Enfield Town FC

Report

Welwyn Garden City 1-2 Enfield Town

Late Goal Seals Hard-Fought Win
Report by Andrew Warshaw

With six first-teamers missing through injury or unavailability, including Scott Thomas who failed a last-minute fitness test, it was difficult to gauge how useful a run-out this was as we continued our build-up to National League South.

After assessing how we coped out of possession in those fixtures against the Spurs and Arsenal development squads, this was the first of several pre-season games against teams below us to see how we performed with the ball.

The answer, after one outing, was that the jury’s out – though missing a number of key regulars didn’t help.

There were friendly handshakes all round before and after the game, with Step 4 WGC managed by former Towner Marc Weatherstone and assisted by another ex Towner in Josh Urquhart.

Gavin changed things round from the Arsenal game, starting with a recognised eleven for an hour before replacing all but two of them with a second-string line-up consisting mainly of trialists.

With Scott ruled out just before kickoff, Mickey Parcell was moved into midfield but things didn’t start according to plan. On 12 minutes, Bailey Stevenson, who troubled us with his strong running while he was on the pitch (WGC also changed virtually their entire lineup after halftime) put his team ahead in their first foray forward. Town were guilty of two poor clearances and Stevenson took advantage by cutting in and beating Adi Connolly off the far post.

Only a last-ditch tackle by Joash Nembard prevented Stevenson from adding a second and when Billy Leonard – so promising in those first two fixtures — had to be replaced with a knee problem, we had to re-organise yet again.

Just before halftime, Donnabhan Green made a double save from Nana Owusu but it took a howler from WGC’s substitute trialist keeper to allow us back into the game straight after the break, Parcell’s shot slipping through his hands. Town continued to have most of the ball but without much end product until, with seven minutes left, Obi Onyeagwara’s defence-splitting pass found Reece Beckles-Richards who produced a classy finish.

Average was how Gavin summed up a disjoined display. “We just lacked  that final cutting edge, with the final ball either overhit or underhit.”

“We had so much of the ball but didn’t do much with it. WGC sort of played how we did against Spurs and Arsenal.  I know it was only our third pre-season game but I expected a bit better if I’m honest.”

Town Starting XI: Connolly; Solomon, Nembhard, Tanner; Adjei-Hersey, Parcell, Smith, Youngs, Payne; Leonard; Owusu