Enfield Town 0-1 Weston-super-Mare

Report by Charlie Baker 

It was a case of déjà vu for Enfield Town as we conceded another late goal to lose to high-flying Weston-super-Mare.

However, unlike the two previous defeats by a single goal at home, we’re wondering how we haven’t won this one, never mind lose it.

We started the game strongly, clearly buoyed by our first league victory of the season at Tonbridge on Tuesday. We took four points off second-placed Weston last season and took the game to them on this occasion too, with Sam Youngs curling just wide in the opening minutes. 

Our captain had a similar chance moments later, when an acrobatic effort went past the same post. On another day it could’ve been a hat-trick, as he blazed over from six yards out after a whipped cross from the lively Nino Adom-Malaki. 

Nino’s trickery was causing all sorts of problems for the visitors, who were struggling to move up the pitch. They were given some respite when Henry Hawkins went down injured on 25 minutes, having to be replaced by Avan Jones.

But then we were back on the gas. This time Hayden Bullas broke through and fed Ollie Knight in the centre of the box, but his effort was superbly saved by Seagulls keeper Max Harris. 

The visitors started to gain more control without troubling Rhys Forster in the Town goal, but the biggest talking point as half-time approached was Knight seemingly being tripped in the area while weaving through Weston defenders.

The referee, whose view may have been blocked, wasn’t interested and that was that for the first half. 

HT 0-0

After some mild half-time drama involving a strong gust of wind and a gazebo, Weston grew into the game. They put together a string of corners, but the game became more scrappy and chances were at a premium. 

Youngs saw a header caught by Harris, but neither side could find that bit of quality to change the game. Until Weston did. On 84 minutes, substitute Sam Pearson was played the ball in the box, sweeping it into the bottom left corner to silence the previously-noisy Town fans.

Gavin Macpherson saw this as the push to make some substitutions, as Harry Lodovica replaced Lamar Reynolds and Matty MacArthur came on for Knight. However, despite taking the handbrake off in added time, it was too little too late, leaving another punishing defeat when it really could and should’ve been more.

We drop one position to 20th in the table, just above the relegation zone, while Weston keep pace with Hornchurch at the summit. 

Next up, attention turns to the cup. We travel to Enfield FC (in Hertford) in the FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round this Saturday. Let’s hope for a couple of goals and the start of one of those magical cup runs. 

Town: Forster; Benjamin, Thompson, Hawkins (Jones 25), Adom-Malaki; Gallimore, Bullas; Leonard, Youngs, Knight (MacArthur 87); Reynolds (Lodovica 85). Subs not used: Connolly, Lambert, Wood.

Tonbridge Angels 1 Enfield Town 2

Report by Andrew Warshaw

This time we hung on. This time we got what we deserved. And this time there were high fives all round.

Enfield Town secured their first maximum points haul of the season on Tuesday as we climbed out of the bottom four with an accomplished team display.

In one sense it was a similar scenario to the Slough game as we controlled the first half, invited pressure at times in the second and had the visiting Towners fans biting their nails as the game moved into its final throes.

But the fact we restricted a very pacey Tonbridge forward line to few clearcut chances was another indication of the progress we are making – double the points tally of this time last year.

Despite a three-day turnaround Gavin Macpherson kept faith with the Slough team as we started unchanged against a side who were also chasing their first victory.

Nino Adom-Malaki’s driving shot over the bar was an early indication of the man-of-match role he was to play. On 12 minutes a sublime diagonal pass from Sam Youngs found Nino and from his left-wing cross, Bailey Brown – who made his debut in our 3-1 win at Tonbridge last season – swivelled his way between two defenders to give us the lead.

Youngs, who arguably had his best game of the season in that advanced forward role, spooned another Nino cross over but for all our early interplay, parity was soon restored against the run of play.

On 25 minutes, a moment of carelessness allowed Marcus Sablier to run through the centre of midfield  and from his well-executed pass the dangerous Eddie Simon kept his composure, shook off the attention of Henry Hawkins and finished off the post.

Town weren’t deterred and back they came with Adom-Malaki again involved, his freekick headed into the path of Youngs who, initially with his back to goal, twisted and hooked a superb strike beyond Jacob Adams (celebrations pictured).

H-T 1-2

Invariably Tonbridge had fallen foul of the offside trap but second half substitute Scott Wagstaff livened things up for the hosts and now it was question of starving their willing runners of openings rather than feeding them chances.

Just like at Slough, the home team upped the tempo but for all their pressure, we stood strong as all defensively solid teams do though the bearded Wagstaff came dangerously close to a second equaliser as did Bunmi Babajide who struck the inside of the post following a surging advance.

At the other end we had further chances too, the best falling to Lamar Reynolds who was just unable to get the better of his marker inside the six-yard box to convert Billy Leonard’s low centre.

This time, the five minutes added on were precisely  that and all in all a highly satisfying evening from what looks like becoming a settled side, the clapping in the away dressing room speaking volumes.

“There’s a belief here that we’ve deserved more from a lot of the games we’ve actually played so far and hopefully this has turned a corner,” said Gavin. “The boys had to work extremely hard against a team who move the ball around and were absolutely fantastic. We’ve given the supporters some tough moments in and around the 90-minute mark so it was good to see that not happening again. When you put a plan into action and get a result, there’s massive satisfaction about seeing it unfold.”

Forster; Benjamin, Thompson, Hawkins; Leonard, Bullas, Gallimore, Brown (Knight 94), Adom-Malaki; Youngs, Reynolds (Lodovica 73)

You really couldn’t make it up! Enfield Town have been drawn away at Step 4 Enfield FC in the 2^nd qualifying round of the FA Cup when we enter the tournament.

Enfield FC, members of Southern League Division One Central, play at Hertford and beat Ilford 3-1 on Saturday to reach this stage of the competition.

We have played each other twice before, once in the Middlesex Charity Cup and once in the FA Vase, honours being split.

The game will be played over the weekend of September 12,13,14 and 15 and all details will be released as soon as a firm date is arranged.