The final score-line does not tell the full story of this game. For 70 minutes, this was a full blooded cup tie and the visitors gave us a really tough examination.
Thankfully, we responded well to their equaliser, scored the crucial third goal of the game through Blaine Hudson and were then able to play more football in the last 20 minutes as they tired and the game opened up. We were certainly nowhere near our best and although we again showed character in churning out a win without playing well, we need an improvement in our performances for individuals to shine.
We paid our opponents the utmost respect, watched them ahead of this fixture and knew they would present us with a formidable test. Different leagues have their own characteristics and Enfield were a physically strong outfit who pressed us at every opportunity and had enough pace in their attack to pose a threat. The game was played at a frantic tempo, quicker than most league matches, and our movement was not sharp or early enough to play our football.
In summary, we looked lethargic and sloppy in much of our work, which enabled our visitors to dictate the type of game for 70 minutes. Nothing was different in our preparation so it can only be down to the mindset of the players. We identified the mood wasn't right and tried to sort it out prior to the game as their warm up was also lacklustre, but unfortunately they took it into the game with them.
Two moments of quality in the first half brought our only two chances; one converted, one saved. Maz opened the scoring after good work on the right flank by Jack Eades released JT. His cross at the end of an overlapping run was nonchalantly finished by Maz, who dummied the defender, sent the keeper the wrong way and rolled the ball it home into the corner. Our other clear cut chance was created by some good interplay on the left and the keeper this time thwarted Maz with a decent save to his left.
As we approached half time we gave our visitors the opportunity to exert pressure by conceding a succession of cheap throw ins and corners. Whilst they did not create a clear cut opening, they did make us feel uncomfortable.
If anything the opening spell of the second half was worse! The players didn't carry out our instructions and failed to stretch our opponents by hitting long diagonal passes and getting the ball in behind them. Sometimes you have to do that to then be able to play football. If you keep taking too many touches and playing short it allows the opposition to stay on the front foot and press the ball.
We allowed them that luxury by being too predictable and not posing any threat beyond their back four. This allowed them to create pressure and it was no surprise when they eventually equalised. A long cross to the far post resulted in a free header back across goal and a tap in from on the goal line. We had failed to heed the warning of moments earlier when the mother of all goalmouth scrambles resulted in what looked like something from a war scene with bodies splayed everywhere!
Thankfully, we reacted well to the set back, whereas Enfield seemed to take a pace back. Whether it was the physical effort required to score or a slight subconscious dip in their intensity following the goal, it seemed to galvanise our team rather than theirs.
JP awoke from his slumber to hit the post and Luke Berry had the follow up cleared off the line. Then, following a succession of for once unsuccessful inswinging corners, Blaine Hudson rose high to head a picture book goal from a Daz Coakley outswinger. This seemed to take the wind out of their sails and two goals in four minutes put the tie to bed.
Firstly, with all eyes on the ball from his pull back, the referee awarded a penalty for a foul on JP, which Luke Berry dispatched with the usual panach. Then JP showed his undoubted talent by cutting inside on his right foot and curling a strike over the advanced keeper.
The late goals put a gloss on the score but we were under no illusions that we had been made to fight every inch by obdurate and determined opponents. We could have made this game easier if we had shown more quality early on and then more intelligence when the game panned out but our character, commitment and fitness again saw us through. We were not satisfied by the performance and whilst we are currently winning matches, we need the quality of play to improve for individuals to progress beyond this level.
The sting in the tail from this game is that Luke Berry came off with a dead leg and will not be fit for our FA Youth Cup tie at Tranmere on Wednesday evening.
Whilst our League One opponents had the luxury of resting their players at the weekend in their Youth Alliance match at Walsall, we played a tough 90 minutes in the FA Vase. We cannot make everything secondary to the FA Youth Cup and the competitive nature of the games we play is paramount in developing our scholars for first team football. It also can be to the detriment of certain games, as shown this week with limited preparation time and a key player missing, but the long term objectives will always be more important than any single game.
Team:
Davies, Thorpe, Coakley, Carr, Hudson, Ives, Eades (Johnson 75), Berry (Hughes 80), Bailey, Marriott, Patrick
