Enfield Town (0) 0
Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Attendance: 401
Admission: £7 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 123/5,929
Half-full and satisfaction is taken that no ground has been made by two play-off chasing rivals. Half-empty points you in the direction that Tonbridge have now gone 328 minutes since their last goal.
On a blustery afternoon that had firmed up the pitch in north London, the hosts, Enfield Town enjoyed the best of the first half with Tonbridge thanking the woodwork for taking them into the break on level terms.
The second half was a different matter, and by the finish, a draw was a fair result.
After a first minute effort from Joe Turner that employed goalkeeper, Matt Dolan, the home side picked up the mantle and exerted considerable pressure. After eight minutes a fine cross from the excellent Mickey Parcell found the unmarked head of Billy Bricknell but the ace marksman inexplicably steered his header wide.
Enfield were cursing their luck four minutes later when a 25 yard shot from Sam Youngs struck the underside of the crossbar with Jonny Henly making a brilliant save to thwart Bricknell from the rebound.
The Angels did find a riposte but Tom Derry delayed his shot and was muscled out.
Bricknell and Kezie Ibe combined well before setting up Parcell to drive a shot across the face of goal and narrowly wide.
Parcell, for all his good work, was lucky to see yellow for a crude challenge on Adem Ramadan.
Tonbridge were thanking the woodwork once more after 32 minutes when an Enfield corner from the left was met with a header from Bricknell that crashed against the bar.
Tonbridge needed to improve into the second half and right from the outset they were on the front foot and within two minutes they should have been in front when a Turner effort was deflected into the path of Derry who fired wide when it was easier to score.
It was certainly not one of Derry’s better days as only another couple of minutes elapsed before Alex Read set him for another attempt, but with the same result.
Successive Turner corner’s saw Arthur Lee plant a header against a post and Alex Read’s stab at goal cleared from the line.
Four great chances in the opening 10 minutes of the half had not found reward and from that point the game evened out. Lee received a caution after bringing down Bricknell who had been sent clear, quickly followed by the central defender steering a header wide from a free kick.
After 75 minutes the visitors had a strong penalty claim for handball turned away, thus equalling out a first half claim for similar from James Folkes.
Jonny Henly was required to make a great save as the game entered time added to preserve the hard earned point.
Steve McKimm was a glass half-full manager after the game as he took satisfaction from three difficult days on the road.
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