Report

Enfield Town 0-4 Billericay Town 

Town Hit Hard Again
Report by Andrew Warshaw

No-one is sugar coating the fact that the build-up to Step 2 has been far from ideal with just one pre-season friendly  left before the momentous challenge of visiting Torquay United

But Tuesday’s latest heavy defeat was somewhat harsh in terms of the scoreline given that we arguably created as many chances as Billericay yet couldn’t take any whilst the back we were at times badly exposed.

Some of our play was more encouraging than last Saturday’s 3-0 reverse against Hendon yet the management team is under no illusions that we are behind schedule and how much work needs to be done before the players board the coach to Devon.

The fact is Town’s preparations have been rocked by illness and injury at the worst possible time with Gavin unable to field anywhere near a competitive starting eleven. Jack Smith, an integral part of our midfield this season, is the latest enforced absentee.

However many times the club is rebuffed by potential key signings, no stone is  being left unturned to bring in further recruits across all areas of the pitch, not least up top and at the back following the departures of Marcus Wyllie and Taylor McKenzie.

On Tuesday, we had to deal with a settled Billericay side but had the better of the early stages with a trialist wearing No. 12 particularly eye-catching with his composure and close control.

Sam Youngs sent a volley straight down the throat of Sam Donkin while Joash Nembhard had a goalbound shot blocked after a Joe Payne long throw caused confusion in the Ricay box.

Yet by half time, we were three down.  On 25 minutes, the visitors were awarded a penalty dispatched low and hard by Decarrey Sheriff.

Ten minutes later, Rhys Forster saved brilliantly from Harrison Day but when the ball was recycled out to Cain Keller, he thumped it home.

The third goal was a catalogue of errors as the entire back line failed to clear a right-wing cross and Ibrahim Jalloh converted at the back post.

Day almost made it four before the interval before Sheriff pounced on Obi Onyeagwara’s mistake early in the second half and ran through to add to add insult to injury.

At the attacking end of the pitch, where he is most effective, Obi delved into his box of tricks and from his excellent pass, Reece Beckles-Richards rounded the keeper but saw his shot rebound off the post –the nearest we came to getting on the scoresheet.

“There were some good moments between the two ends of the pitch but that’s not going to win you football matches,” said Gavin.

“We are nowhere near where we need to be in our planning and that’s an honest assessment. The standard of football we need won’t wait for us if we are not sharp enough. You get away with it at Step 3 but not Step 2.”

On to Saturday and our final pre-season outing at Ware. “It’s a very strange place to be as a manager right now, to have so many players missing,” said Gavin. “But I’m doing everything I can to strengthen us.”

Town: Forster; Nembhard, Trialist, Parcell; Oyenuga, Trialist, Taaffe, Youngs, Knight; Trialist

Subs: Trialist, Onyeagwara, Trialist, Tanner, Solomon, Trialist, Owusu, Beckles-Richards

Details

Date Time League Season
30/07/2024 7:45 pm Pre-Season Friendly 2024-25

Ground

Queen Elizabeth II Stadium
Queen Elizabeth II Stadium, Donkey Lane, Enfield EN1 3PL

Results

Club1st Half2nd HalfGoals
Enfield Town000
Billericay Town314

Past Meetings

1 - 2
Pitching In Isthmian League Premier
2023-24

Enfield Town vs Billericay Town

1 - 1
Pitching In Isthmian League Premier
2023-24

Billericay Town vs Enfield Town

0 - 4
Pitching In Isthmian League Premier
2022-23

Billericay Town vs Enfield Town

2 - 0
Pitching In Isthmian League Premier
2022-23

Enfield Town vs Billericay Town