Enfield Town FC

Report

Pre-Season Success at Stotfold

Stotfold 0  Enfield Town 1
Report by Martin Bentley

The scoreline suggests a narrow win for Enfield Town in their latest pre-season outing, but in truth only some excellent goalkeeping and wayward finishing prevented Town from running up the proverbial cricket score. The crisp, positive attacking football played by the Town must have pleased manager Billy Holland, although the failure to convert more than one of the chances created would not.

On a pleasant summer’s evening, Town roared out of the blocks, and had already seen an Amrit Bansal-McNulty shot fly over the bar before they took the lead in the 4^th minute; an incisive move released an impressive trialist on the left, and he cut in to score via the visiting keeper’s left hand post. The remainder of the half was played almost exclusively in one half of the field, with further Town efforts coming in from George Nunn, Finlay Corrigan and two trialists.

The second half began with the home side surprisingly on the front foot, winning a corner and having a shot blocked in the first minute. Stotfold had visibly raised their game, and the second half was considerably more evenly matched, particularly after the customary procession of substitutions disrupted Town’s game. Adam Thompson was in imperious form at the back for Town though, restricing opportunities to an absolute minimum.

Still the chances kept coming for Town though, with new signing Tom Avgoustidis impressing on the right flank. He had a couple of efforts well saved, Billy Leonard had an effort deflected wide, while one of the second half triallists blazed over an empty net after being set up by Nana Kyei. At the other end, despite having a goal ruled out for offside on the hour, Stotfold had failed to trouble Dylan Thompson in the Town goal until the final minute, when an effort from the edge of the box clanged against his crossbar.

Team: D.Thompson, Tanimowo, Mensah, A.Thompson, Trialist, Akubuine, Corrigan, Bansal-McNulty, Trialist, Nunn, Trialist

Subs: Rydings, Leonard, Avgoustidis, Kyei, Deslandes, plus 3 trialists