) we make the shortish trip to Essex to face one of the division’s big-hitters in Billericay Town, hoping to bounce back from an afternoon to forget at Lewes.

This is Ricay’s second season back at Step 3 and they have started impressively – in the league at least after a shock FA exit to Sheppey United.

They are skippered by former Towner Matt Johnson while Bradley Stevenson and Moses Emanuel have netted a combined 16 times, aided and abetted by the likes of  Frankie Merrifield.

Like us, they have played nine league games but lie third in the table and are certain to provide formidable opposition.

This is Town’s sixth successive away game in all competitions, an unenviable scenario for any side. But a decent result at the AGP arena will set us up nicely for a return to familiar home surroundings next Saturday.

Sam Youngs is available for selection tomorrow after serving a one-match ban but Gavin Macpherson knows how tough an encounter it will be after recent setbacks.

“I’ve got players who weren’t making errors that now are and it’s been costing us,” admitted Gavin. “I have to work out why that is.”

“I’ve never had a revolving door as a manager but there comes a point, when it is consistent, where you wonder whether your players can do what you are asking them to.”

“Do I look at it and think maybe this is phase two of the season, after getting off to a pretty good start overall in phase one, and wonder if I need to being anyone in.

“We were surprisingly lacklustre at Lewes. Hopefully it’s a massive wake-up call. I absolutely feel for our supporters but Billericay doesn’t faze me. It’s another chance to pit our wits against one of the so-called big boys.”

We have laid on a minibus for Billericay departing at 4.45 costing £15 return. please email to book your seat at ramismail65@gmail.com

Andrew Warshaw

Lewes 4 Enfield Town 0

Report by Andrew Warshaw

First things first. We are eighth in the table with games in hand, this was always going to be something of a transition season and we possibly punched above our weight early in the campaign.

Having said that, there is little doubt that the wheels have come off in recent fixtures with far too many goals conceded, yesterday’s woeful  defeat on a ground that is traditionally a graveyard for us being arguably the low point of a league season that has suddenly taken on a distinctly inconsistent pattern.

Only a couple of weeks ago, we were all praising a terrific FA Cup performance at Halesowen but that has been largely forgotten by two chastening cup defeats and yesterday’s even worse display – interspersed by the much-needed midweek win at Kingstonian which should have restored our self-belief.

The fact that as well as conceding another four goals (15 in four games now) we also created so little in the opposition box at Lewes and appeared to lack leadership will not have been lost on the management team.

Is it a sudden lack of confidence? Of course we missed the suspended Sam Youngs, with Marcus Wyllie adopting Sam’s role and therefore having to play in a more withdrawn position.

But one swallow doesn’t make a summer and even Gavin Macpherson, showing his usual commendable honestly, was at a loss to explain what’s going on.

In the first half, whilst not doing a great deal with the ball, we were reasonably comfortable out of possession with a low block.

It was a disappointment, therefore, when  Lewes grabbed the lead on 17 minutes. Rhys Forster, arguably our man of the match, superbly kept out a Harvey Hughes thunderbolt but from the resultant corner Arthur Penny rose unmarked to head into the corner.

It was another of those set-piece goals that have recently proved our undoing and galvanised Lewes who should have quickly doubled their lead.  Showing terrific technique, Marcus Sablier controlled a sweeping counter-attack before playing in Ola Ogunwamide, only for Forster to pull off another fine stop, and then a third to keep out a powerful Tommy Wood strike after initially being unable to hold on to an Ogunwamide knock-down.

As Town briefly rallied, we produced two decent chances that flashed across goal but we needed more urgency, incisiveness and penetration.

H-T 0-1

Instead, it was Lewes who upped their game, shutting out any Town threats and doubling their advantage on 57  minutes, Guyana international Dean Moore making space for himself before shooting across Forster and into the bottom corner though the ball appeared to go in under Rhys’ body.

Two quickly became three as James Richmond diverted a Wood drive into his own net and Wood rounded off an impressive individual display by a superb turn and shot on the edge of the box.

 The fact that our best effort of the game came in the final minute of normal time when Nathan Harvey pulled off an excellent stop to thwart Reece Beckles-Richards (pictured) said everything about a desperate day at the office.

“I take this personally and told the players I would carry the can because I set the team up,” admitted Gavin afterwards. “But if they think that me taking ownership means they are off the hook, they’ve got another think coming because we were nowhere near it.”

“We were never going to spend masses of time with the ball but the manner of the goals we conceded were alarming because it’s not what we’ve done all season. At one point we had one of the meanest defences in the league. It’s hard to explain quite frankly but now I’ve got a lot of thinking to do. I thought I knew my players but they seem to be proving me wrong at the moment.”

Town: Forster, Parcell, Payne, Thomas (Onyeagwara 62), Coker, Richmond, Knight (Beckles-Richards 64), Sykes (Soulya-Osekanongo 85), Keeya, Wyllie, Birch