Enfield Town 0-1 Weston-super-Mare

Report by Charlie Baker 

It was a case of déjà vu for Enfield Town as we conceded another late goal to lose to high-flying Weston-super-Mare.

However, unlike the two previous defeats by a single goal at home, we’re wondering how we haven’t won this one, never mind lose it.

We started the game strongly, clearly buoyed by our first league victory of the season at Tonbridge on Tuesday. We took four points off second-placed Weston last season and took the game to them on this occasion too, with Sam Youngs curling just wide in the opening minutes. 

Our captain had a similar chance moments later, when an acrobatic effort went past the same post. On another day it could’ve been a hat-trick, as he blazed over from six yards out after a whipped cross from the lively Nino Adom-Malaki. 

Nino’s trickery was causing all sorts of problems for the visitors, who were struggling to move up the pitch. They were given some respite when Henry Hawkins went down injured on 25 minutes, having to be replaced by Avan Jones.

But then we were back on the gas. This time Hayden Bullas broke through and fed Ollie Knight in the centre of the box, but his effort was superbly saved by Seagulls keeper Max Harris. 

The visitors started to gain more control without troubling Rhys Forster in the Town goal, but the biggest talking point as half-time approached was Knight seemingly being tripped in the area while weaving through Weston defenders.

The referee, whose view may have been blocked, wasn’t interested and that was that for the first half. 

HT 0-0

After some mild half-time drama involving a strong gust of wind and a gazebo, Weston grew into the game. They put together a string of corners, but the game became more scrappy and chances were at a premium. 

Youngs saw a header caught by Harris, but neither side could find that bit of quality to change the game. Until Weston did. On 84 minutes, substitute Sam Pearson was played the ball in the box, sweeping it into the bottom left corner to silence the previously-noisy Town fans.

Gavin Macpherson saw this as the push to make some substitutions, as Harry Lodovica replaced Lamar Reynolds and Matty MacArthur came on for Knight. However, despite taking the handbrake off in added time, it was too little too late, leaving another punishing defeat when it really could and should’ve been more.

We drop one position to 20th in the table, just above the relegation zone, while Weston keep pace with Hornchurch at the summit. 

Next up, attention turns to the cup. We travel to Enfield FC (in Hertford) in the FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round this Saturday. Let’s hope for a couple of goals and the start of one of those magical cup runs. 

Town: Forster; Benjamin, Thompson, Hawkins (Jones 25), Adom-Malaki; Gallimore, Bullas; Leonard, Youngs, Knight (MacArthur 87); Reynolds (Lodovica 85). Subs not used: Connolly, Lambert, Wood.