Dulwich Hamlet v Enfield Town

[Tally Ho]

Lost 2 - 0.

[littlehampton]

Very disappointing to lose at Champion Hill today, but we gave table-toppers Dulwich a good run for their money and, by all accounts, ran them very close before the decisive second goal clinched them the match and the points.

 

What an amazing turnout for this match. Well done all you Towners who made the difficult journey across London to support our guys. Shame it didn't go our way, but we'll have another pop at Dulwich on the 26th March at the QEII Stadium, when we'll hope to achieve a better result. Sure it will be another great game. Wonder if we can attract a four figure crowd for the return at our place?

 

Please share your own thoughts on todays match, how we played, etc with others. Cheers.

[SeasideTowner]

We played very, very well today. Dulwich had a couple of chances and took them, we had quite a few and didn't. I was very proud of everybody today, I thought that we totally outplayed the supposed best team in the division yet came away with nothing. They fought for everything and made a mediocre side look mediocre. Great support from the Towner's, I reckon that 200  - 300 made the trip. If we continue to play like this, we will be in the mix come the end of the season. We've seen all the best teams in the division now and there is nobody better than us in my opinion. 

[4wembleyfinals]

Unfortunately I was unable to go to Dulwich to day which is a shame as it is where I saw my first organised game in 1947. From what I hear and have been told we

more than held our own but for the same old problem the inability to take our

chances.

 

Perhaps it is now time for Brad and his assistance to try a different approach and employ a no nonsense centre forward, striker in modern parlance. YEs we have

talented fast forwards all of whom seem to lack the necessary poise in front of

goal. However, someone similar to Liam Hope, who was had the knack of scoring from out of no where, would compliment the approach play of the others.

 

Also they must address the more obvious problem of who should play centre midfield

position. If one were to take off their tinted glasses for a minute, you will see that Sam Magou struggles to achieve this role beyond 50 to 60 minutes. The post period being when the back 4 are left with no get out and when most of the goals we have conceded occur. This is not a coincidence.

 

Because of our financial restraints we cannot go out and buy players, even at our level, although Franny Collins was recently put out on loan. For several

seasons he has been one of the leagues top scorers. For the centre Midfield role why not try Phil Lowen, Samir B or Ryan Doyle.

 

Some times you have to take a chance to achieve success. It may not work but how

many more games can we comfort ourselves with being the best side but coming out

without a win.

Edited January 9, 2016 by 4wembleyfinals

[1F in Enfield]

Agree. We played well and outplayed Dulwich so disappointing to come away with nothing. We are creating so many chances but do not seem to be able to put them away. This has cost us many times this season. Even games like Wingate would have been out to bed early on if we converted even half the chances. Something for the training ground and if we crack that we will make the play offs no question.

[SeasideTowner]

I've been thinking lately that maybe Stan could do a better job at centre half with Doyley moving to the centre of the midfield ? Thoughts.

[1F in Enfield]

Worth a try and could work. IMO the emphasis needs to be on existing players being more clinical in front of goal and/or a new striker that knows how to find the back of the net.

[SeasideTowner]

I've said this before and I'll say it again, I love Harry to bits but I think that our best front 3 is Tyler, Corey and Bobby. Harry on the bench for me as a plan B when we NEED to go long. ( sorry H if you read this ).

[1F in Enfield]

IMO Harry is one of our best players. He holds the ball up well and is worthy of his place in the team. Not so good at finding the target so needs the support of a goal scorer.

[SeasideTowner]

I think that as an attacking force, we are too predictable playing the long ball to the one big forward. I agree that Harry is one of our best players but I personally think that we would be more dynamic offensively with the three previously mentioned, fast, tricky, dangerous forward players. They tore apart much better defences last season namely, Maidstone and Margate !

Edited January 9, 2016 by SeasideTowner

[1F in Enfield]

That's true but in those games we had Hope and Devyne on form, players who know where the back of the net is. I just think it can work with Harry provided we play a bit deeper. We need the height and chances he creates. Anyway each their own and COYT!

[SeasideTowner]

Always good to talk and debate.

[1F in Enfield]

Definitely! Really appreciate the opportunity to come on here for that.

[MTHead]

Are you going mad. Harry is probably the best player to pull on the ETFC shirt. His reading of the game, his ability to bring others into the game, he holds the ball up and enables others to run past and revive etc. He is not a natural goal poacher but he has everything else we need. He needs to play from the start, with other younger and faster forwards feeding off his excellent work. Oh and he works his socks off every match, others would do well to follow his lead.

[SeasideTowner]

am I going mad ? No, I don't think so, I'm just offering my thoughts on a message board. Your post suggests that I'm criticizing Harry in some way. Maybe you should re-read them.

[CD Towner]

My oh my, how frustrating today was! We certainly had the chances but it seems like we're saying that every week! Young pacy players will only get you so far and often struggle with inconsistency. Agree with others points, we are crying out for a natural finisher who lives to score goals. We are also in desperate need of a commanding centre half. For all his height Vilcu is not that man.

 

I hate to say it but we had a couple of those in previous seasons and it served us well.

 

Harry should start IMO. Why is Joe Stevens repeatedly left on the bench?

 

I agree with the points on Muguo. A good season last year is not being backed up this time round and perhaps a spell out the side could help? Having said that, we lack leaders as it is and need all the experienced heads we can use.

[Enfield United]

Defeats can sometimes distort the progress we have made. We were slightly the better first half team and conceded a set piece goal, awful and a repetitive problem that exists with our group of players. I.e a commanding CH is a need to rectify this.

We were overwhelmingly the superior second half team and for 30 minutes ran Dulwich ragged. Our faults were not even hitting the target and working the keeper, this can be rectified in training, nothing wrong with our forwards, they cause and create chances as well as having a nice balance of players to choose from.

We are crying out for A midfield leader as well, it's too much an ask of Stan, he is good enough, big enough sting enough to play RPL , but we are talking of being a top 5 team, Nathan Livings is also in the same bracket with different strengths. Plus our set piece deliveries have been poor IMO. Bobbys taking free kicks??? Cos no ones better at it, he should be sniffing around the box for goalscoring moments.

 

Nonetheless we do have a good team and we are in with a top 5 shout, it's just that we will have to endure a roller coaster ride in doing it, we wouldn't have it any other way would we?

[lovely stuff]

It seems that Town have to really put a lot of pressure and skill into creating goalscoring chances.where as we seem to let the oppo break and score more quickly and without needing the same sort of effort,pressure and build-up that we put it.

 

Our conversion rate of chances created to goals scored need to be improved on.Too manY times we have been the better team who have created more chances ,only to lose to a more clinical,methodical opponent.

 

Would still favour Harry and bobby up top,with Corey and Tyler wide of them,BUT we need to put our chances away better of find someone who can.

[CD Towner]

Enfield United I couldn't disagree more. Training will not rectify the inability to stay cool in front of goal. Players either have it or they don't. We need one that has that coolness as currently none of our players do (for all their other good skills)

[Steph]

Have to agree with MT head. It is my view that Corey and Bobby are being picked on last seasons form. Harry has to start every game as he offers us a different approach to the others. Corey has lost his speed. I do not think he beat the backs once yesterday by speed which he had a plenty last season. Bobby used to work by guile and being in the right position at the right time. It is my view that the best partnership for Harry at this time until something better comes along is Tyler. He works his socks off. Can take on players and beat them if he has a fault it is that he is inclined to hold the ball too long and is not aware of where his support is. This often means he runs into trouble and loses the ball however of the three forwards I have mentioned i think he is the only one who has scored from outside the box this year. (Devynes free kick was a piece of luck and doesn't count any half decent goalkeeper would have ate it up).

 

We desperately need a goal scorer and as has been mentioned Brad got rid of Hope too easily in my view.

 

I actually don't think there is much wrong at the back but look at our goal scoring record. We have only scored 39 goals in 28 matches. We have to go down to met police in 13th place to find a club that has scored fewer and they have played two games less. Apart from the coppers there are only 6 other clubs that have scored less than us and 4 of those are in relegation places. The forward line is not good enough and goal scorers from midfield are not there.

 

At the beginning of the season it was our defence that had problems but that seems to have been resolved. Although we lost yesterday DH were left with few chances but they took two of them. We had far more chances but did not take any! If we reach the play offs and if we get promotion via the play offs we will enter a higher league where chances will be fewer and the forwards have to take them.