Tomorrow’s Annual General Meeting takes place at the stadium, in Butler’s Bar, from 7:30pm.

The agenda for the meeting is as follows:

1. Apologies
2. Minutes of last years AGM
3. Result of board elections
4. ETFC Ltd Accounts
   To approve accounts for ETFC Ltd
5. ETFC SS Accounts
   To approve accounts for ETFC Supporters Society
6. Board Review/Update
   To include updates on new facility and 3G pitch
7. Cooking Champions Presentation
8. Youth Section
9. Q & A with Gavin Macpherson and others

We look forward to hopefully seeing as many of you as possible. At this stage, we are planning on filming the meeting and sharing the video on our YouTube channel shortly after its conclusion.

Enfield Town 1 Billericay Town 2

Report By Andrew Warshaw

Not the result we wanted, of course, and arguably beaten by the better side.

But we have now played two of the division’s heavyweight pace-setters in the space of four days. The important thing is that we snap our loss of form and momentum as quickly as possible, restore confidence and keep our play-off hopes on track.

To be fair there were a couple of mitigating circumstances against Billericay. Ollie Knight received a three-match ban just a few hours before kickoff (more on that later) while traffic snarl-ups meant Mickey Parcell had to be replaced at the last minute in the starting line-up by Dylan Adjei-Hersey, with Lewis Taaffe moving to fullback.

Not great for planning and there was nothing we could do either by yet another inexplicable penalty award against us that left just about everyone scratching their heads.

In front of a post-500 crowd boosted by children from a local school, Billericay showed us very quickly why they are where they are squad-wise as they started strongly.

Alfie Cerulli pulled the trigger just two minutes in,  forcing Rhys Forster into a brilliant save with his wrong hand.

As the early pressure mounted, Richard Asamoah raced past three players and unleashed a 20-yard shot that Rhys managed to scramble to safety.

But against the run of play and after weathering the storm, Town went in front on 15 minutes with a delightful goal from Marcus Wyllie as he brought down Sam Youngs’ header into the box and netted with a controlled finish (pictured).

Ricay failed to capitalise on an unfortunate James Richmond slip but were soon back on level terms, albeit in the most fortunate of circumstances.

Jimbo was deemed to have handled as he cut out Frankie Merrified’s cross even though his arm was not raised, and Bradley Stevenson equalised from the spot.

It was tough on Town and Parcell received a booking for dissent from the bench. But we responded well and might have gone in ahead at halftime.

Marcus’ left-foot drive came back off the post while Sam uncharacteristically spurned a great chance following excellent vision by Manny Harvest, who caught eye throughout in central midfield.

H-T 1-1

Those chances bode well for the second half but for some reason we got bogged down and created little more to shout about.

Ricay skipper and former Towner Matt Johnson, who put in a typically commanding display, missed a golden chance as his team regained control but on 56 minutes they regained the lead.

Another defensive mix-up, all too apparent in recent fixtures, allowed Cerulli to break with pace down the left and with an extra player in the box, Stevenson moved the ball on to Asamoah who fired home.

Stevenson could have made it 3-1 when he cut inside but whacked the ball over the bar and despite eight minutes of stoppage time following treatment to blood-splattered Ricay keeper Daniel Wilks, we couldn’t find a way back – much like Hornchurch on Saturday.

After five points from a possible 21, it’s not rocket science to acknowledge we are lacking in confidence.

But we remain in the playoff positions and it’s certainly not a crisis, especially when you consider the two-year plan Gavin Macpherson and his team took on when they arrived. And when you consider we lost Jake Cass early doors. And, perhaps most significantly of all, that we are doing much better than some of those with far deeper pockets.

We also need luck which isn’t running for us. Take the last two penalties against us, for example. But there were no excuses from the manager.

“There was a moment tonight, just as on Saturday, when we contributed to our own downfall,” said a frustrated Gavin. “But they defended better than us and the reality is we’ve played two of the top sides in the league and we’re not quite there. Having said that, I expect better, especially in the previous games.”

“Mickey’s issue with getting here was a total shock and we had to reshuffle but I’m not bemoaning our bad luck. I have to sit down and see whether things are working because I can’t coach mistakes.”

On Ollie Knight’s suspension – as a result of an incident at Kingstonian involving one of their players when he was sent off – Gavin was unequivocal. Having already had a three-match ban at the time, Ollie now serves another several months after the game in question.

“It came out of the blue and I’m disappointed at the time the FA took,” said Gavin. “At first they couldn’t even get the league we were playing in right! Ollie knows he let himself down even though I don’t think he did it deliberately.”

Town:

Forster; Parcell, McKenzie, Richmond, Payne; Adjei-Hersey (Alves 85), Thomas (Hipployte 76), Harvest, Youngs; Wyllie, Beccles-Richards

The games are coming thick and fast and there’s no time to feel sorry for ourselves after Saturday’s narrow defeat to Hornchurch.

There’s no better way to dust ourselves down than to go again and that’s what we do tomorrow Tuesday against fellow contenders Billericay (k-o 7.45).

It’s a classic six-pointer, arguably bigger than against runaway leaders Hornchurch given the tight race for playoff places.

The Blues are third in the league, three points ahead of us having played one game fewer.

It’s therefore imperative we don’t allow them to get away but having gained a thoroughly deserved 1-1 draw against our Essex rivals earlier in the season, there is no reason why we can’t match or better that result.

Ricay were beaten 1-0 late on at Bognor on Saturday and before that were held at Cheshunt. But 15 goals in their previous four games tells its own story.

It promises to be a mouth-watering occasion under the lights against another big-spending heavyweight opponent and Gavin Macpherson is under no illusions.

“We knew this week would be a tough one, when you play the best two teams in the league in the space of few days it’s demanding,” said Gav. “We must focus more than ever on the job in hand and get us back functioning like I know we can.”

AW

Enfield Town 1 Hornchurch 2

Report by Andrew Warshaw

Five points from six games now but certainly no need to panic.

Town remain fourth after this narrowest of defeats against the runaway league leaders, helped in part by two other leading playoff-chasing sides losing as well.

Much was made of Hornchurch being without a string of key regulars but as their caretaker manager pointed out afterwards, they have invested in a heavyweight squad, arguably stronger than any other team  in the division.

Town made three changes from the 3-3 draw with Hashtag; with Ollie Knight, Dylan Adjei-Hersey, and Mickey Parcell restored to the starting lineup.

It all started very positively as Mickey Parcell’s low cross was headed goalwards by Sam Youngs, only for stand-in keeper Noah Phillips to push it against the post and Quentin Monville to clear off the line.

Ten minutes later a Ryan Scott header at the other end was fortunately powered straight at Rhys Forster.

In truth much of the first half was a scrappy affair, a series of Joe Payne long throws coming to nothing as both sides wrestled for supremacy.

Then, just before halftime, the Urchins took the lead with the most bizarre penalty award for handball, seemingly seen by no-one except the referee and dispatched in the corner by Femi Akinwande.

As Town responded, Joe Payne drilled a freekick wide while Marcus Wyllie’s goalbound shot found a Hornchurch body in the way.

H-T 0-1

In front of our biggest gate of the season (880),  Town discovered some much-needed urgency following a relatively lacklustre 45 minutes during which we were guilty of not enough pressure on the ball.

A foul on Ollie Knight on the edge of box (was it inside?) saw Youngs fire a freekick straight into the arms of 19-year-old Phillips but on 57 minutes parity was restored.

Town were awarded a spotkick of their own, again for handball though this time far more obvious, the otherwise excellent Ryan Scott – scourge of Town in the corresponding fixture earlier in the season — being the culprit (pictured). Up stepped the ever reliable Youngs to blast the ball down the middle.

The equaliser galvanised us but just as we appeared to move into the ascendency, we fell behind again.

James Richmond’s challenge on Muldoon earned him a booking but not before Muldoon’s sublime pass found Sean Scannell who ran on and rolled the ball into the corner.

Briefly we were down to 10 men as Parcell suffered a nasty gash on the face. He was luckily soon back on his feet and we came within  a whisker of levelling. Wyllie did well to keep the ball in play and from his cross Youngs was inches off the target.

Cue a series of substititions as we tried to find the  creativity in open play to open up a physically imposing back line that gobbled up almost every home attack.

Six minutes of stoppage time were added but in the end it wasn’t to be and we go again on Tuesday against Billericay.

“We came up against a very mean defence but I was really pleased with the application in the second half,” said Gavin Macpherson. “Sadly we contributed to our own downfall. Things could be very different in terms of the last few games but sadly they’re not.

“At the moment the boys don’t seem to be functioning as they were in the early part of the season. Maybe they’ve lost a little bit of confidence, I’m not sure. But we need to pep ourselves up.”

Town – Forster;  Parcell, McKenzie, Richmond, Payne; Thomas, Youngs, Adjei-Hersey (Onyeagwara, 78) Knight (Taaffe, 86), Wyllie, Beckles-Richards (Hippolyte, 65)

Enfield Town go into the first of two massive home games tomorrow as we test ourselves against a couple of the division’s heavyweights.

Billericay are the visitors on Tuesday but first we have the small matter of leaders Hornchurch (ko 3pm) against whom we put up more than a decent show in the corresponding game earlier in the season before running out of a gas and falling to a 2-0 defeat.

The Urchins have lost only once in the league all season and lead the table by six points, 10 ahead of us having played a game more.

Five points from our last five fixtures isn’t exactly playoff form but there is no better way to prove our mettle than to go toe to toe with one of the pre-season promotion favourites, especially since they are now under new management and have shown signs of vulnerability in recent games with three straight draws.

“We all know how difficult the week ahead is, starting with Hornchurch,” said Gavin Macpherson who is looking for our usual passionate support to get behind us.

“As it stands they are the best side in the division and we know how tough our task is. We are underdogs but we don’t mind that, I’m looking for the best of Enfield Town both on and off the pitch.”

“Against the best sides you are looking to find that extra 5 or 10%, our supporters can certainly give us that boost, we all know how crucial they are to us.”

AW

Hashtag United 3 Enfield Town 3

Report by Andrew Warshaw

In a game that always promised goals, Enfield Town shared six but threw away a 3-1 lead in the process to maintain their stuttering start to the New Year.

Second best for the opening 45 minutes when the hosts had eight attempts on goal to our one, we looked a different side after the break and seemed to be well on course for victory before being pegged back.

Five points from as many games is hardly playoff form and with tough encounters against Hornchurch and Billericay to come, Town need to rediscover their mojo as quickly as possible.

With Mickey Parcell and Ollie Knight both missing through injury, our right flank consisted of Renedi Masampu, making his Town debut, and Obi Onyeagwara in his first league start.

Town also fielded newcomer Manny Harvest in central midfield alongside Scott Thomas as we adopted a flexible 4-2-3-1 system with Sam Youngs pushed further forward

Hashtag were without even more players, including former Towner Percy Kiangebeni, but you would never have known it judging by their early dominance.

But for a couple of magnificent saves from Rhys Forster and several glaring misses by the Tags, we may well have had a mountain to climb.

Instead we went in front against the run of play on the half hour. Reece Beckles-Richards, restored to the starting lineup, played in Marcus Wyllie with a sublime flick and keeper Joshua Strizovic couldn’t do enough to keep the ball out as Marcus got back on the score sheet after a lean patch.

The lead was shortlived, however. Five minutes later, we somehow allowed Camilo Restrepo, who nicked the ball high up the pitch, to burst through the heart of midfield and finish in the corner.

H-T 1-1

It was clear that our right side needed fixing and the management team wasted no time pulling off Masampu, whose preferred role is on the left, and bringing on Lewis Taaffe.

After a stern talking-to, we re-emerged looking far more of a threat, taking the game to our opponents.

Strizovic made two huge saves to deny Wyllie and Beckles-Richards but could do nothing to keep out Taaffe’s sumptuous pinpoint 20-yard freekick on 56 minutes (pictured).

It was the away team now asking all the questions and on 71 minutes, we seemed to have put the game to bed as Onyeagwara latched on to a loose ball and smashed a curling strike into the far top corner.

Hashtag were far from finished, however. Just two minutes later, with the centre of our defence exposed, substitute Alex Teniola headed home a right-wing cross to set up a nail-biting finale.

It gave the Tags fresh impetus at the worst possible time and with nine minutes left, an angled shot by Hassan Sakariya was deflected back into his path and at the second attempt he made no mistake as two points were ripped from our grasp.

Whilst we remain in fourth spot, several of those around us had their games called off and Gavin Macpherson understandably cut a frustrated figure.

“Whether or not we on the back foot in the first half, the fact is we were 3-1 up,” said Gavin. “Renedi wasn’t quite up to speed and that’s my responsibility. But generally they were doing things they were not asked to do.”

“They got a rocket a halftime but whereas we had to work really hard for our goals, they were given theirs on a plate. I’m devastated for the supporters. I know Hashtag score goals but we didn’t manage the game properly. Now they have it all to do in the next two games because otherwise they could be playing catch-up.”

Town:

 Forster; Masampu (Taaffe, 45), McKenzie, Richmond, Payne; Beckles-Richards, Thomas, Harvest, Youngs; Onyeagwara; Wyllie

We are pleased to announce the signing of holding midfielder Emmanuel Harvest from Leyton Orient on a 28-day loan.

Emmanuel, who signed a professional contract with the O’s in June 2023, is described by his parent club as a ‘combative midfielder’ and started the season with Hornchurch, making 14 appearances before spending the final two months of the year with St Albans City. He has also had prior experience at Harlow Town.

Manager Gavin Macpherson added: “It all came about quickly and I’d like to thank Leyton Orient for making this happen. We are lacking in holding midfield, mainly down to Louis Birch having had a difficult time recently and the departure of Leo [Donnellan] this week. Louis has started getting game time after a long period out but in Manny we’ve added immediate resilience in that area.

“Manny has recent step 2 experience on loan and means we have a current option other than Scott, I feel is important with the current schedule.”

Enfield Town venture into Essex tomorrow as we attempt to do the double over Hashtag United who play at Bowers and Pitsea’s ground.

The corresponding  game in October resulted in a 6-3 goalfest in favour of Town but victory of any kind tomorrow would stand us in good stead going into two mouth-watering six-pointers at home to Hornchurch and Billericay.

Hashtag have surprisingly lost their last five league games but are notoriously unpredictable and have beaten the likes of Billericay, Horsham and Folkestone.

They have also been boosted by a string of signings including Sam Cornish, last season’s player of the season at Wingate and Finchley.

They are certainly one of the division’s great entertainers, having lost 5-4 and 3-2 in their last two outings, so we can perhaps expect plenty of goals — hopefully not in our net!

Boosted by a hugely creditable 1-1 draw at Horsham in freezing conditions in midweek, we now negotiate yet another artificial surface but we go into tomorrow’s game in good heart.

“We now need to regain the consistency shown earlier in the season and the players have proved they are good enough to do that,” said Gavin Macpherson.

“It’s not an easy game at the weekend but few are. We need to up our levels and get on with the job in hand.”

AW

It’s time to start planning for our last three group games.

Skjold Away –  March 5 (ko tbd)

All seats and accommodation for the official party for our trip to Copenhagen — our first competitive fixture overseas  — are now taken.  However there are still plenty of bargain fares to be had. Most budget airlines now have a January sale on so why not treat yourself!

Llantwit  Major Home – March 19 (ko tbd)

Live Music planned after the game

Llantwit  Major Away – April 9 (ko 5pm)

The club are considering running a supporters’ coach to this game. Expected time of departure from Stadium 11am arriving back approx. midnight.

Please register your interest at the Club Shop. Final details of costs and timings will be given once the level of interest is known.

Horsham 1-1 Enfield Town

Enfield Town responded to Saturday’s disappointing home defeat with a much-improved second-half performance, as Reece Beckles-Richards’ late strike earned a share of the spoils on a frosty evening at Horsham.

There were wholesale changes to the lineup as boss Gavin Macpherson opted for a change in system. Herson Alves was introduced for a full debut at the tip of midfield, while Lewis Taaffe and Jonathan Hippolyte were handed starts as Marcus Wyllie, Reece Beckles-Richards and Dylan Adjei-Hersey settled for a place on a particularly chilly bench.

Horsham hitman Jack Mazzone had exchanged pleasantries with the Enfield management team pre-match, and it was he who almost landed the first blow to his former Met Police colleagues on six minutes after Horsham had stolen possession in their final third, but his eventual shot sailed harmlessly wide of Rhys Forster’s left-hand upright. From there, the pattern for a rather insipid first half was largely set; the hosts with lengthy spells of possession and Enfield happy to keep their shape and press with caution. On occasion, the visitors managed to spring upfield and send in a series of flighted crosses, though goalkeeper Lewis Carey and his defence went largely untroubled. Horsham captain Jack Brivio ventured forward and fed Tom Richards to swing in a cross which narrowly evaded a yellow shirt in the centre, before Brivio headed narrowly over from a corner kick, and Mazzone tested Forster with a low effort following a swift breakaway.

The fact that the Hornets’ skipper had attempted to lob Forster from some 40 yards would have been an apt summary of the attacking fortunes of either side first period, until the deadlock was eventually broken on 39 minutes. Horsham had found some joy spraying long passes into wide areas, and this time it bore fruit as Carey picked out Lee Harding who took one touch to kill the loose ball at the gallop and another to tee up Shamir Fenelon on the edge of the box for a tidy touch and shot off the left peg, which bounced out of Rhys Forster’s grasp and into the far corner.

Half Time: Horsham 1-0 Enfield Town

Town, unchanged but undeterred, continued as before the restart; maintaining discipline and attempting to mount sporadic counters in transition to little avail. It was the hosts initially who looked the likelier to extend their lead, not least when Reece Meekums stabbed a square ball straight at Forster from close range. Another low cross from Fenelon moments later required the Enfield goalie’s intervention once more to snap up in front of a host of Horsham forwards poised for a tap-in.

Slowly, however, the momentum began to shift as Town began to maintain possession and threaten their hosts with movement from off the flanks. Some combination play down the left allowed for Herson Alves to register Enfield’s first real shot just after the hour mark, followed soon after by Lewis Carey’s first assignment of the night; Joe Payne’s back post header tipped over the bar following a wicked corner kick from Alves.

A trio of changes; Beckles-Richards, Wyllie, and Obi Onyeagwara; were all introduced in the game’s closing stages as Town attempted to turn their foothold into an equaliser, and with ten minutes remaining they did just that. A neat interchange between Sam Youngs and Onyeagwara set the latter away to dink a cross across the face of goal and, with Carey stranded, Beckles-Richards arrived at the back stick to drill home at the near post from a tight angle.

With fresh legs, and buoyed by their equaliser, it was arguably Town who came the closest to a winner as the game ebbed away – not least when Scott Thomas sent Marcus Wyllie clean through, only for the striker to drag his eventual effort wide of the mark with just Carey in the goal to beat. As the match ticked over the four allocated additional minutes, its final moments saw Joe Payne’s hopeful ball nodded just beyond the post by Wyllie from a difficult angle, with the referee bringing to an end a contest which both sides may feel they ought to have won.

Town: Forster; Parcell, McKenzie, Richmond, Payne; Thomas, Youngs, Taaffe (Beckles-Richards 77′) , Alves, Knight (Onyeagwara 68′) ; Hippolyte (Wyllie 68′)

Attendance: 679