Non-League and Academy football writer

On Saturday afternoon I went to the home of Wingate & Finchley football club, the Maurice Rebak Stadium, to watch Enfield Borough, who also play their home fixtures there, take on Southend Manor in a league fixture. This was a Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties League Division One South fixture, with Enfield Borough winning the game in dramatic fashion 5-4, in what was a hugely memorable game of football. The young Enfield Borough side played some very good football and were in my opinion worthy winners on Saturday afternoon, against a Southend Manor team who are much higher up in the league standings, than Enfield Borough. The game was started well by Enfield Borough, whose fast start to the game was rewarded, with them taking an early lead, having created a good chance just before they managed to find the opening goal of the game. After a good cross managed to pick out the unmarked Enfield Borough number 15 inside the Southend Manor box (unfortunately I couldn’t find a team-sheet on Saturday), the Enfield Borough player had only the goalkeeper to beat, however, he couldn’t get a real connection on the ball, and so the ball ended up going over the goal. 

Shortly after creating that good chance, Enfield Borough took the lead in the game. A cross into the Southend Manor penalty area by the number 12, eventually managed to find the Enfield Borough number 15, after the ball had failed to be cleared away. The number 15 laid the ball off for number ten to calmly finish into the goal, with a low effort. A deflected effort from the Enfield Borough number eight from distance, was saved by the Southend Manor goalkeeper. A couple of minutes later the impressive Enfield Borough number nine had a headed effort on goal saved from a free-kick into the Southend Manor box. The Enfield Borough number 15 had a powerful effort from the right side of the box pushed over the goal, by the Southend Manor goalkeeper. However, shortly after that chance, Enfield Borough had a man sent off. It was to be a sending off that their number 28 contested greatly, after the referee had seen it as worthy of being sent off for, after challenging Southend Manor’s number eight. However, the home side managed to respond well, and not long after the sending off, they doubled their lead. The creative Enfield Borough number 12 found the number nine inside the Southend Manor penalty area, and he headed home well, to make it 2-0.

The Enfield Borough number nine managed to make it 3-0 soon after, in what was turning out to be a brilliant first half performance from Enfield Borough. A good passing move from Enfield Borough resulted in their number eight passing the ball to the number nine inside the Southend Manor box, and the very impressive Enfield Borough centre-forward calmly found the back of the goal, with a low effort past the goalkeeper. Enfield Borough’s number eight hit an effort over the Southend Manor goal, from the edge of their penalty area, before their very influential number nine had an effort well blocked by a Southend Manor defender inside the penalty area, after the Southend Manor number six had an effort from distance saved. However, shortly after that Enfield Borough chance, Southend Manor managed to get a goal back in the game. Their number 11 powerfully headed home after meeting a good corner-kick into the Enfield Borough penalty area. Things got even better for the visiting team, after the Southend Manor number ten curled a good, low free-kick effort into the Enfield Borough goal, from the edge of their penalty area.

After the Enfield Borough goalkeeper had tried to clear the ball inside his penalty area, the ball rebounded off of the Southend Manor number 11, with the ball then finding its way to the Southend Manor number nine, who tapped the ball home into the empty goal, to make it 3-3. Things weren’t looking good for Enfield Borough after their number ten was sent to the sin-bin shortly afterwards, as Southend Manor were now in full control of the game. After the Enfield Borough goalkeeper had saved a headed effort on goal, he managed to tip an effort from their number ten behind for a corner-kick. After Southend Manor’s number five volleyed an effort wide of the Enfield Borough goal, and after Southend Manor had a goal ruled out for offside, Enfield Borough managed to regain the lead. The Enfield Borough number 16 showed great pace and skill on the ball to go past a number of Southend Manor players, as he went on a long run from inside the Enfield Borough half. Eventually the Enfield Borough number 16 had a powerful effort on goal from the edge of the box, well saved. However, the ball then came to the Enfield Borough number ten, who controlled the ball well inside the penalty area, before finishing from close range.

The drama in the game was not over yet, though. Shortly after the game got started again, Southend Manor must have thought that they had done enough to take a point back to Essex with them, after their number four saw his deflected effort on goal from the edge of the Enfield Borough box, loop over their goalkeeper and go into the goal, to make it 4-4. However, just before the end of the game, Enfield Borough got their much deserved winner, with their number 16 getting the goal. After a free-kick was delivered into the Southend Manor penalty area, the Enfield Borough number 26 managed to just direct the ball towards the goal, with the Enfield Borough number 16 tapping the ball home on the line to make it 5-4, as all of the players celebrated the winner together. This was the second time that I had seen Enfield Borough play this season. They play some really good football, and it’s a club that really does give young footballers the opportunity to play senior football. For me however, the Enfield Borough number nine, who despite going off injured in the second half, impressed greatly with his movement off the ball, and he scored two goals on the day, so he was my man of the match. That win for Enfield Borough lifts them out of the relegation zone.