Above - The starting formations for both Waltham Forest and Enfield Town.
As the saying goes football is a funny old game and today's game in East London was a fantastic example of that very famous phrase. Waltham Forest were 2-0 up on 86 minutes with Town having no shots on target up until that point (more on that later??) but the final score was amazingly 2-3 after a fight back from the death took all three points for the visitors.
The pitch at Cricklefields has never been a bowling green whenever Town have played here and today was no different as the recent cold snap seemed to have taken it's toll on the surface. The game was in doubt on Friday afternoon with large amounts of water lying on the pitch but thankfully it all had disappeared overnight to give us all a game to watch even if it was on a bobbly uneven pitch not exactly conducive to the beautiful game.
Town started with a 4-3-3 formation with Walid Matata in the middle of a front three allowing Leon Osei and Adam Wallace to attack down the wings swapping from left to right during the first half. The Stags took to the field with a 4-4-2 formation and included ex Town stopper Jason Willis in goal.
The first half wasn't exactly vintage football but it was all one way traffic with Town controlling most, if not all of the play. The first chance came on 15 minutes when Leon Osei showed some good skill by controlling the ball in the area on the left hand side to put the ball across the goalmouth where Matata was very unlucky not to get his foot to ball to knock it into the net. It was then Wallace's turn to put a cross in for the advancing Dan Forward to put a shot against the post.
Above - Leon Osei shows some skill to cross from Matata
This is where 'shot on target' discussion took place... is a shot against the post a shot on target?? -The consensus was that to be on target it has to one that the keeper has to deal with so one that hits the post (however good??) is not.
Above - Dan Forward hits the post... a shot on target or not ???
Forward then was unlucky again when Matata chested down the ball to him inside the box to shoot past Willis only for the ball to rebound off the left hand post and trickle across the goal-line.
Forest were not able to muster any sort of chance during the first half and only had a few half chances off target which never troubled the Town goal. The only real chance they had was just before the break when Danny Francis got the ball on the edge of the box only for Blackburne to advance and dive at his feet before he could get a shot in.
HALF TIME - 0-0
The half-time verdict was that if Town could carry on playing as they did it'll be only a matter of time before they score and that Waltham Forest had had a poor half and looked like a team with only one win all season prior to this game. Nobody could of predicted what would happen??
Forest came out like a different side and looked the one most likely to score with Smith having a shot blocked by McKay and Taylor-Forbes getting an effort on target which was comfortably saved by Blackburne.
John Stevenson playing his first game after recently returning to Enfield Town then was rather harshly sent off for a challenge on Haywood. Stevenson won the whole ball and did make some contact with the Forest player who went down injured. The referee brandished the red card after witnessing the incident at close range.
Forest made it 1-0 shortly after when substitute Ade Cole got in behind Lee Protheroe on the left hand side and put in a cross to the far post which looped in over the unlucky Rob Blackburne. The video below could be titled -"When half decent crosses become goals??".
Above - Ade Cole scores Forest's first goal
It was then 2-0 when McKay was muscled off the ball by Brian Okwera who calmly slotted the ball under Blackburne to give the small number of loyal Forest fans and officials a dream of winning their second game of the season.
Town showed some signs of a response when Protheroe put in a great cross for substitute Liam Hope to header just wide but it was the home side using their one man advantage who looked the more dangerous.
Above - A great cross by Protheroe and unlucky for Liam Hope not to get his header on target
Marquin Smith was probably best placed to shoot but unselfishly crossed to Danny Francis who missed the chance to score.
The cold end heard Mark Kirby shouting 'COME ON EVERYONE... LETS SHOW SOME HEART' and Town certainly did that and more!!!!!.
With the score at 2-0 and with 86 minutes on the clock the betting in play for an Enfield Town win would of been at least 5000/1...All the Town fans present thought there was no chance??
Liam Hope's penalty kick made it 2-1 after Willis brought down Wallace in the area for what most people watching thought was a consolation goal.
Above - Liam Hope scores Town's penalty kick
It was 2-2 amazingly on 89 minutes when Lee Protheroe launched a free kick into the box that was headed on for Willis to jump for and only palm towards the advancing Wallace and Matata to put the ball into the net. The goal was given to Matata but from the replay I can't tell who scored it or if the two Town forwards actually got a touch on the ball.
Above - Town's 2nd goal scored by ???????????????
The game got worse for the home side as after a fair challenge from Andy Jones, Joe Ellul was stretched off with a leg injury. Ellul who had had a very accomplished game at centre back next to Des Thomas was given a warm round of applause from the travelling Town faithful.
On 96 minutes this crazy game was topped off when after some great work by Adam Wallace who slotted the ball through to Matata who calmly placed the ball past Willis to the absolute delight of the Town fans and players. There was no doubt who scored this one with Matata taking his shirt off and celebrating by taking his shirt off and running on to the athletics track. The cold end is gutted I didn't capture this goal on film - Sorry!!!
When the final whistle went the Town players celebrated a remarkable win that seemed like it was never on the cards even in the dying minutes of the game. Town had had three shots on target and scored with everyone of them to escape with all three points.
The Forest players looked understandably crest-fallen at the end of the game but can take heart from their performance in the second half for the relegation battle they face ahead of them upon their return home to Wadham Lodge in the coming weeks.
Town showed some spirit today and can hopefully build on this remarkable victory in the home game versus Romford next Saturday.
Enfield Town
Rob Blackburne, Lee Protheroe, Michael Bardle, Craig McKay, Mark Kirby, John Stevenson, Paul Marks, Dan Forward (Liam Hope), Walid Matata, Adam Wallace, Leon Osei (Andy Jones)
Subs not used - Jey Siva, Daniel Jones, Darren Bonfield
Booked - Marks, Matata
Sent Off - Stevenson
Waltham Forest
Jason Willis, Ian Walsh, Jamie Haywood, Des Thomas, Joe Ellul (Gbenga Ladega), Anthony Gradley, Ashley Taylor-Forbes (Emeka Nkemdirim), Brian Okwera, Danny Francis, Marquin Smith, Charles Simpson (Ade Cole).
Subs not used - Adan Bolle, Danny Penfold.
Booked - Willis, Walsh and Ladega.
MATCH STATISTICS -
ETFC WALTHAM FOREST
SHOTS ON TARGET 3 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET 5 2
CORNERS 6 1
GOALS 3 2
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