Enfield Town v Bishops Stortford

[seemgee]

McDonald, Muleba, Kirwan, Thomas, Smith, Gyebi, Kiangebeni, Youngs, Cass, Faal, Della Verde

McLeod, Cunnington, Sayoud, Taaffe, Nichols

[seemgee]

1  down after 23 mins

[seemgee]

HT 0-1

[seemgee]

2 down 47 mins

[seemgee]

FT 0-2

att 754

[djwilf]

Unfortunately couldnt get down today

How did we get on and sounds like we struggled to create clear chances.

Look forward to hearing more.

[thecoldend]

I never like to be ultra critical as we've had a great season and still have got a great chance to get into the play-offs but today was a major off day...  

We looked far too narrow and didn't stretch an organised Stortford team by getting the ball out wide to the wings...  LDV played alot of first half in centre midfield which didn't work..  lots of balls down the centre which their number 6 lapped up and headed back near enough everytime. He was their MOM. 

You could see why Stortford don't lose many games - Organised, hard working, don't give away many chances. 

File under "forget about it and move on" I think... 

 

 

 

[Rebel without a clue]

Was really looking to this one but ended up leaving well before the final whistle, stortford can best be described as workmanlike we gave away two needless goals one being a penalty but saying that we were never in control of this game with all of the  players putting in well below par performances, not sure what was going on with Cass he should have been replaced at half time he looked injured, I can’t remember us having an shot on target in the first half and we really didn’t trouble the keeper in the second half. Stortford for there part were content to time waste and roll around injured on the floor at every opportunity but it worked for them and they took the points,as coldend pointed out it was truly a bad day at the office and a game to forget 

[4wembleyfinals]

Thanks Cold-end. Interesting to read you appreciate the need for organisation. Something I have been on about for a number of seasons as it gives teams with set plans an advantage.

But there are going to be hic-ups by all teams hoping for promotion before the end of the season. Several of them having to play each other. So not all lost by one game but we will have to get back quickly to our recent form.

I think it is a little too late for us to devise an organised way of play. So we will have to rely our the individual talent off certain players as we have most of the season. 

On another matter I see Chappell and Bray did not play today I hope that they haven't suffered injuries. Also I have read that Andre Coker is still on suspension until submission of the Ref's report. Sounds strange. Surely he can't have to stop playing until that has been done. Am I missing something?  

Edited February 12, 2022 by 4wembleyfinals

[andyetfc]

Poor all round. Why on earth did we continually pump up high balls to their defence when they kept winning nearly every challenge? Their first goal showed everyone what to do on a very windy day - keep the ball on the deck!

I don’t think it’s a game to forget. I think it’s a game the management team need to look at again so they can learn from the mistakes made between 3.00pm and 4.50pm. 
 

Bishop Stortford never really looked troubled.

[Barney]

Agree completely with most of what has been said - the better side won today. We were a little below par, but Stortford were very well organised, super competitive, and knew exactly how to manage a game... maybe not the most exciting to watch, but it definitely is the way to get results, as their form shows. Too many long balls, which to be honest quite often works for us: we rely on getting the ball forward quickly, and getting our quick forwards into the game in one on one situations, but Stortford just didn't give us a chance to do that - they won pretty much every header until Cunnington came on, and had 2 or 3 players there ready to pick up the second ball before we could create anything. I can't remember us creating so little in a game since Lewes beat us comfortably, and it's a shame that we don't seem to have a plan B. We huffed and puffed for much of the game, were probably marginally on top second half, but over 90 minutes, I can't begrudge them the 3 points - and yes, their 6 was excellent.

Definitely time to move on, but hopefully taking some lessons from what went wrong today as Andy said. My biggest concern is how we really struggle to beat sites near the top of the table - we have been pretty consistent in putting weaker sides away, but assuming we qualify for the play offs, we are going to have to beat two good sides to get promoted, which doesn't fill me with optimism.

[The Crowing Cockerel]

The way I see it is that the only way we were likely to get promoted this year would have been to win the league. Our results against the top sides gives us very little chance if we make the play-offs:

Worthing: Home - draw

Bishops Stortford: Home - lost, Away - lost

Lewes: Home - lost, Away - lost

Folkestone: Home - lost, Away - draw

Hornchurch: Home - win

So thats 1 win in 8 fixtures against those immediately around us. I would also point out that the Hornchurch side we beat was not nearly as strong as the current Hornchurch side (- Tom Wraight amongst recent signings and the talismanic Sam Higgins returning from injury and scoring today).

I agree completely with 4WFs - we are - and have been - reliant upon individual talent to drag us through games. My concern is that that talent doesn't seem to be enough to get us through against the top sides in the division. If we were able to combine the organisation and consistency of a Stortford with the talent we also have, then we'd be formidable.

[4wembleyfinals]

Exactly put CC, but I have said for the past few years organisation isn't AL's forte. It is very hard to achieve it if your only philosophy is "when in doubt use the long ball".

I realise it is now a little late to expect any change so I accept we have the play the cards as they are dealt and just wait and see what happens in he next few games. We have got so far so who knows what can happen by May.

Edited February 12, 2022 by 4wembleyfinals

[Barney]

Not many arguments from me, but we can live in hope - this is an exciting side, with quite a bit of x factor. I'd rather be getting into the play offs, giving it a go and failing than finishing mid table, and we're still in decent shape in spite of today.

[thecoldend]

Well said Barney.   Onwards and upwards with three points in the North London Derby on Tuesday 

[Bottoms Up]

Tough watch yesterday, Stortford were a solid outfit without being spectacular. I can see them drawing a few games for that reason.

Town were lethargic throughout the game, what a shame, we are human after all and these performances and results happen

Chapple and Bray were surprise absentees from our recent good run and Cass looked injured and if so shouldn’t have played, all in hindsight of course.

Its all about how we react and thankfully Tuesday isn’t long to wait, nothing less than 6pts from Wingate and Leatherhead if we are gonna see through a top 5 finish and keep our distance from 6th place

[old towner]

If they play like they did  yesterday V win gate and leatherhead kiss the playoffs goodbye 

4WF I don’t think we use any other tactic apart from big boot up field it’s been a while since I’ve seen the midfield play 

again like others NO WILLINGNESS NO DESIRE NO MANAGEMENT NO LEADERSHIP  

[Raingod]

Couldn't make it down yesterday .. 2 different friends who went both said it was poor .. and along with the above - as TCE says, forget and move on ..

I don't understand the doom and gloom though on the thread - we are 2nd in our own right - even when teams have played any remaining games in hand ..  I refer back to that depressing night in July where I brought 2 people to the Spurs game and was frankly embarassed. Any fan at the time would have accepted being where we are at this stage ..

Before yesterday we were TOP of the form table  .. interviews with the managers of the last few teams we played have been very complimentary ... and we are still a point ahead of Stortford on the same number of games - and they have a harder run in ..

We are in the driving seat for the highest league finish in our history, attendences are getting to the levels I remember in the late 80s in the GMVC when I started watching enfield - lots to be pleased and excited about!

You can look at our record against the other top sides as not the best (good analysis CC)  but we only have 2 more matches against the top 9  in our final 12 games ..  most of the rest of the top 9 have 5 or 6 against each other .. so there will be plenty more twists and turns ..

And whilst we can say Folkestone, for example, looked far better than us on the day, they couldnt beat Bowers at home 3 days  after our comfortable win .. we want the best for the club and set high standards .. but we are 2nd on merit .. and all teams have off days ..  

And if we end up in the play offs, home advantage will be of significance ..

I was equally surprised that Chappell and Bray were both unavailable - doesnt say what the reasons were - having spent a lot of time on the bench, would have thought they would do anything to be their and keep their places - but these things happen ...

So onto Tues  & Sat -  lets keep the pressure on Worthing with 6 points from these next 2 ..

 

Up the town!

 

 

 

 

 

[Crusty Lee]

Thankfully I was too lazy to log in after the game but all I would have said was just 2 words. Unexpectedly abject. It was pretty miserable to watch in that biting cold wind.

But having had time to sleep on it, these are my brief observations. We never got a foothold in the game, not a sniff. We never had more than a second on the ball, which caused a lot of mistakes, mispasses and over-optimistic balls over the top which the runners never really had a chance to get onto. Some praise has to go to Stortford for their pressing and forcing mistakes.

Having said that, I don't think Stortford were anything special and I didn't feel as anxious as against some other teams when they went forward. I think the ball spent far too much time in the air for such a blustery day. No one had their shooting boots on and their w@nker of a keeper was never under much pressure.

If you're going to lose, it may as well be against a team in form. So all is not lost. My slight concern is that while we don't have many top teams left to play, we have quite a few against those looking nervously over their shoulder at the drop. The usual process is to steamroller a couple of these and struggle against those determined to make a fight for it. The sooner our opponents go 'on the beach' the better.

I still feel confident for the rest of the season. You don't go from top of the form guide to relegation fodder in one game. It's just that this game offered no crumb of comfort whatsoever. Certainly didn't hear a MoM announced and that summed it up.

Roll on W&F and roll 'em over.

[andyetfc]

On 12/02/2022 at 20:32, The Crowing Cockerel said:

The way I see it is that the only way we were likely to get promoted this year would have been to win the league. Our results against the top sides gives us very little chance if we make the play-offs:

Worthing: Home - draw

Bishops Stortford: Home - lost, Away - lost

Lewes: Home - lost, Away - lost

Folkestone: Home - lost, Away - draw

Hornchurch: Home - win

So thats 1 win in 8 fixtures against those immediately around us. I would also point out that the Hornchurch side we beat was not nearly as strong as the current Hornchurch side (- Tom Wraight amongst recent signings and the talismanic Sam Higgins returning from injury and scoring today).

I agree completely with 4WFs - we are - and have been - reliant upon individual talent to drag us through games. My concern is that that talent doesn't seem to be enough to get us through against the top sides in the division. If we were able to combine the organisation and consistency of a Stortford with the talent we also have, then we'd be formidable.

Do the results above not tell us something?