There are must-win games – and then there is Tuesday night.

Failure to beat Chesham at home (ko 7.45) and Enfield Town’s slim chance of extending their spell in National League South to a third season will become paper-thin with just five games left thereafter – two of those away against play-off chasing sides.

Nothing is guaranteed until the Fat Lady sings and while there’s life, there’s hope. If we can produce the same level of intensity that we showed against Worthing last Saturday, we have every chance of picking up three points against the Generals and narrowing the gap behind Farnborough to five.

The fact that three days later on Good Friday we visit Chelmsford without the services of Paul Appiah (ineligible against his parent club) and, most likely, the still-injured Adam Thompson only underscores the urgency of the occasion. And let’s not forget Bath City are also playing Tuesday – away at Maidenhead.

“It’s another difficult game but we’ll pick it up afterwards and see where we are for Friday,” said Gavin Macpherson. “It’s not an enviable position to be in and the boys were sore not to get the win on Saturday.

“A lot of people might call me an optimist when I said after Worthing that we’re still alive. I recognise the situation in front of us but the fact is we’re not out of it yet.”

AW

Enfield Town 1 Worthing 1

Report by Andrew Warshaw

At halftime on non-league day, Enfield Town were just where they wanted to be. A goal up against high-flying but below-par Worthing courtesy of Nino Adom-Malaki’s blockbuster — and Farnborough losing against Hornchurch.

In the end, however, it was as you were with eight points still separating Town from safety but now only six games left to somehow claw themselves out of trouble.

It’s a tall order by any stretch of the imagination but while there’s life there’s hope and as must-win fixtures go, Town’s final game in hand against Chesham United on Tuesday is as huge as they come if we are to pull off a miraculous great escape. Even then it will be a tough ask.

Gavin Macpherson understandably cut a frustrated and forlorn figure after the game since the equaliser we conceded was avoidable while we could, perhaps should, have been further ahead by then anyway.

Town started cautiously against a side who had won three in a row and are the division’s leading scorers.

After just 30 seconds, Teddy Jenks went close for the visitors who then had a penalty shout waved away.

But we gradually played our way into the game and went in front on 20 minutes when Nino’s 35-yard screamer flashed past Taylor Seymour – a contender for Town goal of the season.

Playing with the wind at their backs and regaining possession quickly, Town suddenly began to take advantage of Worthing’s surprising lack of control in the final third.

Sam Youngs was a whisker away from doubling the lead with a skilful turn and shot, smashing the ball into the side netting. And during a spell of corners,  the woodwork came to Worthing’s rescue to keep out a ricochet.

As halftime approached, another chance went begging as Lamar Reynolds, who troubled the Rebels’ backline all afternoon, unfortunately spooned Ollie Knight’s corner over.

H-T 1-0

Town’s intensity and high press were paying dividends and Lamar screwed wide after a fine exchange with Corie Andrews.

Worthing had been nowhere near their best but,  only one goal behind, were always likely to threaten a comeback.

Joe Wright palmed away a freekick before the Rebels fluffed a gilt-edged chance from six yards out when Ashley Nadesaan couldn’t get a clean connection.

 On 66 minutes, however, the pressure paid off as Jenks, left unmarked, buried a header to restore parity.

With the clock ticking, both Youngs and Knight were unceremoniously bundled over in the box and were incredulous when the ultra-lenient referee again deemed no penalty though there was more than a hint of offside.

It almost proved extremely costly as Worthing came desperately close to winning it in added time, Dolaghan striking the bar with an acrobatic effort.

“I’ve got a disappointed dressing room because we more than matched a very good side,” said Gavin afterwards. “The boys went all out to get the win but when we were on top in the first half that was the time to put it to bed. I thought we had two penalties …we needed decisions to go our way and they didn’t. It’s hard on the legs but we’re still alive and three points is the order of the day for Tuesday.”

Town

Wright; Benjamin, Hawkins, Appiah, Adom-Malaki; Parcell, Youngs, Bullas (Leonard 70); Knight, Reynolds, Andrews (Traore 78). Subs not used: Connolly, Lambert, Donaldson, Ackason, Cass. 

Gavin Macpherson insists his team will fight to the finish even if their fate may no longer be in their own hands.

Town’s hopes of survival were given a significant boost with Tuesday’s much-needed win over Dover but Farnborough’s counter-victory the following night re-opened an eight-point gap above us in the battle to stay up.

With high-flying Worthing, who have just shelled out large sums of money for two new forwards, visiting the Dave Bryant stadium on non-league day tomorrow, Town have a huge opportunity to upset the odds and notch up another three points in front of what is expected to be a bumper crowd with both teams badly needing the points at opposite ends of the table.

“Non league day is the foundation of our football club, a celebration of the people who are important in the non-league game, primarily the volunteers and supporters and is something to embrace,” said Gavin.

“It’s really important to stress that my players turn up week after week with a work ethic to improve. There has never not been a belief but we all know the next two games are crucial.”

Following the visit of the Rebels, Chesham come calling on Tuesday for our third straight home fixture.

 “I know we’re now relying on others dropping points,” Gavin conceded. “I’m a realist, not a fantasist. Do we believe we can win every game? Of course but we also know that will be incredibly difficult. The fact that Farnborough, a team pretty much up there last season, now find themselves in a relegation battle is a measure of how this league has gone.”

With Bath, Chippenham and Eastbourne all also scrapping for their lives, the bottom of the table is becoming a race in itself as the final run-in approaches.

“At the end of the day, it may not be in our hands but we’re focused and we’ll keep plugging away,” said Gav. “Yes we’re playing catch-up but we’re going for it. If we can win Saturday and Farnborough don’t, you’re back in contention with Chesham being our game in hand.”

Footnote:

There will be no Weaver Line operating this Saturday. This means no services from nearby Enfield Town or Southbury Stations. Alternatives are National Rail services from Moorgate/ Finsbury Park to Enfield Chase then bus 191 or Stratford/ Tottenham Hale to Brimsdown and again use the 191 bus service to reach the stadium.

AW

We are pleased to announce that Paul Appiah’s loan from Chelmsford City has been extended until the end of the season.

Central defender Paul has made 7 appearances for Town since joining last month, assisting against Hampton & Richmond, and keeping a clean sheet against Dagenham & Redbridge.

Paul will be available for six of our remaining National League South fixtures, but is ineligible for our Good Friday trip to parent club Chelmsford.

Enfield Town 3 Dover Athletic 1

Report by Martin Bentley

In a night full of surprises, Enfield Town bagged a much-needed three points thanks to three excellent goals against a decent Dover Athletic side to end a seven-game winless run.

 Surprise number one, to the delight of an amazed Town faithful, was the appearance of one Jake Cass among the substitutes for his first game in two years, having come out of retirement to rejoin the club until the end of the season.

The announcement palpably lifted the mood behind the goal as Town’s battle against relegation took a decided turn in our favour.

  Before the fun started, we had to endure half an hour of turgid, shapeless scrapping. The better chances fell to the visitors, with Joe Wright forced to save well from efforts by the dangerous George Nikaj and George Wilkinson’s free kick.

Nikaj was also guilty of fluffing a good chance on 24 minutes, but the game swung in Town’s favour late in the half. Sam Youngs stung the palms of Dover keeper Mitch Walker on the half hour before putting Town in front seven minutes later, shooting first-time from the edge of the box after Ollie Knight’s cross was partially cleared.

H-T 1-0

Although grateful to be leading after an indifferent first-half showing, Town then took control of the game three minutes into the second half.

With the advantage of a strong end-to-end wind, Wright’s long drop-kick cleared the Dover centre backs for Lamar Reynolds to race clear and lob over Walker from the edge of the box (pictured). Remarkably, this was Lamar’s first goal since January.

Wright was once again called into action on the hour with a decent save from a freekick before Town made the game safe on 75 minutes with an absolute belter of a goal. Youngs began the move in the right-back position, carried the ball out of defence before playing Reynolds in 20 yards from goal. His return pass to the onrushing Youngs — and Town’s in-form midfielder once again hit Walker’s bottom corner with a sweet strike.

  The rest of the game saw Town successful play out time, with DeCarrey Sherriff’s consolation effort passing almost unnoticed at the other end. Well actually, the main reason that it was unnoticed was the weather; the steady drizzle that had started in the first half was suddenly replaced by the mother of all downpours which, combined with the wind, caused absolute mayhem in the crowd behind Walker’s goal.

Supporters cowered at the back of the stand trying to hide behind each other, at which point we realised that too many of us wear glasses! Cassy appeared for a five-minute cameo to perk everyone up.

His first involvement saw him dumped unceremoniously onto a very wet running track (didn’t happen too often in Dubai where he now lives, I assume), but he whizzed around enthusiastically for the remaining minutes to leave us all in a thoroughly good mood. And then the rain stopped.

 All good news, and a pleasingly emphatic win. Now we need to build on it, with high-flying Worthing visiting the Dave Bryant on Saturday.

Team: Wright, Benjamin (Traore 49), Odom-Malaki, Appiah, Hawkins, Bullas (Leonard 79), Parcell, Knight,Youngs, Andrews (Cass 90+1), Reynolds

Unused subs: Connolly, Donaldson, Lambert, Ackason

We are delighted to announce that fans’ favourite Jake Cass has come out of retirement to rejoin the club for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.

Popular striker Jake originally joined us in January 2022 and, after scoring in a thrilling debut win at Horsham, went on to chalk up 34 goals in 71 appearances, earning the club’s Golden Boot award for the 2022-23 season. He was part of the Towners’ squad which clinched promotion to the National League South in the 2023/24 campaign.

Welcome back, Jake!

Salisbury 2-0 Enfield Town

Report by Charlie Baker

This time last year, a hard-fought 2-1 win at Salisbury was another big step on the road to survival, but it was shadow of that performance by Enfield Town this time around.

The boisterous Town support provided the soundtrack to a quiet opening period at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium. A wicked cross from Nino Adom-Malaki was just flicked away from Sam Youngs, before Josh Hedges poked wide for Salisbury. Max Jolliffe struck the post as the hosts started to gain a foothold, albeit controlling the ball without creating many chances.

Then the game came alive via some controversy. The ball fell to Leonard from a Town corner, and he saw his left-footed shot only partially saved by Will Buse. The ball was pushed out to Yacou Traore who bundled home, but he was questionably called offside. As if that wasn’t enough disappointment for Town, Salisbury went straight up the other end and won a penalty, with Wright coming off his line and wiping out his man. Noah Coppin made no mistake, planting it in the bottom left corner.

One could’ve quickly been two after a goalmouth scramble. Three Salisbury shots were somehow blocked before Wright leapt on the ball. Nathan Okokonyero was next to have a chance for the hosts, but his volley from a cross was saved on the line by Wright.

After the earlier offside, Town fans felt even more aggrieved as Ollie Knight was adjudged to have dived on the edge of the box by referee Jack Bloxham. He was shown a yellow card and the first half ended leaving Town with plenty of work to do.Nothing happened for the first 15 minutes of the second half, until Town’s Traore was booked for winning the ball.

Clear-cut chances were at a premium until Salisbury had one, which they took clinically. Town failed to clear it and the ball fell to Odokonyero on the six-yard box who finished sharply to Wright’s left. Paul Appiah had Town’s first chance of note, but his mistimed header from sub Ruaridh Donaldson’s cross went high and wide.Youngs then had a free kick blocked before Adom-Malaki’s fierce strike from 30 yards was tipped over by Buse. 

The game petered out in the Wiltshire sunshine. Farnborough’s 2-0 win over Slough means Town now sit eight points from safety ahead of three crucial home games against Dover, Worthing and Chesham.

Team: Wright, Benjamin, Appiah, Hawkins, Leonard, Bullas, Traore (Donaldson 71), Youngs, Adom-Malaki, Knight (Reynolds 64), Andrews (Ackason 57)

Unused subs: Connolly, Parcell, Lambert

Enfield Town 2 Dorking Wanderers 4 

Report by Martin Bentley 

The final outcome may have been somewhat inevitable, but Enfield Town at least had the satisfaction of letting League leaders Dorking Wanderers know that they had been in a game.

Ultimately though, Dorking were able to overpower Town with their superior fitness, movement and passing ability, although Town at least succeeded in tweaking their noses more than once in the second half. With Yacou Traore replacing the injured Bayley Brown in the only change from the turgid draw with Dagenham and Redbridge three days previously, Town succeeded in competing on an equal footing in the opening, rather shapeless, 20 minutes. Neither goalkeeper was troubled however, with Town’s highlight coming from Mickey Parcell, who briefly transformed himself into Neymar with a spectacular twist and turn past two defenders out on the left wing, followed by a cross thaat unfortunately came to nothing. 

The visitors soon found their mojo though, and dominated possession for long periods, with diminutive midfielder Harry Pinchard involved in every attack. The first goal arrived on the half hour from a deflected Niall McManus shot, and the second seven minutes later from a near-post header by defender Brennan Camp. Town were forced to cling on by their fingernails for the remainder of the half, and came close to conceding a third in stoppage time when Dorking were awarded a penalty in stoppage time following a foul by Traore. Joe Wright, however, made an excellent save from Dennon Lewis’ spot kick to keep Town at least theoretically in the game… 

…well, for about two minutes of the second half at least. An innocuous looking free kick from deep on the right wing was headed in by visiting skipper Charlie Carter to give Dorking an apparently unassailable 3-goal lead.

Within a further 2 minutes though, Town suddenly found the ‘on’ switch. Sam Youngs picked up a loose ball out on the right, slalomed across the edge of the penalty area before firing the ball into the roof of the net from 20 yards. This was Sam’s 100th goal for the club, and one of the better ones. 

It got even better on 58 minutes when Town were awarded a penalty – remember those? Lamar Reynolds was wrestled to the ground by Camp ten yards from goal, and referee Blades pointed to the spot for, astoundingly, our first League spot kick of the season. Sam ignored the long, loud, and pointless protests from the visitors’ defence, and sent keeper Harrison Foulkes the wrong way from the spot. With the deficit now just a single goal, Town made three substitutions as they chased an unlikely equaliser.

On 75 minutes, however, Dorking, who still looked threatening whenever they attached, scored a fourth to make the game safe. A harmless looking long ball out of defence found substitute Alfie Rutherford, who always seems to score against us. Joe Wright rushed from his goal, but Rutherford beat him to it and slipped the ball into the net from distance.

The rest of the game slipped away amidst a flurry of substitutions with only half chances for Xav Benjamin and Henry Hawkins worthy of recording. Overall, a respectable and spirited Town showing against the probable League champions. It was, however, another defeat for a Town side hovering perilously over the trap door.  

Team: Wright, Benjamin, Appiah (Lambert 82), Hawkins, Leonard (Donaldson 80), Parcell (Bullas 77), Traore, Youngs, Adom-Malaki, Andrews (Ackason 68), Reynolds (Knight 64)

Unused sub: Connolly

Enfield Town 0 Dagenham & Redbridge 0

Report by Ken Brazier

There was plenty of endeavour, but precious little quality, in this match with an outcome which leaves the Towners five points from safety with leaders Dorking Wanderers due to visit the DBS on Tuesday.

Prior to kick-off the was a minute’s applause among the 1,076 present for long-time supporter and disability liaison officer Martin Convery, who sadly passed away recently.

Lamar Reynolds had a couple of early chances for the hosts; visiting keeper Sam Howes kept out a low drive and then a subsequent effort was deflected behind after he had been played through by Bayley Brown.  Brown then limped off with a leg injury on 23 minutes and was replaced by Yacou Traore.

A lofted attempt from Will Sweet from distance was the first Daggers shot of note, with both teams probing tentatively in a half of very few chances.  Kayden Harrack had another long-range effort for the visitors around the half hour mark and they had a half-shout for a penalty soon afterwards but, in truth, the opening 45 minutes were devoid of anything clear-cut in either box.

Half time: Enfield Town 0 Dagenham & Redbridge 0

The tempo didn’t change too much after the break, although Henry Hawkins did head off the line for Town after Joe Wright had punched away a Dagenham corner which had been played back into the danger area by Paul Kalambayi. A triple substitution for the visitors on the hour had little effect, with both sides remaining relatively shot-shy. Sam Youngs couldn’t generate enough power from Billy Leonard’s cross to trouble Howes while at the other end Wright saved comfortably from substitute Stan Leech.

In the 64th minute Reynolds looked to have been
impeded in the box after picking the ball up from Corie Andrews, but referee Steven Hughes saw it differently. Further substitutions during the final twenty minutes failed to inject sufficient impetus to produce a win for either side. In the closing stages Mickey Parcell shot wide for Enfield while Christian N’Guessan was off target for the Daggers. 

In truth, neither side did enough in the final third to break the deadlock, which Gavin Macpherson acknowledged afterwards. “I cannot fault the lads for their effort and work rate” he said, “but we see some quality in training that we are not transferring onto the pitch.  We need to get more shots off, but we have belief and will have a go on Tuesday”.

Enfield Town: Wright; Benjamin, Appiah, Hawkins; Leonard, Brown (Traore 24), Parcell, Youngs, Adom-Malaki; Andrews (Ackason 73), Reynolds (Knight 81).

Unused subs: Connolly, Lambert, Donaldson.

KB

Our upcoming National League South match at home to Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday 14th March has been selected for live broadcast on National League TV on DAZN.

The fixture will be streamed internationally, and is unavailable in the UK & Ireland.

NLTV passes can be purchased on the DAZN website.