Report by Paul Manel

Photo: Gabe Meytanis

The FA cup is alive and well! Don’t tell the Premier League! Towners started their FA cup campaign with a trip to Ilford to play step 5 Frenford. The home side had knocked out step 4 Haringey Borough in the previous round following a replay. Last week’s non-League Paper had called this match ‘the biggest in Frenford’s history’. The crowd for the visit of high-flying Towners was six times Frenford’s usual home gate! It was swelled by the usual large and vociferous Towners following.

Enfield boss Billy Holland made two changes from the side that had put four past Wingate and Finchley on bank holiday Monday. Shiloh Remy came in for Sam Youngs and Franklin Domi replaced Ayo Tanimowo.

Town made a dominant start to the match, enjoying much of the possession. They were, however, up against a resolute and well marshalled Frenford rear guard. Early efforts on the Frenford goal were confined to shots from distance which were relatively easy pickings for Frenford goalkeeper Dominic Alexandrou.

The Towners pressure started to build, and Franklin Domi had a shot well saved by Alexandrou after he ran onto a flick by Amrit Bansal-McNulty. On 22 minutes the Frenford keeper rescued the home side once again, producing a fine stop from May-Parrott. Mayhem ensued in the home six – yard box from the resulting short corner. Towners efforts hit both posts and another was cleared off the line. With their goalkeeper having a blinder and luck on their side, the home support started to believe!

Town needed some cool inspiration, and it always looked like it would come in the form of Bansal-McNulty. Six minutes from the interval the Towners number 7 cut in from the right onto his left foot. He delivered a delicious ball across the Frenford box. Tom Avgoustidis made a great run from the opposite wing to meet the ball and he finished with aplomb for his fifth goal of the season.

The away side now had their tails up. That man Bansal-McNulty released May-Parrott who saw his chipped effort hit the post. The woodwork rescued Frenford again!

HT: Frenford 0 Enfield Town 1

Towners came out for the second half showing intent to get the all-important second goal. It arrived 3 minutes after half time. Avgoustidis used his considerable pace to run onto a chip over the top and he rolled the ball into the path of May-Parrott who stroked t it confidently home.

Enfield Town continued to dominate and Bansal-McNulty and May-Parrott both went close. Towners had to remain resolute at the back against counter attacks. The Frenford number 7 Jesse Mansary was particularly lively. Sonny Hart and EJ Mensah both had excellent games at the heart of the Towners defence.

As the half wore on Billy Holland made several substitutions. Ayo Tanimowo replaced Declan Rydings with skipper Mickey Parcell moving into midfield. Academy player Kai Watson got his first taste of 1^st team action and Olly Davis also entered the fray. Olly rejoined the club on Friday. He quickly became a fans’ favourite during his first, short spell at the club last season.

Olly quickly showed his skills and quick feet. He couldn’t seal his comeback with a fairy-tale goal, could he? Oh yes, he could! Two minutes from time substitute Sam Youngs fed Bansal-McNulty who rounded the keeper. He was forced to turn but he coolly fed Davis who did the rest! Olly Davis is back!

The icing on an impressive away-day cake was provided by Billy Leonard in added time. Several Town efforts were cleared following a corner before Leonard calmly hit home after his initial shot was blocked.

Funnily enough the home Tannoy announcer had already credited Billy with two of Towners’ goals and announced that he had been substituted! When Billy did get his goal, the announcer gave it to Sam Youngs!

A comedy finish to another impressive Town performance. The winning run now stretches to five games in all competitions. Towners await the draw for the 2^nd qualifying round. The draw is on Monday.

Town

D Thompson, Parcell(c), Mensah, Hart, Domi( 86 Watson),Rydings( 60 Tanimowo),Leonard, Bansal-McNulty, Remy(Kyei 53), Avgoustidis(Davis 53), May-Parrott( Youngs 71)

We are delighted to welcome forward Olly Davis back to the club!

Olly re-joins us having last represented Hemel Hempstead Town, joining the Tudors off the back of a productive, if brief, first spell with the Towners in which he scored three goals and earned plaudits for some eye-catching performances. The 20-year-old has also previously worn the shirts of Braintree Town and St Albans City.

Welcome back, Olly!

Wingate and Finchley 1 Enfield Town 4

Report by Andrew Warshaw (photo by Michael Michalia)

The wins just keep coming. Enfield Town raced to the top of the table on goal difference on Bank Holiday Monday as they completed back-to-back routs, following up Saturday’s demolition of Whitehawk with another highly impressive goal fest.

Five wins out of six tells its own story but it has been the manner of the performances and the free-flowing style of football that has left Town fans, who made up a vast majority of Wingate and Finchley’s record league attendance, purring with admiration.

Against a side that has given us problems in the past, Billy Holland made three changes from Saturday, one of them enforced with Adam Thompson suffering from tendonitis.

But once again, it was a seamless transition with those who slotted in showing just the kind of adaptability – very much the byword at the moment – that has been the hallmark of our season so far.

Whilst delighted with another outstanding team display, Billy admitted afterwards, not for the first time, that we may not gain a true reflection of where we stand until halfway through the season. But for now, the good times are certainly rolling as we ultimately put Wingate, who had won their previous two, to the sword.

Once again Town got off to a flier when the demon duo, Tommy Avgoustidis and Amrit Bansal-McNulty – the latter back in the starting lineup after recovering from a slight knock – linking up superbly for Amrit to slot home.

Tommy’s sublime back heel to Sam Youngs almost paid off, only for Sam to push his effort narrowly wide. Then Billy Leonard fired into the arms of Charlie Grainger.

A rare fumble by Dylan Thompson in our own goal almost let Wingate back in from a corner before the ball was blocked and cleared.

But Town continued to look the more threatening side, twice going close through Luke May-Parrott. First he shot just wide after a gorgeous one-touch move, then failed to beat Grainger when clean through on goal after Declan Rydings – a lung-busting tower of strength all afternoon – won the ball high up the pitch.

But on 18 minutes Town deservedly doubled their lead when that man Bansal-McNulty sublimely dinked the ball over the keeper.

Town were now very much in the ascendancy and arguably should have gone in at halftime with the game put to bed. Instead, they had the narrowest of leads.

The warning signs were already there when Billy Cracknell inexplicably sent former Enfield striker  Anointed Chukwu’s headed assist over the bar and  Chuk then blasted over himself from close range.

But right on halftime it had to happen, didn’t it? Town didn’t deal with Wingate’s best player, No 7 Caoilan McGettigan, and Chuk – who else? – had a tap-in to half the deficit.

H-T 1-2

It was an almost identical scenario to Town’s previous away game at Brentwood but once again we didn’t panic and arguably re-emerged even stronger.

On 62 minutes, Bansul-McNulty’s glorious cross took out the whole of the home defence and Shiloh Remy converted at the back post with almost his first touch off the bench.

Billy Leonard’s 20-yard surge through the centre of midfield almost paid dividends after a fabulous one-two with Youngs but the rout was duly completed with arguably the goal of the game, Avgoustidis showing wonderful control with an outrageous lob over the advancing Grainger.

Job very much done and now for the FA Cup first qualifying round next Saturday away at Step 5 Fernford, described as the biggest game in the Essex club’s history but hopefully a banana skin Town will come through unscathed.

Town

Thompson D; Tanimowo (Velasquez 78), Hart, Mensah, Parcell (Domi 69); Rydings, Leonard, Bansul-McNulty (Corrigan 75); Youngs, May-Parrott (Remy 69), Avgoustidis (Kyei 78)