Our re-arranged Middlesex Senior Cup quarterfinal against Northwood – postponed Tuesday because of a waterlogged pitch – will take place on Tuesday, Feb 7

This date has now been officially confirmed. Kickoff details to come

Tonight’s Middlesex Senior Cup quarterfinal has been postponed because of a waterlogged pitch

We will inform you as soon as there is a re-arranged date

Enfield Town 0 Kingstonian 1

Report by Andrew Warshaw

A great opportunity missed is how manager Andy Leese described Saturday’s result – and few would disagree.

Having secured those back-to-back derby wins over the holiday period and with teams in and around us all dropping points apart from Hornchurch, victory could have pushed us even further up the table.

Instead we allowed visitors who hadn’t won  in 15 away games to claim victory despite a second-half rally that on another day might well have yielded a positive outcome.

Before kick-off, as the sun made a brief appearance on a generally wet afternoon,  a minute’s applause took place in memory of club life vice-president Keith Wortley who sadly passed away recently.

With Josh Hill having returned to Dulwich after his loan spell (he has since moved on to Hemel Hempstead) and James Richmond and Lewis Knight both serving the last of their respective three-game suspensions, the management team was forced into yet another central defensive partnership, Anthony Wordsmith coming in alongside Dequane Wilson- Braithwaite.

Things didn’t go much better in terms of personnel because by halftime, both Anthony and James Dayton were back in the dugout having been forced off through injury.

To make matters worse, Town  were a goal down as a result of Great Evans’s freekick which skimmed off the wet surface and beat Nathan McDonald who appeared to help the ball over the line.

Evans had already fluffed the best chance of the half when he was through on goal but shot straight at Nathan.

H-T 0-1

There is little doubt that Kingstonian, for whom midfielder O’Shane Stewart and striker Joe Boachie were especially eye-catching, deserved their interval lead.

But having created very little in a flat first half, Town came out with renewed urgency and intensity.

Sam Youngs and Lewis Taaffe both went close while Marcus Wyllie’s cross from Chez Isaac’s chipped ball just had too much pace for Adam Cunnington who again led the line relentlessly (pictured).

After weathering a 20-minute Enfield spell, Kingstonian twice missed a golden chance to put the game to bed on the counter.

Thereafter they were fortunate not to pay the price as they rode their luck in the final quarter.

Not once, not twice but three times we hit the woodwork, first through Marcus Wyllie’s angled left-foot drive against the far post, then Jueven Spencer’s 30-yard thunderbolt and finally, deep into eight minutes of stoppage time, through Lewis Taaffe.

In between, Kingstonian skipper Rob Tolfrey tipped over a rasping Youngs effort but in truth Tolfrey should have been tested far more often  over the 90 minutes.

“I’m as upset as I’ve  been all season today,” said Andy. “We got what we deserved.  It was a great opportunity had we applied ourselves properly but the first half was way too passive.

“One or two players today clearly weren’t fit. We’ve also got as number missing and it clearly caught up with us. It’s a real blow, a disappointing day all round but good teams bounce back starting on Tuesday night at Northwood in the Middlesex Senior Cup.”

Town: McDonald; Spencer, Wilson-Braithwaite, Wordsworth (Okotcha, 17), Payne; Wyllie, Thomas (della-Verde, 66), Dayton (Taaffe, 37), Isaac, Youngs; Cunnington

After two superb back-to-back wins over the holiday period without key players, we aim to make it three a row tomorrow, Saturday, when we entertain  Kingstonian at the QEII Stadium, kick-off 3pm.

 Back in August we drew 0-0 with the K’s at their latest temporary home of Tooting & Mitcham.

Perhaps unsurprisingly because of their situation the K’s have had a challenging season to date and are only one point above the drop zone in 18th place with 19 points from 21 games.

Recent results have not helped – not least failure to win in 15 away games – though they suggest K’s have come close to taking points off clubs in the promotion race.

They only lost by the odd goal against both Cray and Carshalton and picked up a 0-0 draw away at Aveley.

 Tickets for all our January home games can be purchased here

https://enfieldtownfc.ktckts.com/

After our confidence-boosting derby wins, we are now in fourth place, only four points behind leaders Hornchurch and with games in hand over other playoff contenders.

It promises to be an exciting second half of the season with every point proving invaluable and tomorrow, despite us still being without James Richmond and Lewis Knight who are serving the last in their three-match bans, Anthony Wordsworth is available for selection again following his two-match suspension.

Next Tuesday, Jan 10, we visit Northwood, South Central League leaders, in the last eight of the Middlesex Senior Cup, 7.45 kickoff.

It’s a trophy we’d very much like to win and your support will be much appreciated. Address is  Chestnut Avenue, Northwood, HA6 1HR

Haringey Borough 1 Enfield Town 2

Report by Andrew Warshaw

On a ground where we invariably get scant reward and with several key players still missing, Town made it back-to-back derby wins on Monday to round off a thoroughly satisfying Christmas and New Year period.

In front of over 800 fans, a significant number of whom were Towners fans making the short journey, we moved up to fourth in the table as other results went in our favour.

Following the Boxing Day rout of Potters Bar, this was always going to be a different encounter altogether against a team who invariably raise their game against us.

After controlling the first half, we at times had to dig in but Nathan McDonald was largely untroubled by Haringey’s pacey forwards.

Skipper Scott Thomas, with another outstanding midfield display, led by example while all those around him put in a committed shift. The management team now have the proverbial nice selection head-ache when those unavailable are back!

After a minute’s applause to celebrate the life of Pele, we got straight down to business and deservedly took the lead on 19 minutes.

Sam Youngs, with an audacious piece of improvisation, forced a tip-over save from Luke Mewitt and from the resulting short corner, Josh Hill – arguably man of the match – powered home a header from James Dayton’s cross (pictured, right).

Town continued to dominate and although clearcut chances were in short supply we were well worth our halftime lead.

H-T 0-1

Haringey have a habit of never lying down and almost restored parity within two minutes of the restart when the teenage Stefanos Georgiou cut in from the left and skimmed the bar.

Two Borough freekicks in dangerous positions then ensued, both of which thankfully came to nothing, while Town suffered a blow when Dayton had to be subbed with what looked like a hamstring or groin problem.

His replacement, Lyle Della-Verde, almost doubled our lead when he dribbled past his marker and saw his left-foot shot flash just wide.

Town needed that second goal to halt Haringey’s quest for an equaliser and got it on 85 minutes courtesy of some neat interplay. Della-Verde played in Youngs and his low cross was knocked home by the tireless Adam Cunnington.

That should have been that, only for a nervy, blood and guts finale as Borough halved the deficit.

On 90 minutes, Jueven Spencer, who otherwise put in a faultless display, was adjudged to have up-ended Kaylen Hinds who sent McDonald the wrong way from the penalty spot.

In the ensuing melee as Haringey’s players sought to grab the ball with time running out,  Nathan was booked and Haringey’s ex-Towner Olu Durojaiye shown a straight red card for a headbutt for which he can have no excuses.

Down to 10 men, Haringey arguably had their best period but we managed to see the game out and might have added a third with the very last action.

With every one of Haringey’s players committed forward, the ball was deflected into Della-Verde’s path but after running half the length of the pitch unchallenged, his shot was pushed to safety by Mewitt, followed by the final whistle.

“I felt we controlled the game today,” said Andy Leese who must have been delighted with the commitment from everyone in all-blue and another eye-catching display from new signing Chez Isaac. “We scored from a well-worked corner and withstood some Haringey pressure in the opening period of the second half.”

“The last 10 minutes were more fraught than they needed to be but we had the cushion of the second goal by then. A great three points in the context of the other results around us. A successful Christmas period where we have adapted and coped with the loss of some key players.”

Town

McDonald; Spencer, Hill, Wilson-Braithwaite, Payne; Dayton (Della-Verde, 51), Thomas, Isaac, Youngs, Wyllie (Taaffe, 76); Cunnington

The club are incredibly saddened to learn the news of the death of club life vice-president Keith Wortley.

Keith had a huge influence on football in Enfield, firstly as secretary and director at Enfield FC during their heyday before helping to set up Enfield Town FC in 2001, again taking the role of secretary.

He played a huge role in the successful delivery of the project to move to the QES in 2011, utilising both his professional and football experience to ensure the move was a huge success. Following his stepping down from the secretary role, we were honoured when Keith accepted a life presidency in recognition of his tremendous work for the club.

Keith (pictured here receiving his award from ETFC director Christine Hamilton when she was mayor of the borough) was the epitome of a true gentleman who had so many friends throughout the football world.

Chairman Paul Reed said: “It’s impossible to overstate how important he was to football in the Borough. I’ve known Keith for pretty much all of my life and am very proud to have been able to call him a friend.

“What he didn’t know about running a football club wasn’t worth knowing and he offered me great advice and insights during my first few years as chairman. His legacy at the club is certainly the QES and we are forever grateful for his incredible work in making our dream of a ground of our own a reality. Keith was the most honest, fair, professional and diligent man you could ever meet, always doing things the ‘right way’ whilst still maintaining a wonderful sense of humour. Myself and all of his friends will miss him greatly.”

Keith is survived by his wife, son, daughter and grandchildren. He will be sorely missed by everyone at ETFC. The club will pay a special tribute at our home game against Kingstonian on 7th January.

Congratulations to Nathan McDonald who won the Pitching In Isthmian Premier Golden Gloves Awards for November

Nathan won the award, sponsored by AB1 Goalkeeping, after conceding just one league goal  in November.

He received his prize from esteemed Enfield Town director Les Gold before the Boxing Day derby with Potters Bar.

Our home game with Billericay, due to be played on Tuesday January 10, has now been replaced with the Northwood Middx Senior Cup QuarterFinal at Northwood. Kick off  7:45pm

The Billericay game has been rescheduled for Tuesday 24th January 7:45 pm KO.

Enfield Town 4 Potters Bar Town 1

Report by Andrew Warshaw

What a way to end the year!

Despite missing a string of players through suspension and unavailability, Enfield Town treated a bumper 600-plus Boxing Day crowd to one of our best performances of the season as we swept aside our near-neighbours.

From one to 11, Andy Leese’s men were superb, negating Bar’s renowned strengths to move up to fifth in the table, capped by a Sam Youngs hat-trick.

Before the game Nathan McDonald was presented with a pair of gloves for winning the AB1 Golden Gloves Awards for November. Well done, Nathan!

Potters Bar arrived five points ahead of us having played a game more. But apart a decent spell either side of their equaliser, the Scholars were second best, especially throughout the second half when we looked like scoring every time we went forward.

The addition of new signing Chez Isaac in midfield had an instant impact in terms of composure, reading the game and picking a pass. The combination of Chez, skipper Scott Thomas and James Dayton across midfield worked a treat, allowing Sam to take up an advanced role in which he flourished.

His first goal, with supporters still coming through the turnstiles,  came with only two minutes on the clock, a close-range swivel and shot after Adam Cunnington — a handful all afternoon for the visitors’ defence — had dummied Marcus Wyllie’s cross.

Stunned into a reaction, the visitors carved  out a couple of freekicks in dangerous positions, both of which were blocked, whilst Town were indebted to Dequane Wilson-Braithwaite for a timely clearance to thwart Nick Dembele.

At the other end, Marcus Wyllie latched on to a terrific long ball by Youngs, only for his shot to be cleared for one of a string of Town corners over the 90 minutes while Isaac and Cunnington also went close to doubling our lead.

For the most part, we denied Bar space to play but on 32 minutes we paid the price for backing off their much-touted skipper Mo Kamara who rifled a 20-yard effort into the corner for 1-1.

Kasim Aidoo then cut through our defence but fortunately lost control at the vital moment before a pivotal passage of play ensued.

Right on the stroke of half time, former Towner Wraynel Hercules, who otherwise had a quiet game and was given trademark stick by the Town faithful behind the goal, saw his looping effort come back off the woodwork with McDonald beaten.

Straight from the restart and in stoppage time,  a four-man Town move ended with Isaac scoring on his debut via a wicked deflection – off Hercules!

H-T 2-1

In the first attack of the second period, Dembele might have equalised with a toe poke but Town were brimming with confidence and quickly crushed any hope of a Bar recovery.

On 54 minutes, Youngs, who hardly trained while he recovered from his ankle injury,  crashed home a penalty after Cunnington was bundled to the ground. Two minutes later he completed his hattrick, sneaking into the box to head home the cross of the game from Jueven Spencer.

Town weren’t done yet and might well have ended up with at least a couple more.  Cunnington sent a header against the bar before we were awarded a second spot kick.

With Youngs (pictured alongside former Towner Wraynel Hercules) already substituted, his replacement Lyle Della-Verde, having been taken out by Joe Russel, stepped up to take the penalty only for Dante Baptiste to pull off a terrific save.

There was still time for Baptiste to make  another flying stop, again from Della-Verde, to round off a thoroughly satisfying afternoon masterminded by the management team and carried out to the letter by the players.

“We decided on a flatter, tighter midfield three and allowed Sam to get forward,” explained Andy. “The first half was a bit passive but second half we took off and dominated them. I know what Sam is capable of. He keeps himself in fantastic shape, recovered from injury quicker than we expected and loves being here.”

“There were five starters missing from that team today and we had to adapt. So what we did was doubling pleasing.”

“We’ve hardly been out of the top five for the whole of 2022 and I’d like to pay credit to the board for their support.”

Credit goes to Andy, too, as well as the rest of the management team. Onwards and upwards, with our visit to Haringey Borough up next on Jan 2.

Town: McDonald; Spencer, Wilson-Braithwaite, Hill, Payne; Dayton (Taaffe, 72), Thomas, Isaac; Youngs (Della-Verde 79), Cunnington, Wyllie (Okotcha, 85).

We are delighted to announce the signing of experienced midfielder Chez Isaac who has been at St Albans City this season and played most of his career in the National League.

Hatfield-born Chez, who began his youth career at Watford and has represented a string of Step I and Step 2 clubs, is available for selection for Monday’s Boxing Day fixture against Potters Bar.

“I tried to sign Chez in the summer but it didn’t work out so I’m delighted to get him in now,” said Andy Leese. “He will give us options in the middle of the park and brings huge experience with him.”

“Going the other way to Hendon on a dual registration arrangement is Hamilton Antonio. Ham needs to play and will get game time at Hendon. We wish him well.”

In other news, we now have a rescheduled date for our postponed home fixture with Hornchurch.

The match will take place on Tuesday, Jan 31, so please make a note of it.

Merry Christmas and COYT