The FA Trophy Third Round draw has handed us an away tie to Isthmian South East side Sittingbourne.

The Brickies currently occupy third spot in their division, above Margate and Burgess Hill Town, with a goal difference of +37. They have lost just once at home so far this term, and will be in confident mood having already knocked out Kingstonian, Bognor Regis Town and Dover Athletic in this year’s competition.

The tie will take place at Sittingbourne’s Staxson Stadium on Saturday 7th December 2024.

Enfield Town 1 Hornchurch 1 (Town win 8-7 on penalties)

Report by Andrew Warshaw

Enfield Town finally won a knockout game this season but it took a nail-biting sudden death penalty shootout to keep us in the FA Trophy.

Town’s shootout record is pretty woeful but for once Lady Luck  was on our side as we dispatched former winners Hornchurch 8-7 on spotkicks after the sides couldn’t be separated in regulation time.

Not only will the  £3,750 in prize money for reaching the third round come in handy, the fact that we managed to get through despite a number of absentees and against a team with such experience and know-how was another indication of the progress that is slowly coming together.

Hornchurch haven’t won an FA Trophy match since they lifted the trophy as a Step 3 side in 2021. Since then they have fallen at the first hurdle every time, all penalty defeats after the games finished level.

So it was very much a case of déjà vu when Giles Phillips lashed the ball over the bar with the 15^th spotkick, much to the delight of the home faithful.

Ten points separate the sides in the league where, as everyone knows, we have endured a challenging start to our first season at Step 2

It looked as though it might be another of those days when, after just eight minutes, the Red Sea parted and Uchins newcomer Henry Hearn was allowed to rampage unchallenged through the centre of the pitch and fire low beyond Rhys Forster.

As Hornchurch continued to have the better of the attacking play, dangerman Sean Scannell stung the hands of Forster who managed to grab the ball at the second attempt.

A robust challenge by former Towner Manny Harvest on  Ruben Shakpoke, our new centre-forward, saw the referee produce a card and although we lacked  fluidity against speedier opposition, we were still in the game at the interval.

H-T 0-1

No sooner had the players re-emerged than Urchins striker Liam Nash cleared the bar from fully 35 yards.

But on 53 we got the break we needed. Xavier Benjamin’s effort was deflected behind and Adam Thompson – who put in another masterful display at the back – moved up for the resultant corner and got the final touch in a goalmouth scramble (pictured) for his second goal in successive games.

Soon afterwards Dylan Adjei-Hersey limped off but now it was anyone’s to win.

Billy Leonard, who deserve huge praise for having to play in two unfamiliar positions, produced a magnificent clearance off the line while at the other end Jack Smith rifled a low shot just wide after Lennon Peake’s attempt against his former club was saved by the legs of Mason Terry.

And so to penalties, Town choosing to go first but Smith handing the advantage to Hornchurch as our second kick was saved. Forster then restored parity at 2-2 by going the right way to save from Myles Weston.

And so it went on…

Terry so nearly put his team back in the driving seat when he got a strong hand to Leonard’s effort but thankfully couldn’t keep it out.

And with the respective goalies braced for taking kicks themselves, Town’s third-round spot was finally clinched when Phillips lost his nerve and blazed over.

 With Trophy shocks galore across the country, Town now eagerly await the third-round draw on Monday.

“I wouldn’t have been hard on them at all had we gone out on pens and it’s a good step forward that we’ve had the nerve to see it through against a top side,” said Gavin Macpherson who celebrated with the supporters afterwards.

“When Dylan came off, we were looking round wondering who to put there and Billy did a job in a position where he’s never played. These kinds of things are massive for us.”

His thoughts on Shakpoke’s debut in a Town shirt? “Ruben is obviously short of matches but we wanted to get him out there straight away. He’s a very good player but we need to play to his strengths and that will come.”

“I felt a bit detached from the fans in the first half to be honest but it’s a two-way thing. We’ve got to give them something to shout about and they were magnificent once we got our goal. It’s a competition you don’t turn your nose up at and creates a bit of a buzz. Hopefully we can take that forward in the league before the next round.”

The one big surprise for fans was the omission on the teamsheet of  Fionn Mooney, who had signed for us the previous day along with Shakpoke yet was conspicuous by his absence.

“It was a bit of strange conversation on Friday,” Gavin explained  diplomatically.  “Someone has agreed to join, then an agent gets involved and it’s turned on its head and we no longer have that player. It’s a total one-off that I’ve never experienced before but I only want players who want to play for this football club.”

Town  Forster, Benjamin, Thompson, Payne; Adjei-Hersey (Hutchinson 62), Smith, Scott, Youngs, Peake; Leonard, Shakpoke (Whittaker  90)

Having been knocked out at the first hurdle in all cup competitions to date this season, Enfield Town enter the FA Trophy tomorrow against former winners Hornchurch determined to buck that trend but without a string of key players for the second round clash.

No fewer than six of the first-team squad could be  missing, either injured or, in the cases  of Alfie Tuck and Dan Cox, called up by Wales under-19 while Harry Ottaway has bade farewell to the club for a second time

It’s hardly the ideal scenario ahead our last chance of cup progress in what is generally regarded as the FA Cup for non-league sides, plus of course, the prize money on offer.

But every cloud has a silver lining and the additions of youth internationals Fionn Mooney, an attacking midfielder who came through the academy at Crystal Palace, and striker Ruben Shakpoke has lifted the entire mood in the camp.

Our search for a centre-forward is well documented and Rueben, 20, is a hugely exciting prospect having been on the books of both Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion.

“I’ve been saying for some weeks that we need to strengthen our forward options, both Ruben and Fionn bring recent professional experience to the camp”, said Gavin macpherson

“They are both very different in the way they operate but the hope is they add much needed goals to our current situation. I’m certainly not putting any pressure on them or the wider squad, we accept that we have key players missing for the visit of Hornchurch and it’s for me to shoulder any pressure and responsibility that already exists.”

Although Tuesday’s Middlesex Cup defeat at Hanwell was not the result we wanted or expected, Gavin made wholesale changes and there were plenty of positives to take from the game, just as there were last Saturday against Salisbury.

This, however, is an altogether different challenge.The draw hasnt exactly been kind and we take on an Urchins team who, despite being in the bottom half of the same division as us, look ominously strong on paper and who, of course, swept all before them to actually win the competition three years ago as a Step 3 side.

Ironically this will be the first of two meetings in 10 days with Hornchurch since we play them again at home in the league on Nov 26.

Whilst league points are obviously paramount, a cup run can have a galvanising effect.

“I have to take the view that this gives other people an opportunity,” said Gavin. “Some people might feel we don’t need any distractions and if you  offered me staying up over a cup run, I’d take that any day. Having said that, the FA Trophy is a fantastic competition. League runs can emulate from cup runs. While we’ll obviously be weakened by absentees and have a couple of square pegs in round holes somewhere, let’s give it a go and try to stay in it.”

In advance of this weekend’s FA Trophy fixture with Hornchurch, we are delighted to welcome another couple of new recruits to bolster our attacking options.

The first is attacking midfielder Fionn Mooney, who joins having left Real Valladolid’s academy. The 21-year-old came through the academy at Crystal Palace, where he posted impressive numbers at youth level and featured in the Young Eagles’ EFL Trophy squad.

The second is a long-awaited centre-forward in the form of Ruben Shakpoke. The 20-year-old striker has spent the last few years in the Midlands in the youth sides of Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion. He spent the off-season training with another Premier League side.

Departing the club is Harry Ottaway, who bids farewell to Enfield Town for a second time having scored twice and assisted once in eight appearances. We wish him the very best for the future.

“I’ve been saying for some weeks that we need to strengthen our forward options, both Ruben and Fionn bring recent professional experience to the camp”, commented manager Gavin Macpherson.

“They are both very different in the way they operate but the hope is they add much needed goals to our current situation. I’m certainly not putting any pressure on them or the wider squad, we accept that we have key players missing for the visit of Hornchurch and it’s for me to shoulder any pressure and responsibility that already exists.”

“Key to any recruitment is selling the club, the club is the supporters so much of my time is spent talking about that to any potential players.”

Welcome, lads!

Hanwell Town 1 Enfield Town 0

Report by Martin Bentley

First the good news: Enfield Town have conceded only three goals in three knockout matches this season.

The bad news: they have scored three fewer.

A lack of strike power, together with some inspired goalkeeping, were the primary reasons for yet another disappointing cup defeat, this at the hands of Step 3 opposition, as Town crashed out of the Middlesex Senior Cup at the first time of asking.

A debut was handed to newly-signed goalkeeper James Hillson and starts given to Academy players Michael Adu and Jay Lambert.

Hillson had a relatively quiet night, unlike his opposite number Sam Beasant, while Adu and Lambert were outstanding at the back, with the latter being named as Man of the Match.

A flurry of Town attacks in the opening ten minutes could have seen then three goals up with efforts by Reece Beckles-Richards (offside and disallowed), Sam Youngs (header brilliantly tipped onto the bar by Beasant) and Tarelle Whittaker (shot saved, fumbled and recovered).

The game then settled down a bit, with Town producing some nice approach play without any meaningful end product.

The home side’s first effort on goal didn’t arrive until the 35^th minute, when Ryan Case’s free kick was comfortably dealt with by Hillson.

Three minutes later however, Hanwell found themselves in front when they were awarded a penalty following Dylan Adjei-Hersey’s push on Harry Seabrook. Ezekiel Coker drove the spot kick low to Hillson’s right, and once again Town found themselves chasing the game.

Things almost got worse just before half time when home centre back Dwayne Duncan galloped clear on a breakaway, only to be denied by a thunderous recovery tackle by John Oyenuga.

H-T 0-1

Early chances also came Town’s way in the second half. Whittaker had two efforts saved by Beasant and Oyenuga had one blocked, but Town’s attacking efforts were becoming noticeably fewer and less effective.

Nat Boakye really should have doubled the lead after 74 minutes but shot wide when through on goal. Four minutes later though, Town came close to levelling the tie. Adjei-Hersey cut in from the right wing and hit a left-footed curler that was tipped round the post by an airborne Beasant with the travelling fans already celebrating.

The game then fizzled out with the home side taking control in the final ten minutes; Town made a flurry of late substitutions – five in the last 11 minutes! – but to no significant effect.

  Final mention must go to the 20 or so Town fans who made it to the game on a cold Tuesday night and negotiating 15 miles of congested North Circular to get there. Well done!

Team: Hillson, Adu, Payne, Lambert, Adjei-Hersey (Peake 79), Smith, Youngs (Scott 81), Oyenuga (Thompson 90+1), Beckles-Richards (Leonard 89), Whittaker (Hutchinson 81), Onyeagwara

Ahead of this evening’s Middlesex Cup tie at Hanwell Town, we are pleased to welcome goalkeeper James Hillson to the club.

A former academy player with Reading and Arsenal, where he spent several years and was part of their Premier League 2 and EFL Trophy squads, James was most recently with fellow National League South side Salisbury, and has also had experience with Southend United.

With number one Rhys Forster suffering a groin strain during Saturday’s draw with Salisbury, and Adi Connolly sidelined with a longer-term meniscus injury, James joins to strengthen our goalkeeping team and is available for tonight’s fixture.

Welcome to Town, James!

Enfield Town 1 Salisbury 1

Report by Andrew Warshaw

At some point Lady Luck surely has to smile on Town.

After a two-week league break for some much-needed reinvigoration, this was a totally improved performance.

Solid at the back, tigerish in midfield, good possession of the ball, decent link-up play across the pitch – despite missing three of our most experienced players in Sam Youngs (suspended), Mickey Parcell and Harry Ottaway (both injured)

All that was lacking,  though no-one denies it’s a crucial concern, was some desperately required quality in the final third.

At yet for the first time this season we slumped to the bottom of the league by conceding yet another agonising last-gasp goal for our first draw of the season.

This time it was virtually with the last kick of the game, in the seventh minute of stoppage time (how on earth did the referee find that much to add on?) after we had fully deserved to go in front two minutes from end of the 90 through Adam Thompson.

Cruel, on this occasion, is an understatement.

With on-loan Christian Scott putting in a fine debut in central midfield, Thompson again showing what an asset he will be and Lennon Peake having arguably his best game in a Towners shirt, we looked a far more organised team than of late even if chances were few and far between.

Our best in the first half came on 18 minutes when a superb break saw John Oneyuga’s pinpoint pass met by Billy Leonard whose close-range effort produced a world-class instinctive save from Dan Lincoln, once on Town’s books.

For the visitors Noah Coppin, given too much space, should have done better than shoot straight at Rhys Forster while Owen Dore’s rocket flew just over.

H-T 1-0

For all our neat approach play, it was left to defenders to produce our next two efforts, Xavier Benjamin catching hold of an up-and-under to sweep the ball over, then Dan Cox seeing his goal-bound effort blocked. At the other end, while dangerman Josh Hedges was largely kept quiet, Callum Watts’ strike forced Rhys Forster into a smart stop.

 Penalty shouts at both ends were rightly ignored before Town sub Reece-Beckles Richards flicked on Peake’s cross, only for Lincoln to avert the danger.

A stalemate looked inevitable until the most dramatic of finales.

On 88 minutes, a Town corner was only half-cleared and when the ball was played back in, Thompson got the last touch by lashing it into the far corner (pictured, celebrating)

Just when it seemed that a late winner was at last coming our way, hearts were broken once again. On the verge of celebrating a massive three points, we switched off at the worst possible time, allowing Watts to round Forster and snatch an equaliser with the last action of the game.

“We have to view it as two points dropped as we were much the better side,” said a crestfallen Gavin Macpherson. “There was passion, fight and application. We made one mistake and it cost us and we’ll have to see how that affects things at the end of the season.”

“We didn’t put our chances away and I am trying to bring in a forward but that’s the hardest thing to do. But there are massive positives from today. This is a team that I am building. I’ve had to rip it up because our running power was not good enough for this division. Hopefully you’re now seeing the building blocks of a new side. We just hope it’s not too late.”

“The boys are bitterly disappointed because they deserved their victory. The fact we’ve gone bottom is immaterial. The aim is the same, we just now have one game less to do it.”

Enfield Town (3-5-2)

Forster;, Cox. Thompson, Benjamin; Oyenuga (Adjei-Hersey 60), Leonard (Beckles-Richards 77), Tuck, Scott, Payne; Hutchinson (Whittaker 70), Peake (Smith 89)

After a two-week league break, Enfield Town go into tomorrow’s vitally important home clash with Salisbury re-invigorated as we try to claw our way up the table.

Lady luck continues to frown on us, however, with arguably our three most experienced players likely to miss out. Sam Youngs serves a one-match suspension, Harry Ottaway remains injured and skipper Micky Parcell hurt his back in an accident at work.

Nevertheless, Gavin Macpherson is bullish about our prospects of a strong result against a side who have lost their last three and are on a run of five without a win.

With Town having lost their last four, both teams are desperate for points and Salisbury cannot be under-estimated having only succumbed to a late penalty against Torquay in midweek.

“We’ve no choice but to roll with it,” said Gavin of the forced absentees. “On the plus side, the available players have come back in with renewed vigour.”

“One thing I will say about this group is they never stop running for me. The dressing room is good and the boys are trying hard to put the work in. Those I thought were falling a bit short have left the club.”

On the positive front, Town have a new midfielder in  loan signing Christian Scott from Wealdstone, an exciting addition to the squad.

“Christian started Wealdstone’s FA Cup game on Saturday when they went and won at Grimsby,” said Gavin. “He’s someone who will brings legs and energy, complementing the likes of what we have already and giving us a different dimension. Plus of course he has experience at Step 1.”

Town also bring in teenage defender Jay Lambert from the academy having been arguably our best player in the recent London Senior Cup defeat by Athletic Newham after which John Nurse sung his praises.

Thankfully, results in midweek involving the teams around us meant Town didn’t lose too much more ground and have avoided going into the Salisbury game rock bottom.

“I realise psychologically why some are focussing on us not being bottom but in all honesty it doesn’t make that much difference because it’s still very tight,” said Gavin. “The simple fact is we have to win enough football matches over the season. It’s all about where we finish.

“I have to hold my nerve and be true to myself. Of course as a manager you have doubts when things consistently don’t go right and you hear voices in your head. But we’re all human beings and I have to always do what I think is right.

“The squad is far from finalised but movement depends on player availability. That’s been the biggest issue for us. The Slough manager said this week he had never seen this league so tough in 11 years. That gives you an idea of what we are up against but you can’t pick and choose when you get promoted.”

AW

Prior to this weekend’s match, we are very pleased to welcome two new recruits to the Town squad.

The first is Christian Scott, who joins us on a three-month loan deal from Wealdstone. A London-born South African midfielder, he started his footballing career in Portugal with the academy teams of top-flight sides Portimonense and Farense. The 19-year-old has featured on eleven occasions for the Stones so far this season, and started in last weekend’s FA Cup victory away at Grimsby Town.

The second is local lad Jay Lambert, who makes the jump from our academy to the first team. A former West Ham United trainee, centre-half Jay defied his age to put in a composed performance in last week’s London Senior Cup tie with Athletic Newham.

Welcome, lads!

A collection will take place at Saturday’s game against Salisbury conducted by the North London schools team from the Pinnacle group.

The group looks after local schools and is passionate about helping and doing their part to support the local community and charities.

“We are raising money for children in need to support all children across the UK to help make a difference and to have a positive impact on as many children’s lives as possible,” the group say.

“We are very passionate about this charity as we work in an environment where we work with Children on a daily basis and we believe that all children should have the best possible opportunities and support.”

“Not only do we support the Children in need but we also support the shoe box appeal for which donations start next week and also the toy appeal over Christmas. All the support we can get for these amazing causes is very much appreciated.”

Please give generously on Saturday to this highly worthwhile cause.