Enfield Town FC

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Hornets Profit From Town’s Profligacy

Horsham 1-0 Enfield Town

An exasperated Gavin Macpherson was left to rue his side’s wastefulness as they spurned several chances in a narrow defeat to Horsham at Hop Oast.

An unchanged eleven were rewarded with starts following Town’s midweek win over Ebbsfleet, and it ought to have paid dividends as the visitors fashioned the vast majority of opportunities in the first half, but proved unable to convert them. It was hosts Horsham who saw most of the ball in the opening exchanges; Greg Luer’s long-range drive was well held by Forster in the second minute, while goalkeeper Lewis Carey spent lengthy periods on the ball assessing the options in front of him, only to find a disciplined Town rear guard, much to the frustration of the 1500-strong home crowd.

Beyond the ten-minute mark, the Towners began to threaten with increasing intensity. Hayden Bullas – a positive presence throughout – crossed for Lamar Reynolds, whose glancing near-post header was watched well wide. Five minutes later and Reynolds was gifted a far more presentable chance as a ricocheted clearance fell kindly to him six yards out, but his effort was well repelled at point-blank range by Carey.

Still the chances continued as Town upped the pressure, but ultimately to no avail. Bullas slipped a neat pass down the right-hand channel into Billy Leonard, whose side-footed drive was beaten away by the Hornets’ keeper. The clearest chance of the half followed soon after as Bullas again sought to tee up an opener, releasing Bayley Brown in the centre of the box, though his eventual shot was low and too close to Carey, who would ultimately be named man-of-the-match.

Between both chances there was very nearly a carbon-copy of the debacle at Slough, as Henry Hawkins was shunted to the floor in his own box, and with play inexplicably allowed to continue, Town required an excellent last-ditch tackle from Adam Thompson to prevent an almost certain tap-in. Before the interval, both Thompson and Sam Youngs tried their luck from the edge of the area as Town ended the half strongly, but deadlocked at 0-0.

Half Time: Horsham 0-0 Enfield Town

The second period began in the same vein as the first; Rhys Forster’s gloves stung by a long range effort, as he gathered Harvey Sparks’ shot. Town responded in kind with a flowing counter attack that ended with Xavier Benjamin galloping out from defence to cross for Sam Youngs, who volleyed narrowly wide.

Horsham had re-shuffled at the break, introducing striker Rhys Murphy to the fray, and after curling just wide from distance, he somehow miscued an effort from close range moments later as the Hornets looked to find a foothold. Again Town hit back; a quick goal kick from Forster picked out Leonard, whose teasing cross was inches away from finding a grey shirt in the centre. Town’s number one was then called into action shortly afterwards, producing a terrific double save to thwart both Murphy and Luer in quick succession.

Yet there was nothing he could do to prevent what proved to be the winner on 67 minutes; Charlie Hester-Cook afforded too much space to advance from midfield and pick out the top corner with a superb swerving effort from 20 yards.

In truth, Town offered too little following their setback as Horsham retreated into shape and looked to pounce in transition. Ollie Knight was introduced in the immediate aftermath of the goal, and the nearest the away side were to finding an equaliser came late on as he wriggled free on the edge of the penalty area, but his cross was a whisker away from connecting with Reynolds’ boot in the middle.

Despite the frustration of another defeat, there were certainly positives to take from Town’s build-up play, as well as a significant piece of Enfield Town FC history, as Sam Youngs played his 352nd game for the Towners, in the process becoming the club’s all-time record appearance maker.

Town: Forster; Benjamin, Thompson, Hawkins; Leonard, Bullas (Bates 86’), Brown (Knight 69’), Gallimore, Adom-Malaki; Youngs, Reynolds (Wood 88’).

Unused subs: Connolly, Donaldson, Jones, Cann.

Attendance: 1550