Enfield Town 0-5 Eastbourne Borough

[Towningaround]

Gavin was absolutely schooled by a manager who knew the game better, knew how to set his team up better and tactically did his homework better….and who crucially also has a bigger budget and better players.

Eastbourne have just sent 4/5 players on loan to Welling….clearly the manager will have a relationship with the Welling manager and will have had an insight into how we played and the state of the pitch at the moment.

Gavin went on record post Welling to say how we played a certain, direct way…..

Eastbourne loaded up just about every oversized player they had…even to the point of playing Ollie Kensdale in midfield instead of at the back…making space for an extra tall centre back and he himself replacing a footballing type centre mid for extra height and strength in the midfield.

They sat 5 yard deeper so not one single hoof forward of our extremely limited and basic game plan even turned them round, instead every single under hit half clearance simply landed on the 6’7” Moussa Diarras head!!

It was embarrassingly bad and we never once tried to do anything different (particularly first half). 

Unfortunately it showed the gulf in top half to bottom half of this league and showed the difference between managers who have played the game and understand the game and those that haven’t and don’t.

People have been getting a little carried away lately. We’ve had a series of good results but regardless of that they’ve been against equally poor sides to us and we have ridden our luck, managed to keep clean sheets, largely through poor end product from the opposition (welling apart) and scraped the odd goal which has been enough.

Games v Eastbourne won’t define us and shouldn’t define the performance either….but absolute dreadful tactics to play straight into their strength from the off and not be capable of working it out…Jesus 

[Benjrider10]

We looked a tired team last night which is understandable. Eastbourne's early goal put us on the back foot straight away but to be honest, they were by far the stronger team. Height everywhere, won everything in the air and won 90% of the second balls. That's what hurt us the most, losing so many second balls.

I think Gavin saw what was coming and did the right thing by rotating Chukwu for Hutchinson and subbing Kasimu relatively early second half. Hopefully our energy levels will be better for Saturday. 0-3 was more reflective of the game (0-5 flatters Eastboune) but no question they are a good team. I'd be interested to see their accounts though, I don't see how they can make a profit running a full-time squad on the crowds they get (averaging circa 1,000). Their Chairman must be OK with taking a loss in return for a solid shot at promotion. We don't have that luxury.

 

[Towningaround]

Eastbourne’s owner is Simon Leslie who’s a multi millionaire who’s previously tried to buy Colchester Utd and has targeted the football league.

Eastbourne’s budget is rumoured to be circa £20k a week. 

Their manager played premier league football and is top drawer having won the National North.

We were outclassed in all department son the pitch in the dug out and off the pitch. 

 

[The Crowing Cockerel]

Its not the losing that I mind, so much as the way we lost. There was a spell in the second half where we actually got close to Eastbourne, won some second balls and were able to get some crosses in from the flanks/win a few corners. By that time the ineffective (I'm being kind) Smith had been replaced. However, bar the Hawkins header cleared off the line, we didn't test their keeper at all. Rhys, on the other hand, was evidently rattled and flapping away at crosses by the end of the 90 minutes. I have no idea why we didn't try to change things in the first half - formation/tactics? It must've been completely dispiriting for the forwards and was a return to the ETFC of August-December 2024. The 781 fans who attended a home game on a Tuesday night deserved better. Eastbourne were very good, but we made it far too easy for them.

Eastbourne have a wealthy benefactor who took over in 2023. Its (perhaps) interesting that their net liabilities in 23/24 were £70k with negative retained earnings of almost £1m. I'd suggest they could have a few problems if they lost their benefactor, but you could say the same for alot of clubs!

[symptomless]

It's fair to say we'll have a few more games like this against the top teams. The top 8 are all chasing promotion and 5 of the bottom 7 are motivated to stay up. It's the other mid-table teams where some players might already be on the beach that might be out best hope for picking up points, e.g. Chesham etc

The key is getting the most out of what you've got and Gavin has done that in the past month. As a supporter it's been a long, hard season and from what I've seen most other fans are realistic about our current ambitions and capacity and have stuck through it thick and thin. It's what being a supporter is all about, the clue is in the word. 

1 hour ago, Towningaround said:

It was embarrassingly bad and we never once tried to do anything different (particularly first half). 

You made good observations about them having giant defenders, and your insights into the top teams being better then the bottom teams is spot on but haven't said what you would've done differently.

The club's come a long way in a short time and we weren't even the best funded team last season. What's your opinion Gavin's performance in the run in last season and the games against Chatham, who had a lot of funds behind them?

[Father Jack]

3 hours ago, Towningaround said:

Unfortunately it showed the gulf in top half to bottom half of this league and showed the difference between managers who have played the game and understand the game and those that haven’t and don’t.

Some very good points in your post, but I should point out that Gavin spent 20 years at Met Police as player and manager, as well as spells at Barnet, Carlisle, Wealdstone, Slough and Woking. Hardly someone who has never played the game!

[djwilf]

Thought there were similarities between the Slough game at the start of the season and last night.

Stronger, fitter, faster and more skilful allround.   Whilst the teams have had different seasons I thought our performances were not that different.  We couldn't keep the ball, couldn't compete with a faster team and one that snapped up every header and every 2nd ball.   Even if we were better on the deck, I'm not sure the game would have been that different.

 

What sums it up for me is that EBFC will be training this morning whilst our team will be back at work.   It's almost impossible to compare the two teams.   I don't think any of our players had a good game and this was largely in part to Eastbourne's pressing and better fitness.   We did play the ball too much aerially but that said if you look at our opponents you have to realise they possibly had their best performance of the season and we had potentially our worst.   Apart from the header off the line I don't think we had a shot on target and their last ditch defending second half showed how desperate they were to keep a clean sheet.

Back to earth with a bump....but then not to get too high when we win and importantly not to beat ourselves up when we lose.

Outclassed....perhaps but they are a full time team and we are not.   We played well v Chesham and didn't get a foothold v Eastbourne.    

How we play next v Tonbridge is probably now even more important.   

Apart from outworking and being more physical last night I'm not sure we can compete when the gulf is that large.

 

Our best player last night......was probably not as good as their worst player.    Think it also says a lot that after losing the previous game, EB probably couldn't have bounced back any better could they.

Edited Wednesday at 13:32 by djwilf

[Towningaround]

1 hour ago, Father Jack said:

Some very good points in your post, but I should point out that Gavin spent 20 years at Met Police as player and manager, as well as spells at Barnet, Carlisle, Wealdstone, Slough and Woking. Hardly someone who has never played the game!

Their gaffer played in the premier league and has won this league (north) please don’t compare him to Gavin 🤣🤣🤣 

 

[Barney]

1 hour ago, Towningaround said:

Their gaffer played in the premier league and has won this league (north) please don’t compare him to Gavin 🤣🤣🤣 

 

Probably should let FJ answer himself, but I'm not sure he was comparing the two - you'd expect Eastbourne to have a much better (and much better paid) manager for all the reasons that we've gone over elsewhere. I think he was responding directly to you implying that Gavin had no playing experience.

[Barney]

2 hours ago, djwilf said:

Thought there were similarities between the Slough game at the start of the season and last night.

Stronger, fitter, faster and more skilful allround.   Whilst the teams have had different seasons I thought our performances were not that different.  We couldn't keep the ball, couldn't compete with a faster team and one that snapped up every header and every 2nd ball.   Even if we were better on the deck, I'm not sure the game would have been that different.

 

What sums it up for me is that EBFC will be training this morning whilst our team will be back at work.   It's almost impossible to compare the two teams.   I don't think any of our players had a good game and this was largely in part to Eastbourne's pressing and better fitness.   We did play the ball too much aerially but that said if you look at our opponents you have to realise they possibly had their best performance of the season and we had potentially our worst.   Apart from the header off the line I don't think we had a shot on target and their last ditch defending second half showed how desperate they were to keep a clean sheet.

Back to earth with a bump....but then not to get too high when we win and importantly not to beat ourselves up when we lose.

Outclassed....perhaps but they are a full time team and we are not.   We played well v Chesham and didn't get a foothold v Eastbourne.    

How we play next v Tonbridge is probably now even more important.   

Apart from outworking and being more physical last night I'm not sure we can compete when the gulf is that large.

 

Our best player last night......was probably not as good as their worst player.    Think it also says a lot that after losing the previous game, EB probably couldn't have bounced back any better could they.

Excellent post, probably saved me a load of typing - don't get too high with the highs, and don't get too low with the lows. We're still in a league where we're punching above our weight, and are expected to struggle - those 4 wins on the bounce show that with a little application, hard work, an improved and more settled squad, a system that plays to our strengths (albeit playing quite direct), and maybe most importantly a bit of luck, we can grind out results and at least extend the season into the last few games. We are going to have results like last night from time to time, where it sounded like they were bang on it, and we were below par both on and off the pitch. It's not last night's game that will define the season and ultimately determine whether we defy the odds and survive (although I'd rather it wasn't 0-5 of course) - it's how we respond over the next few games.

[Father Jack]

2 hours ago, Towningaround said:

Their gaffer played in the premier league and has won this league (north) please don’t compare him to Gavin 🤣🤣🤣 

 

I'm not, you are - unfairly. Gavin has over 20 years in football as player and manager, not the greenhorn you make him out to be

Edited Wednesday at 16:55 by Father Jack

[TULACH ARD]

"It's not the losing that I mind, so much as the way we lost"

Wonderful opening line Crowing Cockerel

from the very first whistle 

Went home after their fourth, but will be back for more Saturday.

COYRRT ✊🏻

[The Crowing Cockerel]

It has felt as if we've repeatedly raised the white flag against the 'full-timers' - the Torquay and Boreham Wood home games felt exactly the same - completely overawed by the big name visitors when we should've been taking the game to them. I hold Gavin responsible for the lack of ideas. Our team should remember that they are the creme de la creme of semi-professional non-league football. And their opponents are, in actual fact, the dregs of the full-time game. We need a change of mindset!

The only positive I take from yesterday is that Sam Youngs had the evening off football and so has plenty of time to recover before Saturday.

[Towningaround]

3 hours ago, Father Jack said:

I'm not, you are - unfairly. Gavin has over 20 years in football as player and manager, not the greenhorn you make him out to be

It’s not unfair at all. There are levels.

All I said was “showed the difference between managers who have played the game and understand the game and those that haven’t and don’t.”

It did. And to then try and level it off by suggesting Gavin played for Carlisle and Barnet whilst managing the F-ing Met Police is funny because all it did was accentuate my point that their fella (fairly or unfairly, rightly or wrongly) demonstrated the levels in tactical nous and preparation. 

3 hours ago, The Crowing Cockerel said:

It has felt as if we've repeatedly raised the white flag against the 'full-timers' - the Torquay and Boreham Wood home games felt exactly the same - completely overawed by the big name visitors when we should've been taking the game to them. I hold Gavin responsible for the lack of ideas. Our team should remember that they are the creme de la creme of semi-professional non-league football. And their opponents are, in actual fact, the dregs of the full-time game. We need a change of mindset!

The only positive I take from yesterday is that Sam Youngs had the evening off football and so has plenty of time to recover before Saturday.

Exactly my sentiments. Point well made 👍

Edited Wednesday at 20:51 by Towningaround

[Father Jack]

18 minutes ago, Towningaround said:

It’s not unfair at all. There are levels.

All I said was “showed the difference between managers who have played the game and understand the game and those that haven’t and don’t.”

It did. And to then try and level it off by suggesting Gavin played for Carlisle and Barnet whilst managing the F-ing Met Police is funny because all it did was accentuate my point that their fella (fairly or unfairly, rightly or wrongly) demonstrated the levels in tactical nous and preparation.  

The fact remains that your post was factually inaccurate; you stated that Gavin hadn't played the game - wrong.

I'm not trying to level anything off - whatever that means; yes, we were out-thought and outplayed tactically, but you chose to belittle Gavin's experience in the most patronising way.

I'm done here, good night

[Towningaround]

2 minutes ago, Father Jack said:

The fact remains that your post was factually inaccurate; you stated that Gavin hadn't played the game - wrong.

I'm not trying to level anything off - whatever that means; yes, we were out-thought and outplayed tactically, but you chose to belittle Gavin's experience in the most patronising way.

I'm done here, good night

I wasn’t stating facts I was making a rhetorical statement. 

Be interested to see Gavins playing record at these clubs…we all had pro careers cut short by the bad knee or the change of manager or DoF (in Mo Faals case 🤣) that left us in the youth team or reserves 🤣

[TULACH ARD]

"Full Timers"

My good friend Dave Bryant (MHRIP) told me this would be a difficult season because

(a) Towners had a couple of seasons not use to losing, and...

(b) Our constitution as 'first ever fan owned club' means we're pretty much unable be financially able to be 'full time'

Please explain if I'm wrong eh?

[symptomless]

Towningaround, Thanks for the comparison with the full time manager at Eastbourne. It was enlightening. Go on, now do Arne Slot. Then Carlo Ancelotti. 

I'm more interested in comparing like-for-like, how are we doing against a club with the same make up and roughly the same funding or model as ours. There are loads in the Isthmian League Premier, you can take you pick.

By the way, you didn't answer my questions. I don't expect answers, btw: 

On 19/02/2025 at 11:23, symptomless said:

On 19/02/2025 at 09:40, Towningaround said:

It was embarrassingly bad and we never once tried to do anything different (particularly first half). 

You made good observations about them having giant defenders, and your insights into the top teams being better then the bottom teams is spot on but haven't said what you would've done differently.

The club's come a long way in a short time and we weren't even the best funded team last season. What's your opinion Gavin's performance in the run in last season and the games against Chatham, who had a lot of funds behind them?

 

[Towningaround]

So comparing two managers is the same league isn’t fair but asking me to put myself in Gavs shoes is? 🤡🤡

Ive said many times what id do. 

I’ll tell you again what I wouldn’t do….

I wouldn’t have played 3 at the back. I wouldn’t have played Stallard despite a good run of results because it was only a matter of time before a side exposed it and we stopped ‘getting away with it’.

Both wing backs have needed help for weeks now but Gavin has refused to budge because he’s wanted to fit certain players in. We’ve been exposed down the flanks due to wide central defenders having no interest in getting out to stop crosses and goal after goal has come from wide overloads. 

Gavin might cotton on one day just as he has done eventually in respect of playing two up front. 

Eastbourne done their homework and worked out that we have simply been turning teams round and so they lined up to combat that. With us and EB playing direct ugly football we lost the benefit of Jack Bates technical ability. So I’d have either played a different way or I’d have left Bates out.

Gavin said v Welling that he went with Hish and Chukwu as a partnership over the Hutchinson and Chukwu one because it suited the pitch and how we’d play against Welling and then changed it to play Hutchinson and Hish (for the first time!) in a game v a top side whilst trying to play exactly the same way on exactly the same pitch. It made no sense and I wouldn’t have done that either. 

The only benefit Gav had from the Eastbourne game was at 3-0 he had given Chukwu a rest AND he’d got minutes into Hutchinson AND he had the chance to also rest Hish for the last 30 minutes after 3 games in 8 days…but instead he somehow thought 3-0 was retrievable and tried to get Hish and Chukwu back up front together meaning Hish has now gone 3 x 90 mins in 8 days and hasn’t contributed a great deal.

He also played Jack Smith as an attacking midfielder when he’s a defensive one. Which meant he ran around trying to join the forwards when he had no clue what he was doing trying to play the Sam Young’s role. 

Its not easy I grant you and I agree with someone else who said I’m not sure anything would’ve made much difference against a good Eastbourne side but what I would say is square pegs in square holes…full backs and wide players to double up on their direct wide players who provide endless crosses into one of the leagues top strikers….as much experience as possible…fresh legs where possible after a heavy stressful period of games (and wins)….and a game plan where even if you went long you try and go down the sides and over hit things to turn defenders rather than landing every single ball on top of the 6’7” centre backs head…..that would’ve helped I reckon 👍

Just my opinion though and I appreciate it’s easier from the sidelines….but you asked. 

Oh and by the way stop with this “little old Enfield” battling away against the big boys with a park side budget…..

I sat with a very experienced National League manager at a game recently and he assured me Enfield budget is very healthy for this league and several players are on contract with very reasonable wages. It’s been a struggle much of the season due to poor tactics and poor coaching.

We’ve had a very good little spell but the challenge is still to sustain it over a longer period and against sides who better than Weymouth, Aveley and free falling budget cutting Farnborough and Welling. 

The next 6 / 7 games are much more a gauge with sides all having something to play for. 
 

Edited 20 hours ago by Towningaround

[symptomless]

I appreciate the long, considered answer, but...

1 hour ago, Towningaround said:

So comparing two managers is the same league isn’t fair but asking me to put myself in Gavs shoes is? 🤡🤡

Ive said many times what id do. 

I’ll tell you again what I wouldn’t do….

I'm sorry, but that's laughable! Come on man, I didn't ask you what you WOULDN'T do; I asked you what you WOULD do! You've offered up backseat management and a list of criticisms week after week now. Apart from saying you'd play two up front you've offered nothing else. And, thank god Gavin read your posts because otherwise heaven knows where we'd be! 🙃

 

1 hour ago, Towningaround said:

I wouldn’t have played 3 at the back...

I wouldn’t have played Stallard...

... I’d have left Bates out also.

We’ve been exposed down the flanks due to wide central defenders having no interest in getting out to stop crosses and goal after goal has come from wide overloads.

We've conceded 1 goal (ONE GOAL!) from open play in 6 games, and that came down the middle v. Chesham!

You would have changed that successful formation for this one game? Without a training session? AND a wholesale change in playing personnel. Eh? Really? You'd have done that? Unexpected, but ok.

2 hours ago, Towningaround said:

Hish has now gone 3 x 90 mins in 8 days and he hasn’t scored a goal either 🤣🤣

He created plenty v. Chesham and had a hand in each of the goals, something you criticised Sam Youngs for not doing recently, whilst scoring a hat full of goals. But you would have taken him off. Ok.

1 hour ago, Towningaround said:

He also played Jack Smith as an attacking midfielder when he’s a defensive one.

I thought he might play Jack Smith from the start instead of Youngs, because I couldn't think of anyone else to play there. BUT NEITHER CAN YOU! So why criticise without coming up with something better? 

2 hours ago, Towningaround said:

….as much experience as possible…fresh legs where possible after a heavy stressful period of games

Right, good tactic. But WHO? Who are these fresh legged, experienced players you speak of? You've already dropped a third of the first team. In reality, who would YOU replaced then with? If you can't answer that then how about showing some support for the position we're in and laying off with the incessant and in my opinion, unwarranted and unrealistic criticism. 

Why don't we just get a manager that's payed in the Premier League? Why don't we get players who have experience and talent to match the best in our division? Or switch from 3-5-2 to 4-5-1 or 4-4-2 at will? We get promoted, we'll just get better tactics and better players, yeah? That's just how it works, right?

Its not.

Dozens of football clubs get promoted and relegated each year.  That's the measure of a club, its management and its status. Its worked for 100+ years and its a pretty accurate measure. So, in the meantime get behind your team and support them through thick and thin.

Nothing is decided until May.