Enfield Town 0 Dartford 2

Report by Paul Manel

Photo: Tom Scott

‘They were the better team tonight. They were quicker to the ball, more aggressive, more of a threat, they were defensively more solid. They deserved what they got’ The words of a reflective Enfield Town boss Billy Holland following Towners’ defeat under the lights at the Dave Bryant against a physically strong and tactically astute Dartford side.

Towners might have had an inkling that this possibly was not going to be their night even before the match kicked off. News filtered through that Adam Thompson had felt a tweak in his Achilles in the pre match warm up. Ayo Tanimowo moved to right back so that Mickey Parcell could fill in the left centre back slot. Other changes from our come-back win over Cray Wanderers saw Jez Davies make his full Towners debut, replacing Finlay Corrigan. Luke May-Parrott came in for Shiloh Remy  Sony Hart in for the injured EJ Mensah and Frankie Domi in at left back.

Dartford also came into this game on the back of an impressive win at the weekend, Three – nil victors at Carshalton Athletic. And it was the visitors who made the brighter start. In the third minute a break down the right found Max Fiddes in the box who looked set to score until his effort took a slight deflection and went out for a corner.

Town began to settle into the game and found their passing rhythm. A quick Amrit Bansal McNulty free kick found Frankie Domi who missed his kick. A clever Amrit flick then released Tommy Avgoustidis who shot wide. Luke May-Parrott saw his strike from just outside the box, flick the bar. The evening may have panned out very differently had Town scored at this point.

Instead, it was the team from Kent who got the opening goal. Dartford had looked dangerous when winning the ball in midfield and going direct. One such long ball saw stand in centre half Mickey Parcell miss his header on the edge of the Towners box. Striker Dan Smith ran onto the ball. As he turned, Parcell attempted to win the ball and the Dartford man went down. It looked like there was the slightest contact but the referee pointed to the spot. Smith got up, dusted himself off and dispatched down the middle. One nil Dartford. Goals change games is the truism, and for the rest of the half Town had more of the ball but Dartford’s quick breaks carried more of a threat. A cross by player – manager Ben Greenhalgh saw a header go over the bar and then Greenhalgh himself saw the same result from a 25-yard screamer.

HT 0- 1

Town were unchanged after the interval and came quickly out of the blocks. An Avgoustidis, May-Parrott one – two saw Tommy’s cross fall for Sam Youngs but his effort was straight at the keeper. Minutes before this Domi had seen his daisy cutter from 25 yards go wide. This was an intriguing battle of different styles. Town’s passing football vs Dartford’s more route one method. One such Dartford ball into the box saw a header back across the penalty area reach the impressive Jeremiah Pinder but Town stopper Dylan Thompson made a brave save at his feet.

It felt like the next goal, if it came, would prove to be crucial. A ball down the right caught out the home defence. The ball was pulled back for Tyler Ibe to slot home. Cue Dartford delirium behind the goal. A mountain to climb for the league leaders.

Town continued to push but Dartford deserve huge credit for the way they defended. Amrit moved into a more central role, but he was denied space, particularly by the athletic Pinder.

Town manoeuvred themselves into some promising positions but too often the final ball lacked quality. The nearest Town came was in the last minute when a fizzed Parcell cross found Youngs and he was unlucky to see his header take a deflection.

A disappointing last league game of the month. The first time that Town have failed to score this season. A sense of perspective is needed though. Considering the changes over the summer, all Towners would have taken being top of the league in September and playing wonderful attractive football.

Attention now turns to our FA cup visit to Billericay. A much-anticipated match. Tough enough against step two opponents, even tougher with injuries mounting and one or two players unavailable.

Town: D Thompson, Tanimowo, Hart, Parcell, Domi, Leonard, Davies ( Rydings 58), Avgoustidis ( Kyei 72), Youngs, Bansal-McNulty, May-Parrott ( Remy 58)