Enfield Town FC 2 Torrential Torrington FC 4

[Pavagrotti]

Crowd 280

 

Torrington cramped and uncomfortable minibus proved sufficient for the job as Torrington beat Town convincingly.

 

The heavens kept opening and closing to make fans wonder if the game would be on again.

 

The difference was the two defences Town what defence? Conceding 11 goals in 3 matches now. Torrington wait to the last man and then cynically brings the man down on the edge of the box. The man gets a yellow card and town take no advantage from the move. Snuffed out attack. Technically in defence Torrington were superior by quite a way.

 

In the first half both Matty Negus and David Allen appeared inspired with some lovely runs. David Allen running the full length of the pitch. Both David Allen and Ian Cooper were brought crashing to the ground in some heavy tackling. David Allen, Matty Negus and Brad Brotherton doing some lovely defending.

 

Either Ian Cooper needs a new copy of the off side rule or the linesman was not very good as Ian got caught time after time in an offside trap.

 

Against the run of play Town took the lead with a lovely Billy Cove header. 1- 0 and so it stayed until half-time. The wind was swirling and making it difficult for Torrington.

 

After the break Torrington got two easy goals and then a third and towns heads went down. We then got a goal from a Billy Cove shot which rebounded to Bradley Brotherton who nailed it. 3- 2. Closing minutes Torrington got a fourth to bury the town. The referee appeared a bit one-way but the best team on the day did win.

 

Town were not outclassed by any means but out tacticked and out-defended certainly.

 

Highlight if the day was the Waltham Abbey Physio who turned up for the match between Town and Abbey. You rotten lot you hated him so match you didn't bother to tell him the match was off. hmm!

 

Concord were there to watch after Ilford decided to postpone and lick their wounds

 

 

 

[Gonzo]

Town's defence has looked poor all season. Jim, please, please stop playing wing-backs - it's STILL not working! Any chance of signing a centre-back &/or left-back? It's nice having all these strikers but we are conceding a hell of a lot of goals.

 

The ref was abysmal. How Torrington weren't reduced to 10 men before the interval I will never know. Ian Cooper was off-side a fair few times but at least half of the time the lino clearly got it wrong. How on earth did the ref miss that Torrington back-pass?! I can't remember the last time Town had a match where most of the decisions went they're way - surely these things should even themselves out over a season?!

 

Anyway, well done to Torrington. They looked very good going forward and good luck against Chertsey.

 

Now we've got no distractions/fixture pile-up let's make sure we get out of this league (no disrespect to the ESL intended!).

[lovely stuff]

Town should have been three up at half-time instead of just one up.

 

Two turning points in the game,both of which involved appauling refereeing decisions.

 

10 minutes to half-time and with Town 1-0 up....Copper was clean through on goal ,when he was hacked down from behind...The ref had no option but to send the defender off...Well the ref,by ONLY booking the defender not only threw away the rule-book but p*ssed on it where it fell.(an absolute discrace)...Had he applied the rules,Town would have cruised through against ten men.

 

 

The second turning point was at 1-1 in the second half,when the Torrington defender clearly handled the ball in the box (PENALTY) not with today's excuse for a ref.....Torrington hoofed the ball upfield whilst Town protested and their centre-forward found himself on a chase with the Town keeper(Andy Hall) to get the ball first...Hall was favoutite to clear the ball,until he momentarily slipped and the Torrington forward slipped the ball between his legs.

 

I disagree with you summary Cleggy....I felt Town were easily the better side thoughout the match,apart from the last 15 minutes when our defence when to sleep whilst we were chasing the game.

 

As for Torrington defence being good.....I feel they got a roasting from Towns forward line,and were only saved by a flag-happy lino and a large dose of luck.( he flaged Cooper Off-side at least 5 times in the second half,when he was clearly on).

 

I think it was just fate....The moment that goal-bound (would be) own goal,somehow diverted at the last moment from going inside the post to going the wrong side of the post after 75 minutes,i knew it wasn't meant to be.

 

9 times out of 10 we would have beat Torrington....and i think they knew it...maybe thats why they were so estatic at the final whistle.

 

Saying that, to score 4 goals away from home Torrington do deserve credit,and i wish them well against Chertsey.

 

 

[Robson]

Very weird game today.

 

I arrived late and so missed the opening goal, but the majority of the first half was all Enfield Town. I don't actually recall Torrington having any shots in the first half (although, I was 10 mins late.)

 

Regarding the supposed sending off offence - in the referee's opinion, the Town player would not have scored had he not be taken down. Therefore a caution was only necessary. I was on the sideline, so can't really comment as to if he was heading directly towards goal, or heading towards the corner flag when he was taken down. Anyone care to enlighten us?

 

The second half was terrible. Torrington worked hard, and had the wind with them. Their first goal was a really sublime lob over Andy Hall, nothing could be done about it. The rest of the goals were down to poor defending to be honest. (EDIT) Forgot to mention their second(?) goal, after a Torrington player picked up the ball in the area, and threw it to one of his colleagues who went on to kick the ball six miles down the road where a Torrington player karate kicked Andy Hall whilst the ball rolled into the net. Bitter... no I am not.

 

It's not that Enfield Town played badly as a whole.. we had our moments. It's was just one of those days when if we had our shooting boots on, we could've put away 6 or 7. Mind you, the same could be said about them.

 

Crowd was good, and I would've loved to hear the roar from the Town End when we scored the second goal.

 

Where was Fruitbat? That Lino would've been in big (and I mean *big*) trouble had he been there.

 

One last point - it was slightly dissapointing to see some supporters giving the Torrington players abuse at the end of the game. They came, worked hard, and came away with a win. Let them have their moment, eh.

 

 

 

[bigboybubs]

we vwere mugged, robbed, cheated

[JordanB]

you lost to a better side and they were poor. there defence was so poor and you did not take adv. i was speaking to aq few players after and they are well pleased clarke is back is cooper was poor. also snowden is poor all he does is kick the ball off.

[Pavagrotti]

Torrington did beat Torquay United in the week 4 - 3 in the Devon Bowl, and now face Exeter City in the next round. They're no mugs.

 

As for Snowy he can also do a long throw-in when required. But maybe we do need a new Centre-back?

[lovely stuff]

Quote:

pinnacle said:
you lost to a better side and they were poor. there defence was so poor and you did not take adv. i was speaking to aq few players after and they are well pleased clarke is back is cooper was poor. also snowden is poor all he does is kick the ball off.

Thanks for the advice on Town's defence ,Pinnacle.

we may have to put in a 7 day approach for Abbey's centre-back now. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

[ETFC Neil]

Quote:

pinnacle said:
you lost to a better side and they were poor.

If you can stop contradicting yourself then we might be able to take you a bit more seriously.

[JordanB]

what i said was that they were a poor side but on the day they were the better side. they looked more threatening. dont get me wrong i think on a decent surface you would of murdered them. i really do beleive that the pitch cost you the game.

 

have not been to your place since our game last season, was well impressed with the improved facilities. but the pitch!

[andyetfc]

With regards to Robson's comment of 'in the referee's opinion, the Town player would not have scored had he not be taken down. Therefore a caution was only necessary' All I can say is 'how on earth would a referee know when someone would or wouldn't score?'

 

Did the referee know that Seaman was going to be lobbed from 75 yards away in a cup final?

 

The referee made a very big mistake in not sending the defender off and he certainly knew it, especially when he went to Jim at half time to tell him why he hadn't sent him off. As far as I am concerned, he knew he had made a mistake and wanted to justify his actions - poor refereeing!

 

In terms of the constant offsides, and I will not stick up for the linesmen here, but when are our players going to play across the defenders and then run forward when the ball is played reather than run straight past the defenders? We have the power and pace, let's skilfully use it.

 

As for Billy Cove - a cracking header from an excellent cross. I bet Torrington were very worried when that one went in. Shame we did not capitalise on it. Should have been at least three up by half time.

 

Let's look forward to the next game, the new year and all the ground redevelopments and aim for the Ryman League.

 

Good luck to Torrington in the next round.

[Foxy2004]

I'm surprised you game was on at all.....!

Considering when we visited your place back in October it was poot then......

Hard Luck.......

Now u can concentrate on getting promotion to the Ryman....yes I said promotion not winning...! lol

Dont beat yourself up too much...We'll have a ETFC V Ilford vase final in 2005...

 

[andyetfc]

I'm still waiting for the League Champions of 2002-2003 against the 2002-2003 League Cup winners game!

 

How about the Trophy Final of 2005?

[Foxy2004]

Definately.......

I should have been more positive and less thick.....lol