Enfield are one of the big names of the non league game - but like Wealdstone a few seasons ago have fallen on hard times. Supporters have fallen out big time with the chairman to the extent that most of them have transferred allegiance to a new club - Enfield Town - who I believe play in a local County League or something similar. The original Enfield is currently homeless and groundshares at Boreham Wood. Up till this fixture, they'd won 4 out of 17 games and their best home attendance was 114 for a Ryman Premier match against Maidenhead.

Town went up to Hertfordshire firm favourites to at least get a replay if not win the tie outright. Sadly, those supporters who made the effort to be there went away utterly pissed off at a hugely lacklustre display in which Town showed they are still deep in the trough of depressing performances and results that now stretches back to September 29th. The poor run of results now extends to two wins in the last eight games with this latest reversal being our first away from home.

Yet, Town started off reasonably promisingly and under 20 seconds had elapsed when Duncan McArthur nearly scored with a clever lob. Lee McRobert went close a minute or so later and Town were in those initial stages the better side by a long way. Unfortunately, another controversial refereeing decision (a la Newport) on 8 minutes was to prove crucial. Lee Mac was clearly tripped - the Enfield defender raised his hands in the classic "What? Me?" pose that usually signifies "Yes, it was you" - Referee Hayes waved play on, Enfield broke upfield and what looked a weakly hit shot seemed to take a bobble and deceived Dave King to the surprise of everyone. An atrocious decision with the goal being the icing on the cake - hence "a la Newport".

Town took this in their stride and for long spells the game was similar to that at The Homelands last Tuesday - one way traffic. But Town could not make it count where it matters - and despite all that superiority, they weren't playing well - the ball was given away on numerous occasions. Enfield looked lively up front and on occasions Town had to defend in numbers. At the other end - Macca hit the side netting with a free kick, Lee Mac lost out in a one on one, Adam Flanagan headed over, another Macca free kick was pushed away for a corner, twice Jonesie was in good positions but his ball control let him down - and then out of the blue, Tony Burt's appalling back pass was intercepted and Enfield were 2-0 up as the resulting shot flew in off a post. We couldn't believe it.

The second half was probably as bad a display as we've seen all season. Lee Mac - another ineffective performance - was subbed as early as 67 minutes. Chris Honey had already replaced Tommy O as once again in recent days, George had to go for broke. But moves kept breaking down outside the Enfield box and Town's best efforts were long range - the best being Macca's rocket that just had to be directed straight at the keeper who dealt with just about everything chucked at him apart from a couple of occasions when he fumbled. It might've been worse when Stuart Playford's pass across the pitch was intercepted - but Dave King did enough to put the Enfield forward off in a one on one.

Yatesie pulled one back deep in added time - well set up by Macca he slid the ball under the advancing keeper. Town still had time to force some desperate defending and from the resulting corner, Stuart Playford volleyed over - and as the ball flew out the ground, so did Town's involvement in this season's FA Trophy. Enfield probably don't believe they're in the next round after that first half - but they worked their bollocks off and what with all their off pitch problems, even a bad, pissed off loser like me has to wish them luck against Histon or Weston Super Mare in Round 2.

Town's poor recent form coupled with the appalling performance at Enfield the previous weekend added to the seemingly relentless form of Grantham and Dorchester made this a "Must win" game - and the boys came up with a performance 100% better than the one that led to the FA Trophy exit. On a bumpy pitch against a physical Chatham outfit, Town were well worth the win and Chatham's 87th minute goal made the final score a flattering one for the Kent side who came up from Kent League last season.

Apart from a couple of short spells of Chatham pressure, Town looked comfortably the better side and inside the first 10 minutes had made three decent efforts on goal through Paul Jones, Adam Flanagan and Steve Yates. What was particularly good to see was three good performances from Messrs Myall, McRobert and Simmonds - all having been off form in recent weeks.

Amongst the Chatham ranks was Lloyd Hume who played about half a season for us 6 or 7 years ago. Lloyd's a bit rounder than he was in those days - but he still leaves his mark like he used to and several of his ex colleagues will know just what I mean by that. Indeed he was booked for a challenge on Yatesie.

Chatham's first serious effort on goal came on 23 minutes whan a corner wasn't cleared and Dave King had to scramble the ball away after one of those penalty box scrambles where the ball ping ponged all over the place. A couple of minutes later, Town had the ball in the net but our old friend Martin Yerby disallowed Jonesie's effort for hand ball after he turned and blasted in Lee Mac's cross. But Town did take the lead soon afterwards - a well placed Yatesie cross found a diving Mylie heading home at the far post to the delight of the 30 odd Town supporters behind the goal.

After Simmo went close with a long range effort, Lee Mac went on a great run beating several defenders only for his shot to be cleared off the line. Tommy O also had an effort blocked and how Town only went in 1-0 up at half time was anybody's guess. Half time usually sees the momentum lost - and sure enough the second half was a non event in comparison to the opening 45. The best opportunity fell to Adam Flanagan who's header from a corner was cleared off the line.

Controversy on 70 minutes when Simmo went down in the box after a challenge from Hume - the linesman flagged and Simmo got up and put away the resulting spot kick which gave us that vital cushion. I'll do an Arsene Wenger on that one - even looking at the video afterwards didn't reveal anything one way or the other - but that was an important goal - especially as Chatham pulled one back late in the game when a long free kick was headed inside the far post.

A good win while Grantham and Dorchester were winning rather easier games against other Kent sides - Ashford losing 1-4 at South Kesteven and Tonbridge 0-4 at The Avenue Stadium.

It's a well known fact that early rounds of the DM League Cup have supporters falling over themselves with indifference - it's that kind of competition that - well, like the Worthington Cup or the Inter Toto, only starts to get a bit interesting when it looks like you might just win a pot. And having said that - Town's lowest attendance for years was treated to a fine game with 3 penalties (2 missed), a sending off and a lot of decent football as Town got to grips with a Dartford side that has proved decidedly difficult to beat since we started coming across them again in 99/00.

I couldn't make this one - a late shift at Three Bridges Signalling Centre cropped up rather inconveniently - just as it will on Saturday when league points are at stake as we take on Rothwell. So - this match report comes about as a result of fine camera work by Paul Rush and Phil Donaldson's detailed notes - for which I thank them both.

Town started with as strong a subs bench as you'll see this season - Lee Mac, Jonah and Webbie. George gave Frenchman Zahanh Landry his debut - I hear we've actually signed him. George knows him from his days at Bromley - apparently Luton bought him for £30,000 but had to let him go when they ran into financial shit street. Zahanh put in a pretty good performance which bodes well for the rest of the season - he played the whole 120 minutes and showed a lot of good touches.

In goal for Dartford - our ex keeper Tony Kessell. Initially the game seemed to be more Dartford orientated but as the first half went by - Town started to apply themselves and Kess got busier than Dave at the other end. Steve Yates put in another good performance and was involved in much of what happened of note in the first half - putting in crosses for Tommy O and Chris Honey to go close - and seeing a shot of his own well saved by Kess. 39 minutes and 1-0 to Town - handball in the area and Simmo put away the spotkick.

Dartford level on 66 minutes when a cross was well converted. Town continued creating chances and Zahanh and Chris both went close. Simmo had another penalty on 85 minutes when Kess brought down Jonah - but Danny's penalty hit a post, spun across the face of the goal and away. So - into extra time with Webbie coming on for fellow sub Jonah who'd replaced Rudds at half time.

94 minutes gone - and 2-1 to Town when a fine pass found Chris who rounded Kess and set up Yatesie who fired home from just inside the box and only a defender on the line to beat. Dartford were down to 10 men on 106 minutes when their number 2 gave Webbie a kicking. Not that that seemed to faze them as they were awarded a penalty of their own 3 minutes later for handball. The shot was planted against the cross bar and even though the rebound was put away - it was disallowed, Phil thought because the guy who took the kick and scored from the rebound touched the ball twice?? Not that Town were going to argue.

All wrapped up after 119 minutes when a cross from Webbie found Yatesie in acres of space and he fired home Town's third past Kess to book HTFC a place in the second round. Let's just hope a similar performance awaits on Saturday. Nice to win a home game after some distinctly poor results at The Pilot Field in recent weeks.

On the injury front - Stuart Playford went off in the first half and Jonah being subbed is also a concern. No details available yet - hopefully they'll both be ok on Saturday.

SS

After the hiccoughs of the last month and a half, this was another important game for Town as they seek to get their promotion campaign up and running again. And a fine second half performance against a stubborn Rothwell side saw the boys came out deserved winners with the three goal margin very accurately reflecting the way the 90 minutes went.

I didn't make this game - Mark Westbrooke's phone updates, Paul Rush's camerawork and Phil Donaldson's notes went a long way towards making up for me being stuck at work. Not being able to make games - best way I can describe it is as being akin to trying to give up smoking - those withdrawal symptons - particularly tough between 3.00 and 4.55 pm.

Town had to start this game without the injured Paul Jones and the flu ridden Duncan McArthur. They looked in good nick from the start, though, and Lee Mac - back to something like the form we want and expect - was just wide with a free kick in the opening minute. Chris Honey brought a fine reflex save out of John Hughes in the Rothwell goal when he fired in a close range effort frpm a free kick. Rothwell had their first effort on goal on 25 minutes and a minute later the excitement was at the other end when Lee Mac went on a mazy run that was ended on the edge of the box. Lee saw another free kick tipped over just before half time and right on the whistle, Yatesie volleyed just over.

Town got off to the perfect start in the second half when Stuart Playford headed in from a corner on 48 minutes. 53 minutes gone and Dave King had to make a decent save under the angle of bar and post - and that was to be the only real work he had to do for the rest of the game as Town utterly dominated proceedings.

It wasn't made any more hard for Town when the Rothwell 5 saw yellow for the second time - such a trivial thing to get a yellow card for - he didn't retreat quickly enough for a free kick - and it was to cost him and his mates big time.

Not long after Mylie had headed over a Simmo free kick, Simmo himself got on the end of a fine move involving Lee Mac and Tommy O to fire home Town's second from just inside the 6 yard box. Simmo was to help wrap things up on 82 minutes when his free kick caused chaos in the Rothwell box and Chris Honey headed home to make it 3-0.

Well played boys. And in particular to Messrs MacRobert, Myall, Simmonds and Yates who've all had indifferent spells of late - but all have come good again in recent weeks and - all being well - we're looking good to come out of our collective indifferent spell.

Other results of interest, Tonbridge 1 Grantham 2, Histon 2 Dorchester 0 and Erith 1 Banbury 1. Erith are here next Saturday. Tuesday night sees us playing Bumpkinship Div 2 Lancing at The Pilot Field in a Sussex Senior Cup tie. No doubt, George will give our Frenchman another 90 minutes along with a few other fringe players. But that Erith game is another big one - as indeed they all are as we battle our way back to our best form.

Well played lads.

Town never in any trouble against Bumpkinship Division 2 Lancing as an 8-0 scoreline would suggest. Highlight of an utterly one way game which attracted an attendance even lower than last week's other uninteresting cup game against Dartford (185) was the third goal of Zananh's hat trick - a quick turn on the corner of the box and a shot of immense power that crashed into the roof of the net - not likely to see a better goal all season.

Town took Lancing apart in the second half with Graham's goal to wrap up the scoring being the other highlight of the evening as he beat three defenders before slotting home under the keeper. Even Dave King had a chance to get in on the goal fest - but his 74th minute spot kick was well saved by his opposite number. Daft as it might sound - I don't know the christian name of the lad who got the 6th goal which came about from a well worked move - Matt Cornwall was it? Whatever - it was a nicely created goal.

So - yawn, yawn, into the next round of the Sussex Senior Cup where Arundel or Horsham YMCA await and even though the initial stages of the competition bore the tits off me, I shall have to try and go to get another new ground following Town under my belt - 94 so far.

This was non league football showing it's more than capable of providing as much drama, excitement, thrills'n spills as those over paid pros who had they gone on strike might have done the likes of Town and Erith a favour with people deciding to give their local side a look in the absence of Premiership and Nationwide football.

This game had everything - Town hit the goal frame three times, Jonah ran himself and his ankle into the ground and after one kicking too many had to limp off with the sides deadlocked at 2-2 in the last minute with Town piling on the pressure . Shortly after Paul's enforced departure, Danny Simmonds was stretchered off with what looked like a nasty ankle injury and Town, having used all three subs, were down to 10 men.

Adam Flanagan had given us the lead on 18 minutes when he hooked home from inside the 6 yard box after the Erith defence failed to deal with a corner. Erith looked pissed off about the goal as their keeper had gone crashing to the deck - but for a change this didn't result in a free kick which is what usually happens when anyone makes any kind of contact with the keeper. Adam had gone close 10 minutes earlier when he headed a Mylie cross against the outside of a post.

At the other end - Erith while looking a more than useful side - only made two serious incursions into our box - the first seeing Dave pull off a great stop from a well directed header. The second meaningful effort saw them level when a free kick found their 9 in space and he converted the chance well.

2-1 to Erith on on 54 minutes - Adams got his second with a penalty which nobody argued about very much. I think - I stand to be corrected - it might have been Stuart Playford's mistimed tackle - but whatever, we were now 1-2 adrift in what was a vital promotion issue game. George went for broke as he's done in the past - 63 minutes gone and he pulled off Rudds and Tony Burt for Chris Honey and Zananh Langry. While Erith looked on occasions that they might exploit the gap in defence that created, Zananh caused all kinds of problems from the moment he came on with some of his first touches being of the unreal variety.

Town started to exert some real pressure in what was a tough battle - and Zananh levelled with just over 20 minutes to go. A Simmo free kick found Zananh - his looping header crashed back off the bar and he buried the rebound to the delight of those in the covered end. Simmo hit the crossbar himself on 81 minutes as Town went looking for a winner with all the action in the Erith half and Dave King having little to do.

The three subs were to do the trick in the 98th minute - Graham Webb's run down the right, a fine cross flicked on by Chris Honey and there was Zananh heading home the deciding goal of an outstanding contest. Absolute pandemonium amongst the home supporters - devastation amongst the Erith defenders and keeper.

A vital win this - especially as Grantham and Dorchester won - three results that make the race for promotion looking of the three horse variety. As whinged upon earlier - we don't play next week while Dorchester are at Fort Fun on Monday night and Grantham go to Histon on Tuesday. As for our inactivity next Saturday - well, ok, we go to Worthing for a friendly - at least there's only one game in our division.

Well played boys - great result and fingers crossed for Jonah and Simmo.

SS