Enfield Town 2 Aveley 4

Report by Andrew Warshaw

It may be a broken record but once again we were badly hurt by the same old problem though no-one can fault us for fight or effort.

The fact remains, however, that unlike at table-topping Farnborough, who will trouble many sides this season, conceding another four goals – this time at home against fellow strugglers who hadn’t won away — only further illustrates the need for quality defensive re-inforcements which, once they come, will surely put us back on the right track.

 Just before the Aveley game, we brought in Welsh under-19 international  Dan Cox from Derby County on loan. On the bench yesterday, Dan will hopefully play a key role in filling that much-needed position.

Gavin understandably cut a frustrating figure given it was one of our most eye-catching displays with the ball in terms of movement including two well-worked goals.  But without it, we continue to struggle badly as we try and strike the right balance.

Town had an early let-off when Hamza  Semakula rattled the bar from close range but for the most part our approach and link-up play gave us the edge in well-contested opening half.

On the half hour, we should have taken advantage of a terrible backpass, only for Jake Hutchinson to be caught in two minds whether to shoot or square to Harry Ottaway, allowing the Aveley defence to scramble the ball clear.

The game was then delayed for a number of minutes because of discriminatory language in the away end, resulting in the two captains being pulled together and a strong tannoy warning.

When it resumed, there was goalmouth action at both ends before Town broke the deadlock with a glorious goal. Jack Smith, back in the side after his long layoff, won the ball high up the pitch, fed Ottaway and ran on to convert Harry’s cross.

Two minutes later and back came that old sinking feeling as Ibby Akanbi burst unchallenged down the left and from his centre, Manny Ogunrinde got the last touch.

HT 1-1

It was tough on Town but twice we came within a whisker of restoring our lead, both from crosses  by John Oyenuga – who put in arguably his best performance for Town apart from one lapse of concentration that cost us — and both a Hutchinson toe poke away from being converted.

And yet it was the visitors who stole the lead just after the hour mark as Josh Anifowose, who had just come off the bench, rifled a 25-yarder  through the middle of the goal with Rhys Forster possibly unsighted.

Now it was our turn to hit straight back  through a composed Ottoway finish that should have put us in the driving seat for the final quarter.

Instead, with the game on a knife edge, another Aveley sub, Razzaq Coleman, finished off a pull-back as our defence got in a familiar tangle.

This time, like a boxer who had taken one too many punches, the Towners’ tiring legs couldn’t get up off the floor and we were punished again through Charlie Hughes’ curling effort as we fluffed not one but two chances to clear our lines.

The result kept both sides in the bottom four but Aveley move ominously to within a point of us, having played a game less. And now comes another six-pointer at Welling on Tuesday.

“The scoreline doesn’t reflect the game and I’m slightly scratching my head because the boys actually played quite well,” said Gavin after our goals conceded column was extended to 32, the worst in the division.

“We could have scored five but unfortunately they were ruthless with their chances, we missed ours,  and then it’s happened again to us defensively. It’s a massive blow because it was avoidable and a horrible pattern. We need to get points on the board but it’s still all to play for.”

Town

Forster; Parcell, Benjamin, Payne; Oyenuga, Peake (Loenard, 60) , Tuck, Smith (Knight 80), Mills; Ottaway, Hutchinson (Beckles-Richards 72)

By Andrew Warshaw

Enfield Town go into tomorrow’s crucial home clash with fellow strugglers Aveley with Gavin Macpherson admitting we have to stop shipping goals but citing mitigating circumstances in a refreshingly honest and insightful assessment of our current situation.

Town’s record of 28 goals conceded is the worst the division by some distance but Gavin and his staff are doing their level best to rectify the situation and pull us away from the danger zone.

“Does the situation worry me? Of course,” said Gavin. “Because while we’ve been very capable of grinding out results, as soon as we ship one goal, we tend to ship more.”

“Some people will look at Farnborough’s goals last Saturday and say they were good finishes. Not from our standpoint. I will never throw the players under a bus but a whole lot of work has gone into repairing the holes we’ve seen appear. There are themes that re-occur for us. We seem to make strides, then go back.”

Gavin admits it hasn’t been easy recruiting the right players to make a difference. While several stabs have been made to get the required quality at Step 2, frustration has become a byword.

“We are a magnificent football club but if I’m totally honest, it’s been a struggle. As a management team, myself and my staff have never before had such a revolving door. The fact is we are in a division with massively established clubs. We are built on almost unique foundations but that also means if you get into a bidding war, you more than not lose. Add to that the fact that we are punching above our weight anyway.”

Gavin has confirmed that three of the playing staff — Joash Nembhard, Carl Mensah and Khanya Leshabala – have left the club while Alex Solomon is currently on crutches following an accident at work.

 “Khanya is likely to move to a National League club while Carl’s work situation has made it more difficult for him to commit to training with us on Thursdays. 

“We wish all three well and thank them for their efforts. Combined with Alex’s situation whom I’m gutted for, we must now push on and look forward to some football.”

With the defence having seen numerous changes in personnel, efforts to secure the right balance remain a priority.

“It’s not only about the defence, that’s the easy thing to look at,” said Gavin. “Some of the goals we’ve conceded are from a long way out. Having said that, defending has becoming an art form, almost your first form of attack. Defenders have to be athletes as well as coping with quick centre-forwards and intelligent players who are sharp around the box. That’s the difference between Step 2 and 3. It’s a big jump. Some can make that adjustment, others can’t.”

It’s also easy to forget how hard it’s been replacing key players from last season.  “We had a striker in Marcus who is now in the Football League and Taylor Mackenzie is a big miss too,” said Gavin who is not afraid to admit there may soon have to be more changes.

“I’ve stuck with some of the same players and yes some people have said to me I should have ripped the whole thing up and started again. It’s an unenviable task but maybe now I’m in the process of having to put a new team together, or at least part of a new team, because it needs reshaping. I’d love people to see the analysis and attention to detail we put in week after week. I’m very positive about getting it sorted but perhaps some people need to be realistic about the season as a whole.”

In terms of Aveley tomorrow and the equally critical tie at Welling on Tuesday, Gavin is looking further ahead than the two proverbial six-pointers.

“They’re obviously important because they’re both clubs in and around where we are and the whole place will get a lift if we can move away from them. But there’s a much bigger picture at stake. There’s no point in picking up points in our next two games and then going on a bad run. They’re all worth the same amount of points after all.”

Farnborough 4 Enfield Town 1

Report by Andrew Warshaw

For just over 40 minutes yesterday, it was as accomplished an away performance as the management team could have wished for against strong opponents.

Organisation, shape, discipline, a willingness to be positive on the ball – and a goal up to boot.

The game plan was working a treat. Suddenly, all that hard work went belly up in a disastrous 14-minute spell in what has become a depressingly familiar scenario of Town caving in once the opposition gain a foothold in the game.

Okay there were one or two mitigating circumstances, Xavier Benjamin having to be replaced at halftime because of concussion being one them. Missing Alfie Tuck and Sam Youngs in midfield was another.

But Gavin Macpherson was making no excuses after another game in which once the opposition scored, too many players went missing and we couldn’t regain our composure.

It’s perhaps no coincidence that all our three wins this season have come with clean sheets. In other words, when we concede we tend to lose concentration.

And yet, after the game had to be delayed by 30 minutes because of horrendous traffic jams on the approach roads, there was little to choose between the two sides in the opening half.

Richard Chin missed a sitter for the hosts as we were indebted to Rhys Forster, despite suffering from illness, for pulling off an excellent save but on 14 minutes we were in front courtesy of a dreadful blunder at the other end.

Home keeper Jack Turner miskicked straight to Jake Hutchinson and although Jake’s subsequent shot was parried, Harry Ottaway was on hand to tap in.

Forster’s fumble at a freekick almost led to an immediate equaliser but although Farnborough looked quick and lively, they weren’t at this point creating much of a goal threat and we might well have doubled our lead when Harley Mills rifled over.

It was important that we remained in front and Forster tipped over an Olly Pendlebury drive. But on 41 minutes, a quick throw-in, some neat interplay and the hosts were level through Millar Matthews-Lewis slick finish.

The same player should have given Farnborough the lead after being slipped in by Holmes. Suddenly we were on the back foot and there was no doubt which team were more relieved to hear the halftime whistle

H-T 1-1

It should have given us the chance to regroup. Instead the Yellows burst out of the traps against a defence which now included Joash Nembhard for Benjamin, concussed whilst bravely clearing a Farnborough raid.

Within just two minutes of the restart we were behind as we fluffed several chances to clear the ball and Chin took advantage with a close-range header from a Holmes assist.

In the blink of an eye, the game was snatched from our grasp as Reggie Young produced a curling finish from just inside the box.  No Town player got close to him and that was sadly the story of the second half.

The unwell Forster, who had an up-and-down day, dropped another cross that wasn’t punished before our misery was complete. Somehow we allowed Young to run unchallenged through the middle of the pitch and although Rhys did well to keep his effort out, Matthews-Lewis almost burst the net with the follow-up.

With the goal at his mercy Holmes should have added a fifth but took the wrong option and chipped over the bar and although we had a decent spell late on, there was now only pride to play for.

“Making the change at halftime hurt us and we struggled to adjust,” said Gavin. “But there are fundamental reasons why we are losing matches.”

“We cost ourselves either side of halftime which has become a theme. Maybe it’s a mental thing. Farnborough are a good team, make no mistake, but it’s in keeping with this level that if you switch off, you get punished. The next two games against Aveley and Welling are probably closer to where we live right now and are absolutely crucial.”

Forster; Payne, Parcell, Benjamin (Nemhard, 46); Asjei-Hersey(Oyenuga, 70), Leshabela, Peake, Leonard (Smith, 55), Mills (Beckles-Richards, 78); Ottaway (Knight, 70), Hutchinson

We have been given an away tie at Hanwell Town in the second round of this year’s Middlesex Senior Cup.

Southern Premier South side Hanwell have won three, drawn three and lost three so far this season. Our last meeting with the Geordies was a 2-1 FA Trophy win at the Powerday Stadium in the 2021/22 season.

The tie will take place during the week of 4th November. Please see the website for updates.

Enfield Town go into tomorrow’s fixture at Farnborough buoyed by two wins out of three but up against formidable opposition and with a couple of key midfielders missing

As well as being without Alfie Tuck, called up by Wales under-18 this week, Town will have to cope without Sam Youngs who suffered a freak ankle injury whilst doing strengthening exercises in the gym.

Gavin Macpherson describes the task against sixth-placed Farnborough, who have lost only once at home in the league, as “massively difficult” though as ever, forced absentees provide a chance for others to stake their claim.

“We probably should have more points on the board but in keeping with this league, if you switch off at one end and don’t take your chances at the other, it hurts you. It may sound obvious but they are the bits we have to improve,” said Gavin.

Bar one or two bad defeats, the team are gradually looking more likely the one the management team want them to be as they try to settle into Step 2.

“It’s a very tough league but some clubs are tougher than others,” said Gavin. “Farnborough are one of them but they are a side I know very well. We have a plan and hopefully we can carry it out.”

Town’s defence could well be up against Hisham Kasimu who left to rejoin Farnborough after an impressive albeit brief spell with us.

“Hish made his decision and while we were disappointed, I never hold grudges,” said Gavin. “We wish Hish well – just not on Saturday!”

AW

As our crowdfunder enters its final few weeks, we are delighted to report that we are getting ever closer to our target of £35,000 towards our new stand and turnstiles, having received almost £29,000 in online and pledged donations from 262 supporters and counting. A huge thank you again to everyone who has contributed so far. Now, let’s keep it going.

We have just a few weeks left to raise the remaining £6,000 – please do keep spreading the word, sharing our fundraising page, and encouraging donations – however little or large – if people are able to chip in.

Our fundraising page can be found here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/etfc-home-improvements

In the meantime, the club are making progress towards confirming our planning application and securing grant funding to help cover the bulk of the stand’s £100k+ construction costs.

Enfield Town 1 Weymouth 0

Report by Andrew Warshaw

Reece Beckles-Richards came off the bench to drive home a 74^th-minute winner as Enfield Town prevailed in this crucial basement battle in front of a bumper four-figure crowd on our annual Whole Club Day (pictured).

It may be too early in the season to call it a six-pointer but our first home win since that opening success in mid-August was just reward for a gutsy and largely dominant  display.

After being trounced at Hampton and Richmond last week, Town needed a response and Gavin Macpherson made five changes to the starting line-up, resulting in arguably our best opening 45 minutes of the season.

Once we had settled down after a scrappy start, there was an energy and zip about our play, Sam Youngs striking the bar with a bullet header following a clever chip from Lennon Peake.

Three minutes later and the woodwork was struck again. A trademark Joe Payne long throw was only half-cleared and Mickey Parcell – once again wearing the captain’s armband and superb on the day apart from an early booking – saw his long-range shot come back off the post.

Weymouth might have taken the lead against the run of play but for Xavier Benjamin sticking out a leg to thwart Euan Pollock but most of the danger was at the other end.

Harley Mills’ superb diagonal pass put home debutant Jake Hutchinson through on goal, only for Will Bose to save. Then, when Harry Ottoway kept the ball alive, Alfie Tuck blasted wide.

Alfie really looked the part all afternoon protecting the back three but will be conspicuous by his absence next Saturday at Farnborough after being called up by Wales under-18. Congratulations Alfie!

H-T 0-0

Town needed to capitalise on their first-half domination after letting  Weymouth off the hook but when the visitors changed their shape and threw on a flurry of subs, they made it a far more even encounter.

Clearcut chances suddenly dried up but Town were still probing and Hutchinson’s cross was played in just behind the darting Beckles-Richards.

Finally, on 74 minutes, the deadlock was broken as Reece latched on to a poor clearance and finished with aplomb.

Only now did the Terras threaten and the last 15 minutes were heart in the mouth stuff. Twice they had shots cleared off the line, one hitting their own player, the other a timely Parcell intervention.

And twice they saw headers flash wide including  right at the death when Ezio Touray somehow missed the target from the centre of the goal.

But this was a deserved win and a vital one given we have played one game more than those around us.

“We could have been out of sight at halftime,” said Gavin. “It may have looked like we were hanging on at the end but  I think largely we dealt with it.”

“Really pleased with the guys. We sat in the dressing room for an hour after Hampton cos it was so poor but today the boys really rolled their sleeves up.”

“We haven’t had too many successes but the boys reminded me that’s now two wins in three. We worked incredibly hard in training and are still in a way playing catch-up to sustain ourselves at this level. Hopefully we’re on the right track. We’re all trying to grow and Farnborough will be massively difficult. No disrespect to Weymouth but next Saturday is a step up in terms of opposition.”

Town

Forster; Parcell, Benjamin, Payne; Mills, Youngs (Smith 76), Tuck, Peake (leonard 65) , Dylan-Hersey; Ottaway (Beckles-Richards, 65), Hutchinson (Nembhard, 90)

It may be too soon to call tomorrow’s clash with Weymouth a six-pointer but there is no doubting the importance of the fixture.

Victory would taste even sweeter given the game co-incides with our Whole Club Day, a very special annual occasion bringing together all sections of the club including men’s, ladies, youth and disability.

Feel free to invite all your friends to a real family day out complete with stalls, entertainment, a raffle – and hopefully three points!

Turnstiles open at 12.30 and Town’s resident photographer Phil Davison, who is also a solo musician par excellence, will be playing an acoustic gig starting around 1.45.

One of the afore-mentioned stalls will feature special colourfully beaded ETFC bracelets hand made by 10-year-old Enfield schoolgirl Grace Pollington. Another will sell unique, exquisite personal cards (Christmas, birthday, anniversary etc) beautifully designed by loyal Town member Frances Watson. There will also be a Moradi Ouds stall selling men’s and women’s fragrances.

And there’s more. New youth section sponsor Mr Plant Hire will be present with educational vehicles for children to explore while a raffle on the members’ stall will include several exciting prizes including a signed Tottenham Hotspur pennant and a tour of the Spurs stadium for four.

All proceeds on the day will go towards our ongoing crowdfunding project.

As for the game itself, while last Saturday’s display at Hampton and Richmond was unacceptable according to the management team, nobody is in any doubt about the dangers of a repeat performance.

“We had one of the best training sessions we’ve ever had on Thursday,” said Gavin Macpherson as he looked ahead to the visit of Weymouth, who are two points behind us having played a game less. “Minds have been re-focussed and the players understand what’s expected of them.”

“It’s so important that we celebrate Whole Club Day because that is what this club is about. Everyone gets together but what people don’t see is that we interact anyway in training with the junior section on Tuesdays and Thursdays and there is also important interaction with the academy boys. We’re trying to build a pathway from the first team downwards.”  

Going back to the game, Gavin added: “I understand why people are calling it a six-pointer but any game in this league, if you don’t reach certain levels you get beaten, as we’ve experienced. You’d be foolish to look at where Weymouth are and say it’s in the bag. We need to pick ourselves up. There’s certainly an intensity in how we’ve trained. A couple of wins and we could be mid-table.”

AW

The club can announce today that we are regretfully parting company with club captain and defensive midfielder Scott Thomas.

Scott, who made 185 appearances and won the players’ player of the season award in 2019-20, has been a stalwart of Enfield Town since July 2019, and has played a significant role in the progression of the club, not least our promotion to Step 2.

As the public face of the club among the playing staff on and off the pitch, he has served us with great distinction and the parting of our ways represents the end of an era.

“I would sincerely like to thank Scott for what he has done for this club, the pinnacle lifting the trophy that secured our promotion in May”, added manager Gavin Macpherson. “It’s the hardest football conversation I’ve ever had to have. Scott has been at the club for many years, and I know you will all join me in paying tribute to his time at Enfield Town.”

We wish Scott all the very best for the future and would of course welcome him back as a guest any time.

Hampton & Richmond 4-0 Enfield Town
Report by Martin Bentley

It was a case of one step forward, two steps back for Enfield Town, as they were comprehensively beaten at the Beveree by a lively Hampton & Richmond side. Town’s performance was in dramatic contrast to the previous week’s narrow victory at Bath, with Town never really in the game at all.

Gavin Macpherson opted for an unchanged starting eleven, with new signings Alfie Tuck and Jake Hutchinson named as substitutes, together with the returning Harry Ottaway.

Town’s afternoon got off to a disastrous start after just three minutes, when Hampton were awarded a penalty following Carl Mensah’s ill-judged challenge on the leggy Bunmi Babajide. Captain James Roberts sent Rhys Forster the wrong way from the spot, and Town’s proverbial mountain to climb got a little bit steeper.

The half then developed along familiar lines, with the home side enjoying the lion’s share of possession, with Town successfully snuffing out the majority of their attacks. Babajide somehow missed on 27 minutes when clean through on goal, while Town only succeeded in carving out a couple of half-chances. Three minutes before half time, Town were awarded a free kick 25 yards from goal. Harley Mills curled the ball against keeper Ted Curd’s right hand post, with the ball then rolling across the goal to hit the left hand post before being cleared. Truly, if it wasn’t for bad luck, we’d have no luck at all.

The second half opened in similar vein, although the only chance of note was a Mauro Vilhete effort that flashed wide. The home side doubled their lead on 59 minutes though, Jake Gray netting a rebound from a Forster parry. At this point Gavin decided to reshuffle the back with a triple substitution, giving debuts to Tuck and Hutchinson, as well as introducing Ottaway to make a twin-pronged forward line. The increased physical presence up from did at least give Hampton a bit to think about, and Tuck hit a shot wide after Lennon Peake’s cross was only half cleared.

The chances were still coming at the other end however, with the outstanding Mickey Parcell having to react quickly to clear a loose ball after Roberts’ low shot was parried by Forster. The inevitable happened as Town chased the game, and Roberts added a third after 77 minutes, and completed his hat-trick in stoppage time to complete a thoroughly miserable afternoon for the travelling Towners.

At least the rain stayed away.

Team: Forster; Parcell, Mensah, Tanner; Adjei-Hersey, Leshabela, Youngs, Leonard, Mills; Beckles-Richards, Peake

Subs: Tuck (for Youngs 65), Ottaway (for Tanner 65), Hutchinson (for Beckles-Richards 65), Benjamin (for Mensah 78), Payne (for Peake 83)