Enfield Town 1 Tonbridge Angels 1
Report by Andrew Warshaw
Enfield Town ended a three-match losing streak with a last-gasp leveller but might feel they should have had all three points to ease our plight even though the result pushed us up one place.
Our game was one of only four in the division to beat the weather thanks in part to all the pitch maintenance volunteers who deserve enormous credit and before kickoff, Sam Youngs was presented with a richly deserved player of the month award especially after all he has been through.
The management team would certainly have earmarked this fixture as a three-pointer given upcoming games that include the likes of Maidenhead, Torquay and Dorking but Town’s returning goalkeeper Joe Wright, starting his third spell, was picking the ball out of his net after just 11 minutes.
In familiar fashion after an encouraging start which included a Youngs effort not caught as cleanly as he would have liked, Town failed to clear a flick-on from a corner and in the ensuing melee, Tom Leahy got the last touch to send the visitors in front.
Town became tentative in possession, frequently dispossessed just when we were building attacks — against defensively solid and strong counter-attacking opponents.
Billy Leonard produced a goal-saving tackle when the flag stayed down after Joe Wright had rushed out of his area to thwart another Leahy moment of danger while at the other end a Henry Hawkins header almost pulled us level.
But in truth there was precious little further goalmouth action for either side in an unmemorable opening half.
H-T 0-1
The second half began with the Angels still slightly in the ascendancy as Ricky Korboa cleared the bar before Town gradually seized control with an extended period of pressure.
Gavin Macpherson has been criticised in some quarters for making questionable substitutions but the one he made just after the hour mark arguably changed the game.
Angels skipper Scott Wagstaff had been helped from the field with a suspected dislocated shoulder when Ollie Knight, a bit-part player for much of the season, replaced Tosh Gallimore.
Tosh had arguably been our most productive midfielder but it was an attack-minded move and coincided with a change of formation as we reverted to a familiar back three having started in a four with Ruiridh Donaldson at left-back and Nino Adom-Malaki wide left.
The changes immediately paid off in terms of momentum as a Knight cross was met by the head of Lemar Reynolds though unfortunately straight at Laurie Shala. Sam Youngs then saw his effort narrowly clear the bar on the stretch but in the third minute of 10 added on at the end, Town were finally rewarded.
So used to conceding ourselves late on, Adam Thompson, up from the back, brought down Xav Benjamin’s fine low ball and fired into the roof of the net (pictured celebrating) . Cue a flurry of Town corners and Eli Ackeson, off the bench late on, going agonisingly close to a winner.
“We needed to change something and stop conceding so many goals from crosses so that’s why we changed formation at the start,” said Gavin. “It was a tweak we felt we needed. Although we weren’t totally at it, at halftime I still thought we could win the game. Over the 90 minutes I think we deserved more and we’re absolutely gutted. The boys put in a great shift but ultimately it’s two points dropped.”
“As for Ollie Knight, he’s had a difficult time but has given me a massive reaction. We know what he can bring and getting him wide was key for us today.”
With Olly Davis having departed, Gavin revealed that Cian Dillon could be returning to the club which would of course be a massive boost.
“Hopefully he’ll be back with us in a couple of weeks but we’ll be guided by QPR in terms of his injury. With Olly Davis, some people may think we can just keep our players but Hemel ‘s approach was entirely within the rules. As I’ve said, we did everything we could to keep him and in the end it was to Olly.”
Town
4-1-4-1
Wright; Benjamin, Thompson, Hawkins, Donaldson; Gallimore (Knight 62); Adom-Malaki, Bullas (Ackeson 88), Youngs, Leonard; Reynolds