Enfield Town 0 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 82/17/1532 - Tuesday, 16th January 2018 - Bostik Premier

Enfield Town (0) 0
Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Akrofi 54
Attendance: 281
New Ground: 322

Entrance: £6
Programme: £2
Mileage: 127/5,476

Match Report

There are some decent stadiums in the Isthmian League Premier and a few that really don’t fit the bill. Many are much of a muchness with their functional but unappealing precast concrete and steel grandstands and covered terracing. Places like Dulwich and Staines offer something a little different in a modern sense whilst there is an old fashioned charm about Folkestone. But the groundhopper’s delight is the truly iconic photo opportunity, one of these is the back-to-back grandstand at Wingate and Finchley and the other is the art deco clubhouse at Enfield Town’s Queen Elizabeth II stadium.

With the word CAFE emblazoned above the windows of the circular clubhouse, the stadium is instantly recognisable on arrival at Donkey Lane. The QE2 is a athletics stadium that has been adapted to suit the needs of a football club and this has been done quite successfully. Rather than put the stands behind the goal at the back of the bend, Enfield have positioned them infield, so the track runs behind the stands.

This was a freezing evening that required several layers of clothing but, despite two pairs of socks, one of which were thermal, the cold finally got through, numbing the toes.

For Tonbridge supporters, a small following, the merry-go-round of inconsistency continued. Little was expected following Saturday’s defeat at Leatherhead coupled with Enfield’s unbeaten home record, but in this topsy-turvy season, they produced an impressive performance that deserved their result.

George Beavan’s absence following his substitution on Saturday allowed Craig Stone to continue alongside Sonny Miles with Liam Smith taking the right back berth and Tom Jelley as the holding midfielder. It is probably harsh to say that Steve McKimm has "stumbled" on a formation that looks more balanced and secure, but appears the case.

From the seventh minute when Nathan Elder sent Sam Bantick clear but thwarted by Joe Wright, the first half took on the shape of the visitors making chances and the Enfield goalkeeper earning his man-of-the-match accolade.

Wright went on to make saves from Joe Turner, Smith and Elder whilst Alex Akrofi put a free header over the bar.

Akrofi repeated the act after 35 minutes and when the home side came to life in the closing moments of the half, Jonny Henly was required to make a comfortable save from ex-Angel Simon Thomas whilst Sam Youngs fired narrowly wide.

The fear was, of course, that the lack of a goal to decorate the first half dominance would come back to bite the Angels on the bum.

But it was the visitors that deservedly took the lead on 54 minutes when Akrofi cut in from the left and fired in a shot from outside of the box into the bottom corner that Wright, this time, was not going to get anywhere near.

Enfield really needed to come to the party for the sake of their supporters who were probably feeling the cold worse than their visiting counterparts who were at least enjoying the show. Just past the hour, Henly made his most meaningful save of the evening to deny Aaron Greene’s free kick with Smith completing the clearance.

Tonbridge game managed the last half-hour brilliantly restricting Enfield to a 90th minute effort from Greene that narrowly cleared the bar and a shot from Joe Hockney that only found the side netting.

Despite the cold, this was a good night both as a Tonbridge supporter and as a groundhopper.