Hanwell Town 1 Enfield Town 0
Report by Martin Bentley
First the good news: Enfield Town have conceded only three goals in three knockout matches this season.
The bad news: they have scored three fewer.
A lack of strike power, together with some inspired goalkeeping, were the primary reasons for yet another disappointing cup defeat, this at the hands of Step 3 opposition, as Town crashed out of the Middlesex Senior Cup at the first time of asking.
A debut was handed to newly-signed goalkeeper James Hillson and starts given to Academy players Michael Adu and Jay Lambert.
Hillson had a relatively quiet night, unlike his opposite number Sam Beasant, while Adu and Lambert were outstanding at the back, with the latter being named as Man of the Match.
A flurry of Town attacks in the opening ten minutes could have seen then three goals up with efforts by Reece Beckles-Richards (offside and disallowed), Sam Youngs (header brilliantly tipped onto the bar by Beasant) and Tarelle Whittaker (shot saved, fumbled and recovered).
The game then settled down a bit, with Town producing some nice approach play without any meaningful end product.
The home side’s first effort on goal didn’t arrive until the 35th minute, when Ryan Case’s free kick was comfortably dealt with by Hillson.
Three minutes later however, Hanwell found themselves in front when they were awarded a penalty following Dylan Adjei-Hersey’s push on Harry Seabrook. Ezekiel Coker drove the spot kick low to Hillson’s right, and once again Town found themselves chasing the game.
Things almost got worse just before half time when home centre back Dwayne Duncan galloped clear on a breakaway, only to be denied by a thunderous recovery tackle by John Oyenuga.
H-T 0-1
Early chances also came Town’s way in the second half. Whittaker had two efforts saved by Beasant and Oyenuga had one blocked, but Town’s attacking efforts were becoming noticeably fewer and less effective.
Nat Boakye really should have doubled the lead after 74 minutes but shot wide when through on goal. Four minutes later though, Town came close to levelling the tie. Adjei-Hersey cut in from the right wing and hit a left-footed curler that was tipped round the post by an airborne Beasant with the travelling fans already celebrating.
The game then fizzled out with the home side taking control in the final ten minutes; Town made a flurry of late substitutions – five in the last 11 minutes! – but to no significant effect.
Final mention must go to the 20 or so Town fans who made it to the game on a cold Tuesday night and negotiating 15 miles of congested North Circular to get there. Well done!
Team: Hillson, Adu, Payne, Lambert, Adjei-Hersey (Peake 79), Smith, Youngs (Scott 81), Oyenuga (Thompson 90+1), Beckles-Richards (Leonard 89), Whittaker (Hutchinson 81), Onyeagwara