There’ll be pre-match dance displays, all manner of stalls selling colourful merchandise, a spin the wheel competition from Hertfordshire Zoo, a halftime  girls’ penalty shootout out and free entry for all female fans.

All we need now  as we celebrate International Women’s Day tomorrow is for the team to do us proud on the pitch against league leaders Dorking Wanderers — just as they did in the corresponding game in november when we eeked out a draw.

No-one is any doubt about the quality of opposition that faces us but after three straight defeats, we have to start to “change the narrative”, as Gavin Macpherson put it, as we bid to keep our survival  hopes alive.

The fact that we have no midweek game next Tuesday is a huge relief, especially with a crucial visit to Salisbury next weekend. Psychologically at least, that should provide added incentive against a Dorking side that have only lost once this year and not at all away from home.

Lennon Peake looks like being available for selection after his long lay-off while the other piece of team news is that Dylan Adjei-Hersey and Joe Payne have joined Reece Beckles- Richards at Potters Bar in order to get some game time in their legs.

“They are all dual registered and I need to get all of them up to speed,” explained Gavin. “They are all very much part of this squad but we need to give them the right tools for when we need them”

Only 90 minutes’ training took place on Thursday after the rigours of Hornchurch and Gavin is under no illusions about the task facing us.

“We are just entering our toughest game of the season,” said Gav, “an extremely talented side with extremely experienced players. Everyone will need to be at least an 8 out of 10 and detailed in our planning. A bit like us last season, Dorking are a fired-up relentless team going for result after result.”

Gavin admits he has a figure in his head in terms of how many points we might ultimately need but understandably won’t say publicly.

“I have a number but every manager will be doing the same thing whether at the top or bottom. There have been some missed opportunities, especially last Saturday. Even against Hornchurch the stats show we were right in there except the one stat that matters.”

“We have to change the narrative  of slipping back into some poor ways. That’s done by mindset and how you are tactically and organisationally. But realistically let’s face it we are massive underdogs. We never set out to make up numbers but we realise the levels we have to get to in order get anything from this particular game.

“Dorking have been training all week compared to our 90 minutes and it’s a massive step up. We have to be on it on and off the pitch. I know I’ve said this before and it’s an old cliché but we need the vocal support, the drums and everything that comes with it. It makes such a difference when you’re down in the trenches.”

AW

Hornchurch 3 Enfield Town 1

Report by Andrew Warshaw

In a sense Tuesday night was a case of déjà vu. Score first, then concede three.  Just like last Saturday.

Except this wasn’t quite the same. Tougher opposition, mudbath of a pitch and everyone in a Town shirt putting in a shift.

And yet another game slips by and we have now lost three on the bounce following four straight wins.

Why the trend has been suddenly reversed is a question Gavin Macpherson admitted he was scratching his head over but this latest setback can be put down, quite simply, to the fact that Hornchurch were more clinical and showed superior accuracy of pass.

The fact we created good chances away from home on that kind of surface was certainly a plus point but playing twice a week against teams of individual quality takes its toll. Especially when you have to work harder for your opportunities than the opposition.

Having said that, on another day we might well have got something. Gavin made two changes, giving Ollie Knight a start on the wing and moving Bailey Brown into midfield, replacing John Oyenuga and Jack Bates respectively. And both played their part.

It was Ollie who gave Hornchurch an early scare with a curling centre that was cleared from under bar.

Whilst Hornchurch thereafter looked the livelier side as they settled into a rhythm, the first half was pretty much 50-50. Town had already seen Anointed Chukwu’s flick find Hisham Kasimu whose turn and shot was thwarted by a timely block before, on the half-hour, we went in front as Knight’s corner was moved on by Chukwu for Bailey Brown to finish (pictured).

How we could done with our next chance also finishing in the back of the net. Instead, Knight’s rising strike after great work by Hish just cleared the bar though a corner should have awarded instead of a goalkick after Mason Terry got a touch.

 Hornchurch’s equaliser wasn’t long in arriving. At Step 2 you invariably get punished for mistakes and when Mickey Parcell lost possession, the ball was moved across to Charlee Adams who rifled it into the corner.

As halftime approached, Joe Wright – like Mickey playing against his old club –  kept out Charlie Pegrum’s effort but we still posed a threat as Chukwu’s low drive was parried by the legs of Terry.

H-T 1-1

Now it was a question of getting through the next period of play unscathed. Instead within seconds of the restart, we lost concentration and allowed Darren McQueen to poke the ball home as the very first attack off the half was only half-cleared.

As Hornchurch attempted to put the game to bed, Wright had to fly across his goal to push away another Wraight effort before two further home attacks flashed wide.

Cue a decent spell of possession by Town but although we pushed forward in search of parity, our decision making left a lot to be desired.

Hish couldn’t convert a one on one and with seven minutes left, all our efforts suddenly came to nought. Former Towner Manny Harvest, off the bench, delivered a sublime assist and McQueen’s finish was almost as good.

After keeping his players in the dressing room for half an hour, Gavin admitted some “hard truths” had been discussed with 11 games now left.

“Their superior quality in finishing showed through,”  Gavin conceded. “Between the two boxes it was pretty even but they were meaner in defence and better in attack. Yes we put in a shift but this league is unforgiving.”

Gavin couldn’t help but again look back to Tonbridge. “Saturday was a killer. Tonight was always going to be extremely tough. We are where we are for a reason.”

Now comes the small matter of hosting league leaders Dorking in four days’ time.   

“It’s bizarre form we are showing in the last few games and we’re trying to work it out,” said Gav. “As long as I live I probably won’t be able to fathom it. All we can do now get the team prepared for Dorking while keeping legs as fresh as they can be.”

Town

Wright; Benjamin, Thompson, Hawkins; Leonard, Youngs (Hutchinson, 90), Parcell, Brown (Bates 85), Knight; Chukwu (Oyenuga, 68), Kasimu

This Saturday, March 1st, at our home game against Dorking Wanderers, we will be holding our annual International Women’s Day celebrations.

On the day, all ladies and girls attending the game have FREE access to the ground.

Our visitors are fighting for an automatic promotion place, and we are fighting to stay in the division, so an interesting game is in prospect.

Off the pitch we will be supported by numerous stands: 

• Hertfordshire Zoo – will have a spin the wheel competition where you could win things such as a pen, keyring, magnet, cuddly toy or a ticket to the zoo. They will also offer 10% off to visit the zoo during Easter.
  
• Moradi Ouds – will be selling their selling ladies and men’s fragrances again, after proving to be very popular last year.
  
• Attic Storage (also our match day sponsors) – offering storage units with a discount to ETFC members.
  
• Enfield Council fostering department – judged outstanding by Ofsted, proving information for anyone interested in a really rewarding role.
  
• Our own Ladies section promoting all the teams they run and looking for new players and helpers.
  
• Young Grace selling homemade ETFC bracelets again which were so successful last year.

In addition, there will be two pre match dance displays by the Ohana Dance team, a performance from the Mum’s Choir, the Player of the Month award presentation and a girls penalty shoot at half time, so it will be an all-action day.

Whilst ladies and girls have free entry, we would advise that other tickets be bought online so you gain quicker access to the ground.

Enfield Town 1 Tonbridge Angels 3

Report by Andrew Warshaw

Talk about clutching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Enfield Town somehow contrived to throw away three points on Saturday against the poorest team in the league on current form as we suffered a second defeat within four days to return to the drop zone.  What a difference a week makes.

With all the other teams around us failing to win, this will surely go down as the one that got away and a huge opportunity missed.

Suddenly, survival is no longer in our hands  as we again swopped places with Welling but it’s easy to forget we went on a six-game unbeaten run before the latest back-to-back setbacks.

With 12 games still to go it’s certainly still do-able though playing twice a week is clearly taking its toll on the players.

After the midweek mauling by Eastbourne, there was every sign of an immediate recovery during a first half in which we looked more than comfortable with Joe Wright welcomed back between the sticks.

Tonbridge had only won one in 10 coming into the game and looked there for the taking.

Anointed Chukwu, whose hold-up play deserved far more on the day, was quickly into the action,  first linking up with Billy Leonard, then flashing a cross across goal with no-one to convert.

Jack Bates  shot down the throat of Matthew Rowley before Town deservedly took the lead on 28  minutes. Chukwu was again involved, played through by Sam Youngs before unselfishly squaring for Hisham Kasimu to finish with a hardly graceful but decisive tap-in (pictured).

Town should have had a least two more before the interval, John Oyenuga finding the side netting instead of firing across the keeper after exchanging passes with Kasimu.

Rowley was then forced into a sprawling save to keep out a Youngs snapshot and it seemed like there would only be one winner.

H-T 1-0

There was always a chance, however, that we would pay for not putting the game to bed. And so it proved in a disastrous last 14 minutes.

The danger signs were there where Oyenuga  flung himself full length to block Gianluca Bossi’s goalbound drive while the visitors’ subs were beginning to make a big difference.

Had either Youngs or Kasimu been able to apply the finish to a Billy Leonard cross, we would surely have doubled our lead and relieved the pressure but they got in each other’s way and Tonbridge took full advantage.

Wright, making his second debut for us six years after his last spell, had been  virtually a first-half spectator yet now found himself picking the ball out of his net three times.

 On 76 minutes Ronny Nelson’s header from the latest in a series of otherwise ineffective long throws crept in beyond Joe’s flailing arm. Then within a minute Sean Shields burst through the centre of Town’s defence, with Adam Thompson for once left wanting, and finished with aplomb.

Out of nowhere in the blink of an eye, we were chasing the game and with virtually the last kick after six minutes of stoppage time we were hit on the break. Shields was again the architect, his deflected effort falling to Botti who stabbed the ball home.

The next couple of fixtures against Hornchurch and leaders Dorking have suddenly taken on an entirely different complexion in terms of the table and the return needed.

“We should be standing here with a win, not even a draw, it’s a complete joke and I’m totally baffled to be honest,” said a clearly crestfallen Gavin Macpherson.

“We needed to take some pressure off the backline by taking our chances and we didn’t. All of sudden we hand them the game. Having said that we should never have conceded three goals. This had to be a result for us and it wasn’t.”

 Town

Wright; Benjamin (Brown 92), Hawkins, Thompson; Leonard, Youngs, Bates (Smith 87), Parcell, Oyenuga (Knight, 81); Chukwu, Kasimu (Hutchinson, 85

Former Spurs captain Steve Perryman MBE and Enfield legend Alf d’Arcy, two icons of the sport,  join us in Butler’s Bar on Friday April 4 for an unmissable evening of personal anecdotes and insight including a Q and A

Steve holds the Spurs appearance record and is the club’s most decorated player while Alf gained two Amateur Cup winners medals with Enfield in a glittering non-league career

Tickets priced £20 can be purchased via the following link:

https://enfieldtownfc.ktckts.com/event/concert4/an-evening-with-steve-perryman-mbe-and-alf-darcy

Doors Open 7pm for prompt 7.30 start

We are pleased to welcome experienced goalkeeper Joe Wright back to the club.

Joe made 95 Enfield Town appearances in his first spell between the sticks, winning the Velocity Trophy with us in 2018-19, and joins having spent the previous few years with Chatham Town and Hornchurch, where he added an Isthmian Premier title and the FA Trophy to his CV.

He will provide immediate cover for Rhys Forster, who suffered concussion in our midweek game against Eastbourne. We wish him a full and speedy recovery.

Enfield Town 0 Eastbourne Borough 5

Report By Andrew Warshaw

Get back on the horse, reset and go again.

That has to be the approach after we suffered a thumping defeat at the hands of Eastbourne Borough on Tuesday in what was effectively our game in hand, ending our six-match unbeaten run in the process.

Another bumper midweek crowd of 781 turned up for we hoped would be another important step towards Step 2 survival but which instead became a chastening evening against full-time opponents who were slicker and sharper all over the pitch.

Without the unavailable Sam Youngs, Jack Smith was handed a rare start while Jake Hutchinson was preferred up front to Anointed Chukwu with the games coming thick and fast.

It took Eastbourne just seven minutes to get their noses in front, Michael Klass using his pace down the right before crossing for George Alexander to head home for his 13^th of the season.

Town hit straight back with successive Jack Bates corners and thought they had equalised from the second, Henry Hawkins’ downward header appearing to cross the line, only to be cleared to safety.

A goal then might have changed the pattern of the game. Instead, we struggled to create much thereafter and on 28 minutes conceded a second. Billy Leonard accidentally headed the ball back into his own area and although Mickey Parcell cleared the danger, Camron Gbadebo swung out a leg from the resultant corner to score through a crowded box.

 Town weren’t offering enough in attack and, for the first time in several weeks, were being constantly exposed at the back by Eastbourne’s darting runs.

Courtney Clarke was denied by  Rhys Forster before Alexander broke the offside trap but fired wide after being challenged by Hawkins.

We needed to get into the dressing room and re-adjust but on the stroke of halftime saw any chance of a recovery well and truly snatched away.

Clarke was too strong for Charlie Stallard and picked out Alexander who headed  home at the far post despite Forster’s efforts to keep it out.

H-T 0-3

Town were now effectively playing for pride but commendably looked a far better unit after the interval as we gave as good as we got, helped by a triple substitution on 58 minutes.

Two strong blocks kept us out while Bailey Brown lashed a shot over (pictured). The problem was, we didn’t test the keeper enough for all our front-foot approach and were always vulnerable to the counter-attack.

So it was on 86 minutes when a long ball through the middle saw Alexander complete his hattrick as he burst clear and fired past Forster.

And to add to our misery, Yahaya Bamba netted a penalty with the last kick of the game after a clear trip by Brown as Eastbourne moved up to second.

Salisbury’s last-gasp point at Chesham didn’t help our cause either but the positions at the bottom haven’t changed and it’s still in our hands with a massive home fixture on Saturday against Tonbridge Angels.

 “We were playing against a full-time team who competed better than us, spun the ball and went after it but I didn’t expect to lose in that manner,” said Gavin Macpherson.

“It was our worst performance for a long time. We didn’t really carry a threat or get a foothold. I’m sad that after such a good run, we produced that in front of our own fans. I’ve said to the players we move on to the next one but we mustn’t let that kind of thing creep in again.”

Town:

Forster; Parcell, Thompson, Hawkins; Stallard (Knight 58), Bates (Benjamin 77), Smith (Oyenuga, 58), Brown, Leonard; Hutchinson (Chukwu, 58), Kasimu (Whittaker 83)

Gavin Macpherson says the players must keep their feet on the ground as we take on high-flying Eastbourne on Tuesday hoping for another giant leap towards staying in the division.

The re-arranged fixture, originally postponed because of the weather, represents our game in hand over Welling and a chance to stretch our lead over them while in the only other game of the night we could ironically do with Chesham finding some form against Salisbury who have suddenly been pulled into the mix.

Gavin is fully aware that playing twice a week (last week, this week and next week at Hornchurch) can take its toll compared to full-time sides like fifth-paced Eastbourne who beat us 1-0 in the corresponding fixture.

The Sports also have the incentive of needing to bounce back after a surprise 3-0 defeat at the weekend.

“Eastbourne are an excellent footballing side. They probably trained Sunday or Monday whereas we have to turn up on the night and have a briefing,” said Gav. “That’s the difference when you’re not full-time.”

Hearing his name chanted by the Town fans on Saturday as we extended our unbeaten run to seven games certainly didn’t go unnoticed. “Even in tough times, people have never wavered from supporting me which is very humbling. The key is to keep the boys’ minds firmly on the job in hand with 14 games left.”

At least one key player will be unavailable on Tuesday though Henry Hawkins should be back and Jack Smith has put himself in the frame after an eye-catching 40 or so minutes at Chesham.

“I’ve never disputed Smudger as a player, it’s all about his fitness after the unfortunate pre-season that he had,” explained Gav. “I felt he needed to go out and play some games somewhere but he felt he didn’t want to. When a team is trying to get results, you can’t afford to carry anyone. He had some really good touches and one great cross-field ball on Saturday but you could see he’s still lacking from a fitness standpoint.”

AW

Chesham United 1 Enfield Town 3

Report By Andrew Warshaw

Out of the relegation zone for the first time since August and at last victory against one of our bogey teams.

It goes without saying that Saturday represented one of our most impressive displays of the season –all the more so given the fact that Gavin Macpherson faced yet another last selection headache in the buildup to the game.

Already without the unavailable Henry Hawkins, the management team also lost Xavier Benjamin  who, having completed a three-match ban, fell ill late Friday.

Only league leaders Dorking, who did us a huge favour by beating Welling, now have a better record than Town over the last six games – testament to a rebuilt squad, hard work, shrewd management, organisation and togetherness.

With their revamped back line, it took Town a while to settle into a rhythm on a pitch that increasingly cut up. But once they had withstood Chesham’s early forays, they moved into the ascendancy and took the lead with their first meaningful attack, Sam Youngs (who else?) profiting from some neat interplay between Anointed Chukwu and Hisham Kasimu to shoot home.

A goal-saving block from Mickey Parcell after Jack Bates momentarily lost concentration preserved the lead before the ever reliable Adam Thompson lost the sole of his boot on the rain-soaked surface.

Such was Tommo’s dedication to the cause that, unable to play with half a boot, he kicked off the rest of it and carried on in a sock before being given permission to change footwear.

Town continued to look relatively comfortable but needed a second to put some breathing space between them and the hosts. They should have got it when Kasimu, on his favoured left foot, shot weakly at the keeper when put through in a one-on-one.

Luckily, it didn’t cost his team and he made up for it soon after, his cross-shot taking a rebound and falling to Youngs who doubled his and Town’s tally on the stoke of halftime.

H-T 0-2

With Welling losing, you sensed this was a huge 45 minutes for Town but the sight of Youngs limping off with a tight hamstring didn’t augur well as he gave way to Jack Smith.

Mitchell Weiss was a toe poke away from getting on the scoresheet for the hosts but midway through the second half the Generals did half the deficit  as Alex Lafleur headed goalwards and Nathan Minhas, off the bench, nodded home.

The momentum was now with Chesham who began ominously to pick up the majority of second balls.

Earlier in the season we may have capitulated but these days there is a steeliness about us, exemplified by the leadership of Thompson. Not only did we manage to fend Chesham off but snatched a crucial third to relieve the pressure. On 83 minutes, Kasimu was again the provider, showing great balance to set up Ollie Knight – back in a Town shirt – who finished sweetly (pictured) having earlier come off the bench to replace Chukwu.

With time running out, Charlie Stallard, impressively growing into his wing-back role, produced two thumping defence-clearing headers to stave off what might have been nervy finish.

“We had to fight hard and the boys stood up to it after another horrendous buildup after Xav called in sick,” said Gav. “Some people wouldn’t have given us a prayer but we deserved it. I’m pleased for Ollie Knight because he has shaken off an injury and come back a more professional human being.”

“The key now is for the boys not to believe in their own press however much people ramp it up because we’re still fifth from bottom.”

Forster; Parcell, Thompson, Oyenuga; Leonard, Brown, Bates, Youngs (Smith 51), Stallard; Chukwu (Knight 74), Kasimu (Hutchinson, 93).

It’s been somewhat of a bogey ground in recent years but after a five-match unbeaten run, Town head to Chesham on Saturday hoping to keep our momentum going.

Last Tuesday’s vital win over Welling, closing the gap on the Wings to two points in the process, gave everyone a lift and despite one enforced defensive change tomorrow, there is every reason to feel optimistic about getting something out the game in Bucks.

Promoted like us to the National League South after being crowned Southern League champions, Chesham have impressively cemented a mid-table place and have taken 10 points from their last four home games.

Sam Youngs will be particularly keen to add to his goal tally against his old club, just as Anointed Chukwu did against Welling on Tuesday.

“I heard we have a pretty poor record over there and to be honest so have I from my Southern League days,” said Gavin Macpherson. “When you take everything into consideration it’s going to be one of our toughest games. You could argue a draw wouldn’t be a bad result – as long as we follow that up with a win against Eastbourne.”

“When you’re in a position like us, if you lose a game it puts additional pressure on you to win the next one. But there are still 15 to go and there are going to be loads more twists and turns. The boys are scrapping for everything. It won’t be plain sailing all the time but the aim is to be a safe as quickly as possible, whether or not that ends up being the last few games.”

Deservedly named National League South manager of the week for the second time this season, Gavin is keen to play that down. “Let’s be honest, I’d trade in both of them for us staying up.”

AW