FULL TIME - Enfield Town 0 Ilford 1
Line Ups
ETFC
1. Rob Blackburne
2. Fabio Valenti
3. Darryl Ellams
4. Dave Allen
5. Chris Wild
6. Ross Edwards
7. Paul Marks
8. Andy Jones (captain)
9. Stuart Blackburne
10. Adam Wallace
11. Rudi Hall
subs - Dave Blower, Matt Thompson, Roberto Minnitti, Shayne Johnson, Jason Holmes
Ilford
1. Rob Budd
2. Michael Noble
3. Anton Trice
4. Harry Chalk
5. Aaron Scott
6. Tony Russell
7. Bradley Drisdale
8. Neil Matthews
9. Callum McGeehan
10. Des Gallen
11. Victor Omegiban
Subs - Jamie Pooley, Dereck Hawtin, Junior Appiah, Jack Sawyer, Jason Sanfeen
What a disappointing night down at Goldsdown Road, The Foxes had one meaningful shot on target from open play and still took home the three points. To be honest they came with tactics of getting behind the ball to frustrate Town and did the job well .
The first 15-20 minutes of the match were very scrappy (much the same as Brentwood) with only an Adam Wallace header to count as any opening of sorts. Then came the first whinge of the season from the whinging fan.
Timed at just over 20 minutes into the first home game came the comment - 'Come on Wallace do something!!!!'.....
With about 35 minutes on the clock the game came to life for Town and they started to get on top of Ilford. Darryl Ellams crossed in from the left edge of the box to find Stuart Blackburne unmarked whose shot beat Rob Budd in the Ilford goal but rebounded off the post... 'It's gonna be one of them nights' was the word behind the goal.
Darryl then had a good shot from the left which just missed the target and Andy Jones had a shot from the centre of field saved by Budd. It was only a matter of time before Town converted the pressure into a goal or was it??
Next from a Ellams long throw Chris Wild headed the ball on for Ross Edwards to hit the ball on the cross bar, the ball bounced down and out of the goalmouth.. I couldn't see if the ball crossed the line and there were no appeals so i would say it didn't cross the line. 'It's definitely going to be one of those nights" was now muttered behind the goal
As the referee blew for half time most supporters thought if Town played like the last 10 or 15 minutes of the first half we should win the match easily.
At half time Jack Sawyer replaced Anton Trice for Ilford.
It was early in the 2nd half when referee Hillier angered most of the Enfield fans present when with Ilford player Neil Matthews down with what appeared an innocuous looking leg injury (certainly not a head injury) and with town breaking away he blew his whistle so the Ilford Physio could come on to treat Matthews who was up and playing again within about 30 seconds.
Enfield then conceded a free kick on just outside the edge of the box to the right hand side of the goal as you look at it. Enfield's wall was just inside the area, the free kick was taken and struck Andy Jones's elbow/arm (who was on the end of the wall)... The referee blew for a penalty. It didn't look intentional but Andy did raise his arm so there weren't many complaints. Des Gallen smashed the resultant penalty kick down the centre of goal past Rob Blackburne who dived to his left. 1-0 Ilford.
Some of Ilford's players then started to go down injured and need treatment for a number of minutes which slowed the game down.
Junior Appiah then replaced Bradley Drisdale.
The referee then in most fan's opinion then lost control of the game and became very whistle happy. Town player's seemed to get frustrated at Ilford's apparent time wasting tactics which played right into Ilford's hands really.
The town management then sent on some Italian Flair to shake the game up in the form of Roberto Minnitti on for Gunz Wallace. A few minutes later Shayne Johnson and Matt Thompson replaced Fabio and Marksy.
The referee then brandished a red card to Ilford's Michael Noble who launched a tackle through a Town player in front of the town bench. Ilford were now down to 10 men. Surely Town could rescue a point.
But it was Ilford who got the best chance after that when a rare error by Dave Allen was seized upon by Omegibin whose shot was well saved by Blackburne.
A chance then fell to Rudi whose shot went past the keeper heading goalwards only to hit an Ilford defender and then cleared.
Ilford then went down to 9 men when one of their player's who had already been booked tripped Shayne Johnson and was booked for a second time. I don't know who this player was as he ran off down the tunnel before I could see.
After 8 minutes injury time mostly caused by Ilford's players going down injured the referee blew up for full time to the delight of the Foxes players and supporters who were present.
As stated they came to frustrate and do a job, they rode their luck (town hit the post and crossbar) and got the penalty which they scored from. Aaron Scott (their number 5) seemed to win every header in the 2nd half and had an immense game for them. It wasn't pretty football but they got the points.
Cold End positive notes:
1) Enfield Town we have played two games and not conceded a goal from open play and with a bit more luck in the 1st half I think we would of won the game as Ilford would of had to have changed their tactics.
2) Stuart Blackburne run his socks off tonight and if he keeps up this enthusiastic approach the goals will come.
3) For once when red cards were brandished at Goldsdown Road it wasn't towards Town players.
As the saying goes Rome wasn't built in a day, Town should put this result behind them and look at the positives for the game with Tilbury on Saturday and hopefully three points won.
UP THE TOWN!!!!!!
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