Enfield Town 1-3 Tonbridge Angels

[Towningaround]

Tonbridge were possibly the most inept side I’ve seen this season first half…..but then it was like someone tapped them on the shoulder and said “oi lads…Enfield are sh!t and if you wanna have a go at it you’ll score a few against his lot”!!

As usual the in game management left a lot to be desired. At 1-0 early in the second half it was literally crying out for a change. It was wide open and some extra run ing up front would’ve punished Tonbridge as they went chasing and some extra quality out on the left and on the middle of the pitch would’ve possibly been enough to keep Tonbridge at bay.

Im sure I’ll be the outlier here but while I thought Chukwu continued to cause some problems, Hish was poor…and I know he scored the goal and fairs fair for that (even though he did his best to miss from 1 yard and no gk in sight!🤣) but he went missing second half and contributed very little in terms of work rate to even give Tonbridge something to consider.

Of course hindsight is a wonderful thing but we literally gave the game away today by sitting waiting to react to a situation when we needed to see it early and be proactive to protect the lead not sit and hope it was protected.

I think we’ll go down. There’s nothing about us that shows me that we have any plan other than to rely on random events - defensively or offensively - and that by its very nature, can’t be consistent enough to win regularly.

Edited February 22 by Towningaround

[The Crowing Cockerel]

I agree that the quality of our management this season has been poor. I presume its just part of our evolution. Newing was better than Chandler, Borg/Quinton were better than Newing, Leese was different to Quinton, and Macpherson managed what Leese didn't, so you could probably say that he did a better job.

It was absolutely inevitable in the second half that Tonbridge were going to score unless we made a change. I'm surprised that there was no Bayley Brown until late on in a must-win game. He has been a big part of the recent improvement.

The crowd have been very quiet over the last couple of matches (perhaps unsurprisingly). 

[ETFC2001]

16 minutes ago, The Crowing Cockerel said:

I agree that the quality of our management this season has been poor. I presume its just part of our evolution. Newing was better than Chandler, Borg/Quinton were better than Newing, Leese was different to Quinton, and Macpherson managed what Leese didn't, so you could probably say that he did a better job.

It was absolutely inevitable in the second half that Tonbridge were going to score unless we made a change. I'm surprised that there was no Bayley Brown until late on in a must-win game. He has been a big part of the recent improvement.

The crowd have been very quiet over the last couple of matches (perhaps unsurprisingly). 

No doubt the crowd hasn’t been amazing recently. But in defence, I think you have to give the crowd something to cheer/chant about.

And I agree about Bayley Brown. Really good player who 1. Has experience late in games at this level and sitting on a lead in games like these.

[ETFC2001]

36 minutes ago, Towningaround said:

Of course hindsight is a wonderful thing but we literally gave the game away today by sitting waiting to react to a situation when we needed to see it early and be proactive to protect the lead not sit and hope it was protected.

This is the story of our season though. And it has stuck with us all season. We are never proactive while leading. Chesham, Salisbury etc you could go on forever about games where we needed another tactical tweak to see it off. Now I have no clue if this the management team telling them to do this or it’s the players succumbing to pressure so they just wait and wait for the ball until the opposition see an opening..

[symptomless]

Their small band of fans sang from the very beginning, so fair play to them considering their recent performances. 

As for the goals the first game from a long throw which was their only attacking threat up to that point. 

You would hope we'd have taken that as a wake up call and react, and hopefully take the game by the scruff of the neck again.

But then came the disarray!

[The Crowing Cockerel]

Gavin's post-match interview offers precious little insight. He didn't know why it went wrong and 'will have to look back at the video'.

Not overly reassuring.

He then quite correctly observed that 'we will now have to go and get something at Hornchurch' - a venue we've got nothing at over the past 3 years!

 

[TULACH ARD]

"Joe Wright...in the middle of our goal"

Played brilliantly despite a defence who couldn't defend...an attack that didn't...and a midfield who just want to join NASA!!!

Welcome back Joe.

[No bull Towner]

11 hours ago, TULACH ARD said:

"Joe Wright...in the middle of our goal"

Played brilliantly despite a defence who couldn't defend...an attack that didn't...and a midfield who just want to join NASA!!!

Welcome back Joe.

Not so sure about that...looking at the Tonbridge video he should have saved 2 of them 

[Barney]

I thought we were decent enough first half, someone seems to have pointed out to Chukwu that he's big and strong and he's started to boss his defenders  a whole lot more - it's really pleasing to see. Add to that the fact that he's mobile and has decent feet, and he's starting to look like the player he was for Wingate. I thought Kasimu had a decent first half too though, although he faded in the second. He's busy and works hard to occupy defenders, and I'd be happy with any 2 of the 3 forwards we have. Looking at the 11 and the subs, with the likes of Peake hopefully close to a return, and we're actually in pretty good shape personnel wise. I don't see any real obvious weak links in the 11 or the bench. Again what we were lacking is game management and intensity. Of course had we taken one or two of the good chances we created first half, we'd probably have seen it out, but a 1 goal lead is always dangerous, especiallywhen a side is direct and can deliver throws into the box regularly.

The frustrating thing is that for 30 minutes of the second half we weren't fully at the races. Tonbridge to be fair looked like a much better side after the break, but that's yet another fantastic position squandered and points dropped. Have said this many times but it's not the games like Eastbourne, Maidstone and Torquay where we've been outplayed, outfought and outmanaged that's going to cost us this season, it's the games where we have been better and haven't put sides away.

[The Crowing Cockerel]

The thing that still irritates me today is that we have demonstrated that we could hold our own at Step 2 and yet, now we've reached the business end of the season we're showing indecision and a lack of belief which is suddenly undoing the good work over the past month. 

Joe Wright had a very tough time at Chatham and some of their fans were glad to see the back of him. Adi should've been given his shot.

[No bull Towner]

2 hours ago, The Crowing Cockerel said:

The thing that still irritates me today is that we have demonstrated that we could hold our own at Step 2 and yet, now we've reached the business end of the season we're showing indecision and a lack of belief which is suddenly undoing the good work over the past month. 

Joe Wright had a very tough time at Chatham and some of their fans were glad to see the back of him. Adi should've been given his shot.

I don't think Adi is anywhere near being a step 2 keeper and we are trying to stay up so I understand getting in an experienced keeper for 2 weeks but didn't think he was all that; claimed a few crosses but did he even make a save? 
I agree the good results have been undone and I've no idea where more points are coming from after that

[The Crowing Cockerel]

8 hours ago, No bull Towner said:

Not so sure about that...looking at the Tonbridge video he should have saved 2 of them 

Having seen our video, I'm not sure I can blame Joe for any of the goals.

Unless he was injured, I'm disappointed that Bayley Brown didn't start. Granted that means one of Bates, Parcell or Oyenuga would have to drop out, but his physicality and height was missed in the second half.

[No bull Towner]

9 minutes ago, The Crowing Cockerel said:

Having seen our video, I'm not sure I can blame Joe for any of the goals.

Unless he was injured, I'm disappointed that Bayley Brown didn't start. Granted that means one of Bates, Parcell or Oyenuga would have to drop out, but his physicality and height was missed in the second half.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BBpkUiAC1/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Footage from Tonbridge fans behind goal that I referred to earlier makes their first look definitely saveable, the second across the keeper maybe not so much and the third actually he got a good hand to so I was maybe a bit harsh 

[Towningaround]

2 hours ago, The Crowing Cockerel said:

Having seen our video, I'm not sure I can blame Joe for any of the goals.

Unless he was injured, I'm disappointed that Bayley Brown didn't start. Granted that means one of Bates, Parcell or Oyenuga would have to drop out, but his physicality and height was missed in the second half.

I said this weeks ago….Gavin won’t leave certain players out….we’d got in to a position where we were far more resilient defensively with a team that all grafted in the less glamorous side of the game, including the front two who despite lack of goals have always worked hard out of possession. 

I also said we would be and had looked far more resilient after Alfie Tuck had left….and that Bates signing was a player of similar ilk. 

I’m almost certain when Gavin signed Bates and Kasimu that he gave them assurances that they would play regularly. Like Kaunda….why else would they sign?

Bates came on due to an injury at Aveley but Kasimu was a late sub and did nothing in 10 minutes to (imo) warrant an instant start v Welling. 

Welling was a gimme….a side in freefall and they didn’t show up at all so it is a tough one to judge anything on….but since then we’ve conceded 5 and 3 and Chesham apart (who I felt tried to overplay in the final third) we’re back to needing to score more than we’re capable of to win a game!!

Brown isn’t great but he’s great for us…he’s a presence and he wins his battles physically….to leave him out was a mistake. 

But from a midfield, Youngs picks himself…so it’s two from three of Parcell, Bates and Brown…..Browns the fall guy there…..

[The Crowing Cockerel]

38 minutes ago, Towningaround said:

I’m almost certain when Gavin signed Bates and Kasimu that he gave them assurances that they would play regularly. Like Kaunda….why else would they sign?

...

But from a midfield, Youngs picks himself…so it’s two from three of Parcell, Bates and Brown…..Browns the fall guy there…..

Bates's set piece delivery looked lethal against Welling. However, I'm acutely aware that he was assisted by a flapping keeper and one-man defence (Winfield). Since then he has looked too much of a luxury player who doesn't fancy doing the ugly stuff in the centre of the park. I can see some sense in playing him on a 3/4G surface (so the Slough and Hemel games), however the pitch and game at Hornchurch are really not going to suit him - Wraight, Pegrum and Adams would much rather face him than Brown.

Chukwu finally looked a bit more of a handful on Saturday, although you might argue that was due to the opponents. It will be interesting to see how he fares against Scott and Gibbs on Tuesday.

Welling have splashed some cash over the past week and recruited from higher up the pyramid, so I don't now see them going into free fall. St Albans are gradually improving which means they will also pick up points. Its going to take some remarkable form to finish above both of them now.

[Barney]

I think there might be some rest and rotation at play here - I'm not saying we picked the right team, or made subs at the right time - but we've had Saturday/Tuesday/Saturday for a few weeks now, on heavy pitches, so rotating players that need some more recovery (especially in midfield), might be the reason, rather than people being left out as they're not considered to be in our strongest side.