Enfield Town 3 Ramsgate 2
Report by Andrew Warshaw
Enfield Town edged a highly entertaining encounter to make it two wins out of three for Billy Holland and our new-look squad, capped by a couple of sublime goals.
The contrast in styles – Town’s one-touch, patient build-up versus Ramsgate’s direct approach – made for an intriguing afternoon.
Town made a couple of enforced changes with Declan Rydings and Jesse Akubuine coming into midfield in place of Amrit Bansal-McNulty and Luke Deslandes, at least one of whom should be available again for Brentwood next Saturday.
Town undoubtedly missed Amrit’s speed of thought and initially struggled to break down the visitors. Indeed it was Ramsgate who struck first. Sonny Hart had his pocket pinched in the middle third when he was guilty of overplaying and the Rams’ man of the moment , Callum Jones, fired high into the top of the net.
Town regrouped and Rydings, a bundle of energy all afternoon, produced a superb cross-field pass, Ramsgate just managing to smuggle away Tommy Avgoustidis’ subsequent cross.
On 22 minutes, however, having not had a worthwhile effort on target, we were level with what can only be described as an early contender for goal of the season. Frankie Domi collected a throw-in and unleashed a spectacular 30-yard piledriver that left Johnny Henly floundering.
Town now clicked into more penetrative gear with Shilo Remy increasingly influential. Sam Youngs was a whisker away from getting a touch to a gorgeous Avgoustidis assist but the pressure finally told when Domi doubled his and our tally in a hugely watchable first half. Rather than push a Youngs header out of danger, Henly could only parry it towards Domi who duly headed back across goal and into the net.
Ramsgate never let us relax, however, and when Alfie Paxman’s soaring drive came back off the bar, Benedict Bioletti lashed the ball home for 2-2 though the Town faithful were convinced there was a foul in the build-up.
Town had another let-off just before the break when Bioletti manoevred himself into a goalscoring position but scuffed his shot wide.
H-T 2-2
Whatever was said at halftime by Billy and his team, there was a noticeable change in approach when the players re-emerged, playing the ball longer out of defence especially to the wide areas.
Billy disclosed afterwards this was deliberate tactic to create more space and it certainly gave Ramsgate plenty more to think about.
Ayo Tanimowo and Youngs had good efforts blocked and saved respectively but on 63 minutes, Town moved back in front courtesy of Tommy Avgoustidis’ brilliant improvisation as he saw Kenly off his line and delivered the most exquisite of chips which at first looked like it was going wide but nestled just inside the post (pictured, courtesy of Tom Scott).
Just before the goal, Frankie Domi, who took a knock against Lewes a week ago, was not risked any longer and Mickey Parcell provided reliable cover off the bench for the two-goal defender.
For all our eye-catching, entertaining football – long may it continue – we are prone to being picked off when we take our eye off the ball and we were almost punished again after another turnover.
Luckily it came to nothing and at the other end, Luke May-Parrott, still regaining full fitness, again looked the part when off the bench for the last 25 minutes.
But Ramsgate weren’t finished and our hearts were in our mouths not once, but twice, in the dying moments.
Just like against St Albans, seven minutes were added on – this time in part due to the referee pulling up with what like a muscle strain. Rams sub Solomon Ogunwomoju’s bullet header looked to have secured a point, only to be chalked off by a linesman’s flag.
And with the last action of the game, EJ Mensah, a 77th-minute sub and having already been cautioned, might well have been red-carded for a push on the dangerous Paxman.
Thankfully when the ref took the whistle to his mouth, it wasn’t to dismiss EJ but to call full time – a couple of minutes early in fact.
All in all a highly satisfying performance and now on to another massive test at Brentwood on Saturday when we will be without the suspended Tanimowo and Hart.
(see Billy Holland’s post-match interview on ETFC’s social media channels)
Town
Thompson D; Tanimowo (Mensah 77), Thompson A, Hart, Domi (Parcell, 60); Akubuine, Rydings, Leonard (May-Parrott 64); Remy (Corrigan 90), Youngs, Avgoustidis (Kyei 71).