Slough Town 1 Enfield Town 1

Report by Andrew Warshaw

 Heartbreaking, agonising.  Football, as the old cliché goes, is a cruel game.

With 97 minutes on the clock (even though there were officially supposed to be only five minutes of stoppage time), Enfield Town had their first victory of the season brutally snatched away on Saturday and had to be content with another draw.

Of course if we had taken our chances (how many times have we heard this before?), Slough’s last-gasp salvaged equaliser  wouldn’t have made any difference but the manner of the defeat was nevertheless desperately hard to stomach.

 All we can do is take the positives – of which there were several – into Tuesday’s fixture at Tonbridge which now becomes even more of a must-win game.

It is of course far too early for any sense of doom to set in. Look at the likes of Eastbourne and Dagenham and Redbridge – full-time teams who are also struggling badly:  one of them now rock bottom, the other one of the biggest financial  fish in the division.

In other words, it’s far too soon to  make any concrete judgements. But having said, the trend of conceding late, late goals and losing crucial points isn’t lost on the players, the management team or the supporters and there’s an argument to suggest we should do better at being able to play out time.

After Slough had edged the first few minutes on their artificial pitch without looking especially dangerous, we took the lead with a peach of a goal, a sumptuous finish by Lamar Reynolds rounding off a neat move down the right (pictured, celebrating).

Although Slough went straight up the other end and forced a smart save from Rhys Forster, Lamar’s strike was just the boost we needed after four games without a goal.

While the defence did their job at foiling Slough’s tactics at trying to get in behind, we started to move the ball around confidently and should have doubled our lead – three times.

 Lamar, who might well have had a hat-trick on another day, finished a beautifully constructed move by volleying just wide, then beat the offside trap but lobbed over.  And on 40 minutes Hayden Bullas – arguably Town’s best player with a lung-lusting box-to-box display – had an effort cleared off the line.

Just before the break, Forster was again called into action to thwart Tarik Gigaree but we were well worth our lead at the interval.

H-T 1-0

Slough may argue that their keeper hadn’t had to make a worthwhile save and after introducing winger Jared Myers at the break the Rebels grabbed the initiative.

Suddenly we were pinned back and Rhys pulled off a superb double save to maintain the lead, then fisted away another home effort while Tosh Gallimore came to Town’s rescue with a well-timed tackle. Slough also went close when Ruben Bartlett-Antwi poked the ball through the legs of Forster but thankfully wide of the post.

Having soaked up 20 minutes of pressure, Town came again though by now without Sam Youngs – skipper for the day but victim of a first-half clash of heads and replaced on the hour by Matty MacArthur.

Another Town sub, Harry Lodovica, fluffed two golden chances to make the game safe after seemingly doing all the hard work. If only one of them, or any before, had counted.

Instead, two points were dropped with the final action of the game. Town had dealt comfortably with all the hosts’ previous set-pieces but this time forgot about second phase. When Slough kept a corner alive,  Peter Ojemen rose highest to flash a header in off the back post to leave the Enfield fans behind Forster’s goal in utter dejection.

There was only just time to kick off before the final whistle and Slough celebrated like they had won the league, leaving a crestfallen Gavin Macpherson to comment: “We can talk about how many minutes were added on all day long but the fact is we should have finished the game off and you could see that by Slough’s euphoria at the end.”

“They changed their shape at halftime but we still had a couple of one-on-ones which we didn’t take. You always then run the risk.”

Forster; Adom-Malaki, Hawkins, Thompson,  Benjamin, Leonard (Jones 90), Brown, Gallimore, Bullas, Youngs (MacArthur 61), Reynolds (Lodovica 84).

After the worst league sequence without a goal for as long as anyone can remember, Enfield Town step out for their sixth game of the season on Saturday hoping to end their drought as well as a put a first maximum points haul on the board.

Gavin Macpherson cut a disconsolate figure after the Bank Holiday programme and stressed the need for more detailed and intensive training in order to get the team firing and move off the bottom of the table.

“At the moment I’m hugely disappointed for the supporters that we are not serving up better results,” said Gav after one goal, two draws and three defeats. “The boys feel we are not far off. But for me, not far off has got to come tomorrow. I want to go through a season where we are testing teams.”

Having understandably rotated the squad for two games in as many days, the management team must now decide which starting eleven to select against the side where Jon Underwood spent nine years. One player who is definitely out is skipper Mickey Parcell who serves the first of a three-game ban.

In contrast to Town, Slough’s Bank Holiday programme yielded four points with a 1-1 draw at Eastbourne Borough that followed an excellent win over Ebbsfleet United, the Rebels’ first victory of the campaign.

Town could certainly use the same points return from our next two games – perhaps the minimum requirement from Slough and then Tonbridge on Tuesday. Someone who seems certain to play a part is Xavier Benjamin whose two extraordinary interventions against Totton on Monday capped a terrific start to the season.

“Xav has really kicked on from where he left off last season,” said Gav. “He’s a player who is trying hard to get himself back up the ladder and gives you 100 percent every single game.”

“You can totally rely on him to put his heart and body on the line. He’s holding up the best traditions of me and the club.”

A reminder for Town fans making the trip to Slough that the game is being segregated with Town fans requested to enter Arbour Park through turnstile 3 to access the segregated area.

For those unable to attend, Michael Lacquire will be providing his usual excellent commentary, available via the website, and will have a special co-commentator alongside him in the shape of Mickey Parcell.

AW

Enfield Town 0 Totton 1

Report by Andrew Warshaw

Gavin Macpherosn cut a disconsolate figure after former Towner Hisham Kasimu condemned us to another late, late defeat and sent us to the bottom of the table on goal difference.

Everyone acknowledges that the squad is deeper and stronger than this time last season, plus the fact that we have had arguably the toughest start of any side in the division.

But the fact is the league as a whole is stronger too and we need to find a way of getting that first win on the board and start testing opponents more effectively.

Gavin as expected rotated the squad again with five changes, bringing the likes of Sam Youngs and Mickey Parcell back into the line-up, the latter playing his last game before a three-match ban.

With both teams having played 48 hours previously, Totton also switched five players but in a game of two halves, we really should have been in front at the interval.

On just three minutes, Billy Leonard put a sidefoot volley over the bar after great work from Nino Adom-Malaki (pictured) who increasingly  looks like a shrewd signing.

Nino was again involved when Tommy Wood missed an even more presentable chance, powering a header straight at the Totton keeper.

Two more chances quickly followed. Nino picked the ball up left of centre and dribbled past three players before shooting just wide; then a Youngs header was superbly saved, only for Harry Lodovica’s close-range finish on the follow-up to be ruled out for offside.

At this point the Stags were second best and a penalty shout only resulted in Craig Tanner being booked for simulation.

But our south-coast opponents had shown enough in their slick build-up play on the counter to suggest they might be a threat after the interval.

H-T 0-0

And so it proved as Totton suddenly upped the tempo and pinned Town back for almost all of the second half, save for a Youngs header tipped over by Ryan Gosney.

Christie Ward fizzed a volley into the body of Forster and the dangerous Ashley Clarke was a constant threat.

How Xavier Benjamin prevented the afore-mentioned Clarke from opening the score on the hour will surely be talked about long into the season.

Having had an initial effort saved by Forster, Clarke had the goal at his mercy from just two yards, only for Xav, out of nowhere, to come hurtling back and miraculously clear off the line, tangling himself in the back of the net in the process.

 Another Totton penalty appeal, this time for handball, went unheeded.  Then Town were caught out by a Christie Ward long ball which Rhys managed to save with his legs.

As the pressure mounted, enter for the second time Xav Benjamin with a clearance almost as remarkable as his first, a lung-busting intervention thwarting Tony Lee as he bore down on goal.

Just as it looked like Town would pick up a third point of the season, within a minute of six added on the otherwise sound Forster dropped a clanger and was made to pay.

You had to feel for Rhys who appeared to hold on to a Clarke cross, only for the ball to slip out of his hands and allow Kasimu, of all people, to tap home.

“I felt we had five good chances of the first half and should have made at least one of them count,” said Gavin Macpherson. “That’s costing us as much as last-minute mistakes. I share the frustration of the supporters. We were nil again in front of goal and that’s got to change.”

The fact we have a point less than at the same time last year, and only one goal, despite a better squad is not lost on the management team.

“We are relying on the defence at the moment which is very difficult. Our shape out of possession is excellent and we are difficult to break down but the potency isn’t there at the moment and I don’t lay that entirely at the forwards’ feet,” Gavin added.

“As for Rhys, he’s has been very good recently and while it was the major factor in the game, it wasn’t the only one.  I’m hugely disappointed we are not serving up better results. We’re so much better than at this time last season but we have one less point. I’m feeling it more than anyone and I take full responsibility.”

Town: Forster; Benjamin, Hawkins, Donaldson; Adom-Malaki (Jones 72) , Parcell (MacArthur, 75), Bullas, Youngs, Leonard; Wood, Lodovica (Brown, 65).

Worthing 0 Enfield Town 0

Report by Andrew Warshaw

Any point away from home is a good point but when it’s against a side who just missed out on promotion it feels that much sweeter.

Enfield Town may still be searching for that elusive first win of the season but showed commendable resilience, togetherness and concentration despite finishing the game with 10 men.

Last season, Worthing took six points off us but it shows how far we’ve come that the Rebels couldn’t break us down this time though in truth we didn’t produce enough cutting edge either.

With Monday’s Bank Holiday fixture against Totton in mind, Gavin Macpherson made no fewer than five changes, including Tosh Gallimore at the base of midfield and Noah McCann in the back three.  Both did themselves proud in a new-look line-up as Gav rotated the squad, Bailey Brown being named skipper for the day and putting in a captain’s performance while Matty Macarthur, a little terrier throughout, was pushed forward on the left.

In a fast start, both sides came close, Rebels skipper  Sam Beard volleying onto the top of Rhys Forster’s net and Lamar Reynolds expertly flicking Billy Leonard’s cross towards goal, only for Seb Stacey to produce a fabulous reflex tip-over.

Thereafter chances were few and far between as we quietened the 1,700-plus crowd though Temi Babalola was a handful up front for Worthing and almost gave them the lead when the ball ricocheted back into his path but thankfully shot over.

A flurry of  home freekicks and crosses were dealt with comfortably by Rhys while at the other end Gallimore’s volley was cleared off the line following a corner.

That was effectively that until the last 15 minutes of the half when the Rebels suddenly picked up a head of steam and smelled blood.

 Five quickfire attacks in almost as many minutes put us under the cosh but we held our positions with a series of last-ditch blocks and halftime came at the perfect time.

H-T 0-0

After the break, neither team could maintain momentum  for a sustained period though it was a far more even contest possession-wise as both sides made a succession of substitutions, Harry Lodovica putting himself about effectively.

Town’s best move of the half saw Reynolds head just over from Henry Hawkins’ chip while Worthing sub Razzaq Coleman de Graft’s speculative 25-yarder had Rhys scrambling across goal to push it away.

Just into eight minutes of stoppage time, Town appeals for a penalty went unheeded and proceedings ended on an unsavoury note when Mickey Parcell, who had not long come off the bench, was shown a straight red card for a crude challenge on fellow substitute Kwaku Frimpong just inside the Worthing half. Mickey will now be hit with a three-match ban though is available for Bank Holiday Monday.

“You have to work hard when you come here and we freshened it up,” said Gav. “Today was evidence of how we trust the whole squad.”

“The trouble at the moment is not having a decent enough ratio of chances. The goals for tally speaks for itself but the goals away against is superb apart from Torquay when we had a makeshift back three. We look very solid and now we have to work out how we take some of these chances. It’s a great point and now we have to follow it up with points on Monday against Totton who are a well-resourced club with experienced players.”

Town:

Forster; Benjamin, Hawkins, McCann; Leonard, Bullas, Gallimore (Jones 84), Brown (Youngs 73), Adom-Malaki; Macarthur (Lodovica  63), Reynolds(Parcell, 72)

With two games in as many days, Enfield Town travel to Worthing tomorrow, followed by a home fixture with Totton on Bank Holiday Monday, hoping to improve to on a faltering start to the season but with plenty of optimism.

Worthing will be keen to make up for their midweek defeat at Farnborough and will provide dangerous opposition as we come face to face with former Towner Anointed Chukwu who joined the Rebels at the end of last season.

Last season we lost both games against Worthing  though our visit to Sussex resulted in a narrow 1-0 defeat. A decent result would set us up nicely for the Monday home game against newly promoted Totton with squad rotation almost certain given the quick turnaround.

“We never feel we can’t get anything from any game,” said Gavin Macpherson. “We would have hoped to have taken more points so far but we go to Worthing with a game plan against a very difficult side that moves the ball very well.”

“The schedule is horrible to be honest. This time last year we were licking our wounds after Slough. We’re not quite in that bracket this time but we’ve got to man up and get on with it.”

AW

Enfield Town 0 Hornchurch 1

Report by Andrew Warshaw

Enfield Town fell victim to another Hornchurch late, late show on Tuesday as we suffered our second defeat in three games, hardly the ideal scenario for the Bank Holiday programme.

After a lacklustre first half in which we got bogged down and couldn’t find any kind of rhythm or creative outlet, we gave as good as we got after the break following an attack-minded tweak and arguably deserved more from a spirited response, only to lose all three points at the death.

The Urchins have made a habit of scoring late goals  — not just against us – and did it again to maintain their 100 percent start to the season.

Gavin Macpherson made two changes from the Maidenhead draw, bringing Nino Adom-Malaki into the starting lineup along with Tosh Gallimore

We started brightly when a freekick was cleared off the Urchins line but somehow couldn’t maintain the momentum and spent the rest of the half on the back foot.

Hornchurch skipper Tom Wraight fired just wide and Charlie Ruff had an even better chance as he missed the target with the goal at his mercy

It was a wake-up call for Town but we couldn’t make the ball stick in our opponents’ half and continued to give up possession with Arthur Nesta a virtual spectator in the Hornchurch goal.

As halftime approached, we at last put together a brief flurry of activity in the final third  but six corners to none told its own story.

H-T 0-0

With the game still level, we had a chance to start over again. After some stern words in the dressing room, Billy Leonard was pushed further forward and it almost paid dividends straight away as a delicious cross was cut out just as it was about to reach Lamar Reynolds.

Suddenly, more adventure and more urgency from Town and a far more open game although Rhys Forster was lucky not to be punished after getting himself in a pickle by trying to take a touch instead of clearing his lines.

To be fair to Rhys, however, without two or three fine stops and generally safe hands, we may well have been playing catch-up by then. One point-blank save from Henry Hearn immediately sticks in the mind.

At the other end, Nasta failed to deal with a long throw and almost paid the price. Cue a flurry of subs by both sides, Bailey Brown adding strength to Town and Matt MacArthur pace.

When Harry Lodovica, another sub, was almost wrenched to the ground as he tried to burst forward, inexplicably nothing was given. Even the usually mild mannered Jon Underwood showed his displeasure with the decision but with 10 minutes left, Town got a massive let-off as the bar twice came to their rescue.

The game was won on 88 minutes when Tom Wraight was adjudged to have got the last touch in a goalmouth scramble. Yet there was still time, in the final minute of seven added on, for Town to carve out their best effort of the game when Mickey Parcell found space in the box but couldn’t get enough purchase on Leonard’s cross to beat Nesta.

“It was the poorest first half from us I’ve seen in a long time,” admitted Gavin Macpherson despite having called for more quality after the Maidenhead game. “It was unacceptable and I can only apologise to the supporters. We lacked running power and they were sharper to everything.”

“I gave them a kick up the backside at halftime and we looked much better after a tweak as well. We deserved to be behind at halftime if I’m honest but we then saw a different Enfield.”  

Explaining why he took both Wood and Reynolds off midway through the second period, Gav said: “I felt there were some tired legs and Matty gives us something different. I thought we were unlucky to lose the game in the second half but Hornchurch keep finding a way and that’s no fluke.”

Forster; Benjamin, Thompson, Donaldson (Hawkins, 90); Adom-Malaki, Gallimore (Bullas 75), Youngs, Parcell, Leonard; Wood (Brown, 67), Reynolds (MacArthur, 67)

The games come thick and fast and tomorrow we welcome familiar opponents in Hornchurch who have got off to a great start by winning their opening two fixtures (kickoff 7.45)

Having condemned Eastbourne Borough to their first defeat at home for 16 months on Saturday,  courtesy of an Angelo Balanta’s stoppage-time winner, the Urchins will provide their usual stiff opposition as we attempt to gain our first maximum haul before another tough challenge at Worthing on Saturday.

With back-to-back games over the Bank Holiday period to come, don’t be surprised if the management team rotate at some point over the next couple of weeks to use the improved squad to its full advantage.

“Hornchurch represents another hugely tough game,” said Gavin Macpherson. “They’ve signed really well and are a club who might quietly fancy their chances of being in the top part of the league come the end of the season.”

“We’re under no illusions how difficult it will be but I’ll be looking for a better performance than against Maidenhead  when we showed heart and desire but not enough quality. I’ll certainly be looking for more.”

Enfield Town 0 Maidenhead United 0

Report by andrew warshaw

Enfield Town put their first point on the board Saturday in a game that was eye-catching for the first 45 minutes but thereafter failed to live up to expectations and became somewhat scrappy.

An encounter littered with offside decisions and penalty claims had its moments in both boxes but didn’t have enough quality overall.

However, having been highly unfortunate to lose at Torquay in their opening outing, Town will take heart from having already played their part against two of the big boys in the division.

Relegated Maidenhead, eager for an immediate return to Step 1, were keen to bounce back from a shock opening setback against Chesham and will probably feel they had the better of proceedings.

Town fielded a near full-strength side, Henry Hawkins being the only obvious absentee, but found Maidenhead’s physicality a constant concern. Our most promising  forays forward came whenever Billy Leonard was in possession but in the main we struggled to break Maidenhead down and had to defend for large periods.

The Magpies’ Liam Dulson and Josh Umerah both went close early doors before Lamar Reynolds pulled the trigger from four yards after Tommy Wood did brilliantly to keep the ball alive. It looked for ever like the opening goal but credit has to go to Manny Onariase for a last-ditch block.

The visitors continued to pose the greater threat, however. Manny Onarise’s header was just wide after Rhys Forster came flying out of goal but Rhys redeemed himself by clawing away a Sam Barratt effort when we failed to deal with a freekick near the halfway line.

The best chance of the half then saw Barratt beat the offside trap, only to see his sublime lob come back off the bar.

It came at a cost. Barratt was immediately  forced off injured but Town had a huge let-off when a Xavier Benjamin handball went unpunished. Right on halftime, huge shouts for a penalty at the other end when Ruaridh Donaldson appeared to be tugged were also ignored.

H-T 0-0

Maidenhead resumed with the same intensity as Town were forced to play on the counter. Another penalty claim, for the away team for a shirt pull, didn’t interest the referee who then failed to pull out either red or yellow for a crunching late challenge on Hayden Bullas, only to caution Tommo moments later for a far less dangerous foul.

After a largely eventful period of play, a flurry of substitutions from both sides upped the tempo. Harry Lodovica certainly made a nuisance of himself up front for Town but it was a brief cameo from Tosh Gallimore that caught the eye, suggesting the new man in midfield will be a more than useful asset.

 The final whistle was greeted by a melee near the touchline involving a phalanx of players on both sides which fortunately didn’t get too ugly and was thankfully broken up.

“A lot of blood and guts but not much quality,” said Gavin Macpherson. “Last week we brought a lot of quality into the game at Torquay but today we were devoid of it in terms of retaining the ball. We turned over possession far too easily but the boys all put a shift in against a very strong side who will be near the top come the end of the season.”

Enfield Town (3-5-2): Forster; Benjamin, Thompson, Donaldson; Jones, Parcell (Gallimore, 84) , Bullas, Youngs (Brown, 75), Leonard; Wood, Reynolds (Lodovica, 63)

Subs not used: Adom-Malaki, MacArthur, McCann

Attendance: 758

We are pleased to announce the loan signing of central defender Noah McCann from Queens Park Rangers.

Noah, who joined QPR more than a decade ago after being scouted while playing Sunday league football, was on the bench for their Carabao Cup game this week.

The 19-year-old defender, who has represented Scotland at youth level and describes himself as “a ball-playing centre-half who likes the physical side of defending” , joins us on a 28-day loan and will provide valuable cover at the back.

Welcome Noah!

Following a highly unfortunate defeat at Torquay last Saturday, Enfield Town hope to put their first points on the board on Saturday against Maidenhead United

Despite an opening setback at Chesham, the Magpies are another of the promotion contenders in their quest to get straight back to Step 1 following demotion to National League South.

“Once we got adjusted at Torquay after being thrown some curved balls before kickoff we were very good. It was a decent yardstick for us so it’s quite an easy one to move on from,”  said Gavin Macpherson. “But we’ve still got players missing so we’ll have to address that.”

“Every game is a tough game in this division, all the more so if you’re short on personnel. Maidenhead will expect to be in the mix come the end of the season. I doubt they are too worried about that first result and we’ll have to make it as difficult for them as we can.”

“It’s a great day to welcome another ex-National League side and have a go at it. If we can put a few more points on the board at home than we did last season, we should have a reasonable campaign.”

“With a couple of recent additions, we’re somewhere around where we want to be squad-wise now though defensively we may need to add because of short-term difficulties. Otherwise we’re fairly settled and it’s important now to look at some form of continuity moving forward.”

AW