Enfield Town Updates

[andy]

We were always going to hit a run where things didn't go our way. We were far the better team in the second half today, I don't recall Platt having to make a save, whereas their keeper was kept very busy and pulled off some good saves. I do agree when teams defend as well as Enfield and Bromsgrove we have to find a 'different way' of bringing Miracle into the game. No complaints from me though for the effort put in, it was one of those days. Heads up lads.

[DJ]

Emirates FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round – Saturday, 30th September 2023

Halesowen Town 1 Enfield Town 2

Halesowen’s FA Cup dreams ended after incisive Enfield struck two first half goals and mounted a determined rearguard action to thwart the Yeltz, writes DJ.

Yeltz Manager Paul Smith addressed the disappointment. “We played well but they’ve done a smash and grab raid on us and defended brilliantly. We stayed patient, but credit to them, we weren’t sharp enough to cause them problems. Defensively, it was not good enough - we’ve given sloppy goals away. We’ve missed a big opportunity here today.”

It was an intriguing contest against the Isthmian Premier League visitors with both sides theoretically playing at the same level of the pyramid structure.

The Towners started like a train and were quickly out of the blocks to take an early lead. Mikey Parcell made a robust challenge to win the ball on the right and ever-threatening Marcus Wyllie just failed to convert his first minute cross. Louis Birch’s cross was then turned away but James RICHMOND powered home a free header from Oliver Knight’s resulting corner to give Enfield a 3rd minute lead.

The Yeltz gradually settled and George Cater ran into the area to win an 8th minute corner. Reece Mitchell soon crossed along goal and Cater also fired over the bar after 16 minutes from Todd Parker’s incisive cross.

Halesowen equalised after 18 minutes through a brilliant individual goal from Jack HOLMES who sidestepped his defenders on the edge of the area and then twisted the other way to curl a superb shot past goalkeeper Rhys Forster. A 23rd minute long range shot from Holmes was then collected by Forster.

But Enfield continued to look dangerous going forwards and Mitchell had to make a fine recovering tackle to stop Wyllie who was clear on goal after 27 minutes. Wyllie was again in space just a minute later but was again blocked in the area.

For Halesowen, Holmes scooped the ball onto Luke Redfern after 33 minutes, but his shot was blocked for a corner by Joe Payne. Cater then burst forward in a mazy run from midfield but Forster held onto his final low shot.

Enfield regained the lead in the 41st minute after Knight delivered an incisive cross from the left and picked out WYLLIE to finish superbly. In the final minute of the first half, Cater cut in from the left and Forster produced a flying save to turn the ball onto the top of the crossbar.

After the break Enfield defended their lead well in depth as Halesowen huffed and puffed to try to find a breakthrough in vain. After forcing two corners, McKauley Manning’s 57th minute long range effort was parried away by Forster and Forster then tipped Cater’s 59th minute shot onto the bar. In-form Forster then collected a 67th minute shot from home substitute Richard Gregory. With time running out for the Yeltz, Holmes managed to find an inch of space in a crowded area to unleash a great shot, but once again Forster pushed the ball away after 83 minutes. Substitute Ryan Boothe fired just over the bar in the 89th minute as Halesowen’s FA Cup dreams slipped away.

Halesowen Town: Dan Platt (c); Jak Hickman, Reece Mitchell, Todd Parker, Ryan Wynter, Luke Redfern, George Cater (Kieren Donnelly 60), Caine Elliott (Richard Gregory 60), Miracle Okafor, Jack Holmes, McKauley Manning (Ryan Boothe 78). Subs Not Used: Kieran Morris, Josh Ezewele, Josh Hawker, Nathan Hayward.

Enfield Town: Rhys Forster; Mikey Parcell, Joe Payne, Scott Thomas (c), Kyle Bailey, James Richmond, Louis Birch (Dylan Adjei-Hersey 75), Sam Youngs, Oliver Knight, Marcus Wyllie, Reece Beckles-Richards (Josh Keeya 63). Subs Not Used: Adi Connolly; Ekow Coker, Gucci Souiha-Osekanongo, Sami Bessadi, Obi Onyeagwara.

Referee: Jack Hill Attendance: 1,130
Booked: Birch (70), Forster (90), Okafor (90)
Tulleys Print HTFC Man of the Match, selected by the HTFC Vice-Presidents: George Cater
Non-League Paper Man of the Match: Rhys Forster (Enfield)

[Tranter78]

Great cup game. They came flying out the traps and capitalised early. Their game management was spot on second half. Both sets of fans where a credit in my opinion. Jacks goal was top draw.

[lutleyyeltz]

Just an aside from the game.
We have very new, futuristic floodlights installed.
LED, I presume?

[drummyb]

George Cater got MOTM today. Well deserved, I thought he was superb

[Rich]

George Cater got MOTM today. Well deserved, I thought he was superb

Think he was having his best game so far...... slightly bemused when he was taken off

[Jefftoad76]

Unlucky today,mistake led to their 2nd goal.keeper kept them in it with 3 great saves .thought elliot was the weak link today not sure hes a starter for me.need to get those crosses in earlier too much sideways backwards giving the other team chance to regroup and organise, their defence was like a brick wall today and miracle was too isolated as he seems to be in alot of games need someone alongside him or just behind as hes in danger of burning himself out.thought we played lot better 2nd half just couldnt break them down and didnt deserve to lose.

[Seamus]

George Cater got MOTM today. Well deserved, I thought he was superb

Think he was having his best game so far...... slightly bemused when he was taken off

Was his last game for us against Rugby earlier in the cup, don't think he has featured since then, holiday?? Perhaps fitness seen as an issue. Certainly made a big statement for future inclusion on today's performance.

[drummyb]

George Cater got MOTM today. Well deserved, I thought he was superb

Think he was having his best game so far...... slightly bemused when he was taken off

I think to be fair, we needed to try something else. I thought at one point, we had a lot of tricky players on today, but no real shithouse driving midfield. Ive said our engine of Wynter, Morris and Hayward have been a real backbone. I think we missed a bit of that today, although again absolutely no criticism

[fairweatherfan]

Good to see over on Twitter some of the usual suspects are keeping things in perspective and calling for Paul Smith to go. I genuinely despair.