Whitehawk 1-0 Enfield Town

Enfield Town’s 13-match unbeaten streak in the league was halted on Tuesday evening, as they were defeated by the odd goal in a low-quality affair at Whitehawk.

The visitors were without several regulars – among them Dylan Adjei-Hersey after sustaining a broken nose at Hastings on Saturday – with Sam Robbins, Oliver Turner and Reece Beckles-Richards all recalled to the starting lineup. The latter had found some early joy down the flanks, but with their first real concerted attack, the Hawks caught Town cold. Having wrested back possession, Charlie Harris’ long raking pass escaped the attention of Robbins and Rhys Forster in the Town net, allowing Imran Kayani to ghost in and crash a side-footed volley into the far corner for his tenth of the season.

Playing the first 45 towards the elevated end of the Enclosed Ground’s infamous sloping pitch, Town confronted a very literal uphill battle yet continued to eke out chances. On the quarter-hour mark, Turner’s lofted ball through the centre found Beckles-Richards who, leaning back, scooped his effort over. Moments later, Beckles-Richards was involved once more, wriggling down the inside-right channel and into the area but his eventual squared cross was far too powerful for the oncoming Marcus Wyllie as Town’s number 10 skewed wide from close range.

As the pace of the game slowed with a series of fouls and pauses to retrieve footballs lost to the surrounding South Downs, Scott Thomas’ intervention was required to clear Rob O’Toole’s goalbound header off the line from a corner. The closest the Towners came in the first period was from a corner of their own; some neatly-disguised passes from the set piece before Beckles-Richards’ glancing header looped onto the angle of post and crossbar.

HT: Whitehawk 1-0 Enfield Town

Town had lacked a cutting edge, and Gavin Macpherson would have impressed on his charges to try and stretch the game after the restart. It was another clipped ball forward early into the second half which almost unlocked the Hawks’ defence as Beckles-Richards nodded onto Wyllie in the area, who stepped inside his man but his low shot was denied by a good reaction stop from Mitch Walker, plunging onto the loose ball to prevent Town’s front men seizing on any rebound.

Frustration started to build as Beckles-Richards felt, to no avail, that he had been hauled down through the middle. Meanwhile, Town’s build-up was again thwarted at the final ball, with Whitehawk’s hard running preventing any sort of fluidity in our approach that had gained us plaudits in recent weeks. Joe Payne could breathe a sigh of relief when a clearance was charged down by Charlie Lambert on the edge of his own area, but the eventual shot bobbled wide of Forster’s right-hand upright.

Heading into the final 15 minutes, Obi Onyeagwara and Manny Harvest were introduced to inject some extra verve and it almost played immediate dividends as Onyeagwara produced a couple of scorching runs to breeze past his defender and pull back towards Wyllie in the centre. Marcus slashed at his first effort before Whitehawk cleared their lines; the second move was arguably Enfield’s clearest chance of the match. Some neat interplay between Onyeagwara and Jonathan Hippolyte allowed the former to skip to the byline and drill across the face of goal towards Wyllie. This time, Town’s top scorer took an additional touch before rifling towards the target, only to find Walker between the sticks in inspired form to deny him from point-blank range. Not to be… eight additional minutes elapsing before the final whistle signalled Town’s first defeat since January.

Town: Forster; Robbins, Okotcha, Tanner; Taaffe (Onyeagwara 73’), Turner (Hippolyte 83’), Thomas (Harvest 77’), Youngs, Payne; Beckles-Richards, Wyllie

Dylan Adjei-Hersey broke his nose at Hastings on Saturday and needs a protective mask to allow him to finish the season. Within 12 hours of launching a crowdfunding link to raise the necessary £450 to pay for it (below), the target was reached.

Thank you so much to all those who contributed, proving once again what a special club we are. Any excess raised will be saved for future medical requirements.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/help-dylan-keep-playing-etfc?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2d_G8IpLxQxE2BM49caIfpyU7dfNhGnqko6Q6sBKCIVnYKqKo9Kty578Q_aem_AfNhysLWlbcwrSIR8zdQvLbomRoaQdZADmte-_9SIyIiZ-mJweR6mTy8fIHkE0AVwuTYYZ_hPNUQG6q5DJomSVYA

Enfield Town embark on their final away trip of the regular season tomorrow knowing that four points from our remaining two fixtures will clinch the runners-up spot behind Hornchurch, which would represent a truly  remarkable achievement.

However we are potentially on dangerous territory with our opponents, Whitehawk, third in the league on current form behind ourselves and Billericay, albeit in mid-table.

With the original fixture at the end of March called off at the last minute because of the conditions, another long trip to Sussex within four days is perhaps the last thing we need as we assess who’se available and who isn’t after a gruelling schedule that has taken its toll, Dylan Adjei-Hersey the latest victim after suffering a broken nose at Hastings.

But at least we have already clinched a playoff spot and it’s now  about trying to secure that all-important home semifinal draw by finishing either second or third which is where we still are.

With Horsham, three points behind us, also playing tomorrow, we are in the unusual position of hoping our near-neighbours Cheshunt can do us a favour against the Hornets. Which is certainly not impossible given that the Ambers too desperately need points at the wrong end of the table.

“Having done what we set out to do and give ourselves a chance of being promoted we can’t relax as there are final league positions to think about,” said Gavin Macpherson.

“However, we’ve been hit hard with injuries and suspensions in the past week or so. That means we will have to look at these games carefully. It doesn’t change the fact that we will be trying hard to win both.”

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Hastings United 0 Enfield Town 3

Report by Andrew Warshaw

Huge congratulations to playing staff and management alike as we’re now mathematically over the line.

Despite a severely depleted squad, Enfield Town clinched their playoff place with a collective display that may not have been as emphatic as the scoreline suggests but which Gavin Macpherson reckoned was the best win of the season given the unfamiliar formation and quality of opposition.

Town can now finish no lower than fourth with two fixtures remaining as we extended our unbeaten league run to 13 games.

With a makeshift back line – Taylor Mackenzie the latest casualty after failing a late fitness tests and Joe Payne playing on the left of a three — the plan of trying to stay in the game and then go for the points worked a treat as we held on to third spot and in the process extinguished any lingering playoff hopes Hastings might have had.

Watched by a staggering 2000-plus crowd for their last home game of the season, the U’s had the better of the first half, using both flanks to good effect, notably John Ufuah with his pace and  whipped-in crosses.

Town’s case was helped by Hastings leader scorer Davide Rodari only making the bench because of a hamstring problem. Nevertheless, the hosts started brightly and thought they had scored when Tommie Fagg shot against the post, only to see his follow-up ruled out for offside.

The offside flag was then raised at the other end when Jake Cass played in Marcus Wyllie with a sight of goal but most of the opening half was pretty ordinary as a spectacle, Town digging in and  Hastings, for all their domination of the ball, guilty of poor execution – the story of their season.

It could be argued, however, that we had the best chance of the half when Marcus, out of nothing, flashed a shot inches wide.

Right on halftime, Rhys Forster, who had one of his most accomplished handling displays, pushed Finlay Chapman’s effort to safety, then saw another effort drilled over.

H-T 0-0

Whatever Gavin said at halftime, we came out far less cautious. Lewis Taaffe and Dylan Adjei-Hersey switched flanks and after the former had tested Charlie Grainger in the Hastings goal, we went in front on 51 minutes.

Jake Cass pounced on a shocking error by the teenage Chapman and finished poacher-style with his left foot to boot – no pun intended.

Town then had a major stroke of good fortune when awarded a dubious penalty for handball, Sam Youngs stroking home confidently from the spot after the ball appeared to strike a chest instead.

Cue Hastings manager Chris Agutter being dismissed after an altercation with the referee, leaving a huge hole in a plastic dustbin as he stormed off angrily .

The stuffing was now truly taken out of Hastings and Youngs almost converted a Cass knockdown.

The one downside was the ominous sight of Adjei-Hersey leaving the field with blood streaming from an apparent broken nose and taken to hospital which certainly doesn’t augur well for the campaign climax.

But by now we were well in the ascendancy and in stoppage time a Payne freekick was only parried and Taaffe knocked in the rebound.

There was still time in eight minutes of added time for substitute Reece Beckles-Richards to find the side netting and for Hastings to have a consolation goal ruled out for a foul on Forster.

Next stop Whitehawk as we battle it out with Horsham for third place and, potentially, with Chatham for second.

“It’s our best result of the season without a shadow of a doubt because we’ve had to shuffle and put a few square pegs in round holes” said Gavin.

“We had to evolve as we went along in order to get a foothold. I remember thinking in the first half that it wasn’t going to be a very good watch for our fans. But going gung-ho against a very good footballing side could have got us picked off, especially with players out of position.”

“We knew we’d spend time without the ball but I told them at halftime the chances would come. As it stands we have a home draw but there is still work to do to secure that.  That shouldn’t detract from what these players have done this season. We shouldn’t take for granted the hard work they’ve put in but they also realise it’s now a case of re-programming and preparing for Whitehawk.”

Town:

Forster; Taaffe, Okotcha, Tanner, Payne, Adjei-Hersey (Hippolyte 84); Thomas,  Harvest (Turner 65), Youngs; Cass (Beckles-Richards, 78), Wyllie

The scrapping of all FA Cup replays from the first round proper, starting next season, is perhaps the starkest and most damaging example yet of how the game’s lesser lights are being marginalised by the elite.

As the country’s first fan-owned club, the board at Enfield Town FC deplore this short-sighted approach which is hugely detrimental to the development of and, in some cases, survival of non-league teams.

The FA Cup is the world’s oldest domestic knockout competition and every year hundreds of non-league teams throughout the pyramid dream of reaching the Holy Grail of the first round proper and beyond. Horsham, in our own division, are a classic example, having taken League One Barnsley to a first-round replay this season.

Scrapping cup replays has served only to wreck those dreams, seemingly without any consultation with grassroots clubs.

Replays have long been ingrained in a competition that is is over 150 years old and have provided some of the tournament’s greatest and most iconic moments.

This self-serving, ill-conceived decision has, in one fell swoop, severely undermined the magic of the cup as well as the chance of a once-in-a-lifetime financial windfall.

The trade-off, we are told, is that there will be a significant increase in funding to lower leagues and grassroots football. Where is the evidence for this? The damage this rash, ill-advised move will cause is far greater than the effect of some token payment.

If concerns about a congested calendar for Premier League clubs really is that much of an issue, we fail to understand the thinking behind getting rid of replays in the first and second rounds when neither of the two top divisions take part.

We at Enfield Town FC join scores of our colleagues in urging the FA and Premier League to think again, protect the integrity of the FA Cup and respect the hopes and aspirations of non-league clubs whose underdog status represents the very essence of the competition and for whom cup replays are often their very lifeblood.

The celebrations may be on hold but a single point in Sussex tomorrow will guarantee Enfield Town’s playoff place after a hugely impressive campaign that has seen players and management alike constantly rise to the occasion.

Even a defeat at the Pilot Field  would be enough if Billericay fail to win at Carshalton but the emphasis is very much on trying to make it 13 league games unbeaten as we head into final week of the season hoping to secure that all-important home semifinal draw.

Hastings’ own playoff hopes were dashed by last weekend’s home defeat to Whitehawk despite the hosts missing a string of excellent chances. The U’s will be all out to give their fans a performance to remember in what is their final home game of the campaign.

Finishing sixth would be Hastings’ highest ever final league placing – and seventh the joint best – which means they still have plenty to play for.  Their players will also be  looking  for a starting spot in the Sussex Senior Cup final against Horsham.

“Obviously there will be a quiet satisfaction tomorrow if we make it,” said Gavin Macpherson. “But I wont be running around punching the air.”

“We have to acknowledge that we still have work to do. The aim at the start of the season was to give ourselves a chance of promotion but I’m not one of the those managers who goes jumping for joy in the crowd.”

“Hastings are an excellent footballing side, another one of those teams who can cause you problems. Just because they can’t make the playoffs, they’ll still want to finish as high as they can and go out on a high.”

Third-placed Town, as we know, will definitely be without the injured Ollie Knight and the suspended Mickey Parcell – both hugely influential – as well as long-term injury victim James Richmond.

With a couple of others also doubtful the squad could be significantly stretched, meaning a juggling act is potentially on the cards for the management team though Joe Payne is available again.

“It looks like we’re going to have to do it the hard way,” said Gavin. “We’ll have to see who we have available and go from there.”

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Enfield Town 3 Potters Bar Town 1

Report by Andrew warshaw

Third-placed Town stretched their unbeaten league record to 12 games but the latest  maximum haul in the final derby of the season came at a heavy cost.

All thoughts go to Ollie Knight who collapsed at halftime and was later taken to hospital by ambulance after suffering what appeared to be a serious shoulder injury.

Losing a player of Ollie’s ability at such a crucial stage cannot be over-estimated and we wish Ollie, who has had a terrific season with his wing-play and assists, all the very best in his recovery as we push on towards guaranteeing a playoff place.

Marcus Wyllie’s brace took his league tally to 30 at the top of the division’s scoring charts but we ended up finishing the game with nine men.

With the Scholars compressing midfield, this was never going to be a classic. Indeed Sam Youngs had one of his quieter games but Town’s superior fire power was the all-important difference.

With both teams short on enterprise, the first half was a somewhat untidy affair. Taylor Mckenzie’s superb early intervention thwarted Temi Bababola while at the other end Dylan Adjei-Hersey fired just wide.

The deadlock was broken on 26 minutes when Marcus ran on to a superb Jake Cass headed assist and tucked the ball home.

The roles were then reversed when Marcus played in Jake who could only shoot tamely with three players around him while at the other end Brandon Adams blasted wildly over.

As halftime approached, Bar’s assistant boss and former Town favourite Liam Hope was yellow-carded for what can only be assumed were some choice verbals, followed by Lateef Adaja screwing a shot wide for the visitors.

H-T 1-0

Town emerged for the second period without the luckless Ollie Knight, replaced by namesake Ollie Turner, but Marcus’ lethal presence in front of goal soon came to the fore once again as he notched his 30^th league goal of the campaign, a remarkable tally.

On 63 minutes he kept his composure to bury a fine assist from Reece Beckles-Richards, the latter’s first touch off the bench (both pictured celebrating).

Beckles-Richards then put the game to bed with a sublime shot and turn before Mickey Parcell was shown a straight red card for going through Temi Bababola and will now miss our final three regular league games.

Luckily we were already virtually out of sight but Mickey’s dismissal handed momentum to the Scholars who had three decent chances against 10 men, Lewis Taaffe preventing one of them by heading off the line.

Babalola eventually reduced the deficit with 10 minutes left but for all their late possession and another huge chance for Babalola, Bar couldn’t make further inroads despite seven added minutes and Town finishing with a limping Taylor McKenzie off the pitch with a dead leg.

“It looks like an expensive day,” bemoaned Gavin Macpherson. “All our thoughts are with Ollie who we will of course miss badly.”

“On the pitch we were a poor version of what we normally are. I can’t really condone what Mickey did and now I’ve lost the right side of our defence for three games. We’ll have to see how Taylor is over the next week. They’re big hits obviously but we can only do what we can do. I can’t influence what goes on elsewhere.”

Town:

Forster; Parcell, McKenzie, Tanner; Adjei-Hersey, Thomas (Harvest 87), Youngs, Taaffe, Knight (Turner 46); Wyllie, Cass (Beckles-Richards,60)

At today’s game versus Potters Bar, Noah’s Ark Charity will be carrying out a collection

The club are proud to support Noah’s Ark Childrens Hospice. They provide essential support to children and families in the local area and beyond. Please give generously to this fantastic charity.

www.noahsarkhospice.org.uk

We are excited to announce details of the Fenix Trophy Final Four which will be over the weekend of the 10^th to 12^th May.

The semifinals (yet to be drawn) will be played on the Friday 10th (first game is at 6.30pm and the second at 9.30pm). A third-place decider between the two losing semifinalists will be held on Sunday 12th at 2pm with the final at 4.30pm.

All games will be played at the Stadio Tre Stelle in Desenzano del Garda on the banks of Lake Garda.

For those wishing to travel and support the Town at what will be a great celebration of football, the nearest airports are Verona or Milan Bergamo. Ryanair fly direct from Stansted to both. Alternatives are Easyjet or British Airways (Verona only) from Gatwick.

Desenzano del Garda is then approximately 30 minutes journey time by train from Verona and one and a half hours from Bergamo. Details of train times and fares can be found here – EN – Trenitalia

Accommodation packages are being provided by Fenix. There is a range of options and all include tickets for matches. If you do book one of these packages please ensure you highlight Enfield Town as your club as we will receive a commission on each booking made by our supporters. Details and Registration is here – registration.fenixtrophy2024.com

See you in Italy!

Our penultimate home league game of the regular season takes place tomorrow with the focus very much on trying to cement our play-off place as well as seeking that all-important home semifinal draw.

Visitors Potters Bar may have played both Tuesday and Thursday this week but derbies are always unpredictable affairs and Max Mitchell’s Scholars will be in no mood to give us anything in front of what will hopefully be another bumper attendance.

An 11-game unbeaten league run has put us in a fantastic position to dream of Step 2 football next season after what can only be described as a miraculous campaign.

Two wins out of four will get us over the line in terms of a definite playoff place while four points might well be enough. But dreams are often shattered and Gavin and his management team will be at pains to stress that even though we are third, nothing has been achieved yet with three more extremely tough fixtures on paper after tomorrow, two of them against playoff-chasing rivals.

With a good number of players left at home on Tuesday rather than travel to Wales for our Fenix Cup game, fitness should not be a problem but this is when everyone has to pull together to keep the momentum going.

“I’m not sure that Potters Bar playing twice this week will give us that much of an advantage,” said Gavin.

“They’re a young energetic side and are capable of beating anybody if opponents are not on it. We’ll have to be mindful of that. I know they’ve lost a couple in a row but not so long ago they  went and put together five or six on the spin.”

“They’ve got some pace in the side, some willing runners and hungry players. But we’re looking forward to it.”

“I can’t look too far ahead in terms of where we finish. The main thing right now is making sure we get there as quickly as we can mathematically. If you’re not in there, you can’t get promoted. Then you start thinking about home advantage.”

AW