Enfield Town 1 Weston-Super-Mare 0
Report by Andrew Warshaw
Enfield Town marked their first ever home game at Step 2 with an historic three points courtesy of a first-half Sam Youngs penalty.
Beaten at Torquay in their opening fixture, we started on the front foot, then backed off and took another 20 minutes to get a foothold in the game.
But when the Seagulls failed to capitalise on their control, we grew in confidence and self-belief and in in the end ran out deserved winners on a memorable day for everyone involved – players, management staff and fans alike.
Gavin Macpherson made three changes from the Torquay game with midfielders Billy Leonard and Khanya Leshabela brought into the starting eleven along with Hisham Kasimu, all of whom showed how vital they will be to the squad this season. Leonard in particular proved exactly why he was named Hendon’s player of the year last season.
After our initial flurry, Weston, keen to make up for their opening-day 4-3 defeat by Worthing, wrestled back the initiative and for a while looked like they had an extra man on the pitch, such is the difference between Step 2 and 3.
Joe Payne was booked for a mistimed challenge while Rhys Forster had to get down early to keep out a 25-yard strike from the much-travelled Reuber Reid.
Weston kept coming but when they couldn’t break through, Town took over for the last 15 minutes of the half.
A great move down the right saw Leonard whip a low cross into the danger area, then Kasimu was intercepted just as he was about to pull the trigger.
How he didn’t score on 36 minutes is anyone’s guess as poked wide from four yards. But two minutes later, the Dave Bryant stadium erupted with our first goal at National League South. A clever Youngs dummy saw the ball fall to Ollie Knight who was felled clumsily (pictured). Up stepped Sam to slam the penalty powerfully into the top corner.
Forster, who loves to play the sweeper-keeper role, almost went one step too far and had to apply some neat footwork to prevent Weston being gifted a chance to equalise.
As halftime approached, the referee wasn’t interested when Youngs claimed a second penalty after falling victim to a nasty forearm in the face, opening up a bloody gash that needed lengthy treatment and saw him change into a number-less shirt.
H-T 1-0
If the first half was often a cagey affair, the second was far more open. Town had clearly been directed to press further up the pitch and Leonard was a whisker away from doubling our lead though he might have done better by squaring the ball rather than trying his luck from a wide angle.
Scott Thomas become the second Town player to fall victim to a heavy challenge that drew blood from a badly cut eye but manfully stayed on the pitch.
Payne put a freekick over the bar whilst at the other end only a last-gasp clearance from Bernie Tanner prevented an almost certain WSM equaliser.
You don’t join Step 2 without giving up large chunks of possession and it was no surprise when the visitors came on strong again in the latter stages, prompted by skipper Luke Coulson.
Both teams made a flurry of subs and despite an end-to-end finale, there were no more goals though substitute Michael Folivi squandered a wonderful chance on the counter to double Town’s lead with perhaps the best chance of the game. At the other end, a sliding Joash Nembhard tackle, a Joe Payne block and a superb save from Forster from Coulsen kept us in front as we played out five minutes of stoppage time to the delight of the 796-strong crowd.
“They were much more direct than I thought they would be and we had a lot of pressure to deal with,” said Gavin.
“There seemed to be a light-bulb moment when the boys realised they had a right to be competing at this level. From then on I thought we were fantastic.”
“A year ago we might have been comfortable defending a one-goal lead but not at this level when teams have the quality to undo you in flash. But let’s face it, we could easily have been two or three up. I’m absolutely delighted with them – and as I said last week, we will get better.”
Enfield Town: Forster; Parcell, Nembhard, Tanner, Payne; Thomas (Krasniqi, 75), Leshabela; Knight. Youngs (Alves, 80), Leonard (Beckles-Richards, 75); Kasimu (Folivi 75)