Oxford City 6 Enfield Town 1
Report by Andrew Warshaw
(photo: Gabriel Meytanis)
Enfield Town’s bid for a second successive Step 2 scalp came to a shuddering halt as their quest for more FA Cup glory was shattered in devastating fashion.
Hit for six by fitter, more skilfull and wily full-time opponents, Town were at times run ragged as they saw their ultimate dream of reaching the Holy Grail of the first round proper dashed for another year.
Town have little time to lick their wounds before returning to league action at Stanway Rovers on Tuesday and are still in the FA Trophy. But this was a rude awakening in the early autumn sunshine and a hammering to forget.
Despite the toughest possible 3rd qualifying round assignment, such was the anticipation given our fine form so far this season that a second supporters’ coach was laid on for the trip to the city of spires and scholars.
But any hopes of following up the win at Billericay were quickly extinguished as we twice conceded in a nightmare start and thereafter never got to grips with the occasion or the physicality of the opposition who moved the ball with frightening effect.
Billy Holland, who made three changes from the Trophy win at Hanwell, will have been hugely disappointed with the manner of the opening goal on 10 minutes, however. No-one tracked Scott Pollock who drifted unchallenged into the box to head home.
It was the worst possible start and Oxford’s invention and imagination continued to give us little time to breath, the deficit doubled when Pollock’s dummy caught us out and skipper Josh Ashby slotted home beyond Dylan Thompson’s reach.
Flying high in National League north, the hosts’ domination continued, Frankie Domi producing a spectacular clearance off the line and Zac McEachran blazing over the bar from close range.
Town needed a lifeline to ease the onslaught and they suddenly got two in a row. Moments after Tariq Al-Sadi had stung the outstretched hands of Jonny Maxted with our first real threat on goal, Sam Youngs pulled us back into the game, beating Maxted with a superb glancing header off the post from Tommy Avgoustidis’ fine delivery.
Almost immediately, Adam Thompson dangled a leg at the other end to bring down Max Smith, only for Dylan to save Tyrone Marsh’s spotkick by guessing correctly and briefly keep us in the cup.
H-T 1-2
Any hopes Town fans might have had that we would somehow pull off the mother of all comebacks were dashed within three minutes of the restart.
When the opposition have much taller, stronger players, it’s not easy to match their height in your own box but we were far too lax in picking up Ludwig Francillete at the far post as he headed home a corner, unmarked, for 3-1. Hugely frustrating given that Dylan had just pulled off a stupendous world-class save.
Five minutes later, the improbable became impossible, Pollock netting his second of the afternoon to finish off another well-worked move.
To their credit, Town never stopped trying to probe but even after a flurry of substitutions, nothing worked against savvy, technically superior opponents who looked a different class to the Ricay side we eliminated a couple of weeks ago. Too many misplaced passes were picked off by quality players whose quick feet and intelligent movement had us chasing shadows.
In a rare Town attack, Al-Sadi drove a freekick over the bar from a dangerous position but Town simply couldn’t stem the flow at the other end. Seconds after coming on as a sub, Briar Batemen outpaced his marker to score City’s fifth and worse was still to come as Ellie Brown converted a pull-back to complete a sobering afternoon.
Who knows who we might have got in the fourth and final qualifying round had we progressed but there’s no point dwelling on that. The real barometer of where we are is arguably after 10 league games which will be completed after Tuesday’s visit to Stanway Rovers and then Dulwich Hamlet at home on Saturday. A decent return from those two outings to keep us at or near the summit and Saturday’s rout will fade into the distance.
And don’t forget we are still in the FA trophy with Wembley in our sights!
Town:
Thompson (D); Domi (Tarima 61), Hart, Thompson(A), Tanimowo; Al-Said (Kyei 67), Davies, Leonard (Ridings, 61), Bansal-McNulty (May-Parrott 61), Avgoustidis; Youngs (Velasquez 81).