Enfield Town 1 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 47/25/2389 - Saturday, 10th January 2026 - National League South

Enfield Town (0) 1 Thompson 90+2
Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Leahy 11
Attendance: 682
Admission: Pass
Mileage: 136/2,782

The Angels came away from Donkey Lane with a hard-earned point in a game of two polar opposite halves. The first half, in which Tonbridge dominated to go into the break a goal ahead was countered with a second period in which the hosts, Enfield Town, pressed hard for an equaliser that finally came, and not undeservedly, in the second minute of added time.

Larry McAvoy, taking the post-match interview: “It feels like two points dropped. The boys are disappointed with the result from the position we were in, leading going into added time, but when they have scored, it could quite easily have gone the other way.”

The fixture survived a 10am pitch inspection, which although obviously heavy, was perfectly playable given the downpours of the past couple of days.

Manager Alan Dunne made four changes from last Saturday’s starting XI against Dorking Wanderers. Into the side came Matty Warren, Noah McCann, Alfie Pavey alongside Jordon Thompson, whose signing from Hemel Hempstead Town was announced during the morning. Arthur Penney and Naz Bakrin joined those on the injured list with Frankie Baker and Bailey Akehurst taking places on the bench

The game started quietly with both sides literally finding their feet on the surface with the home side having a couple of efforts that gave no real concern before the Angels went ahead on 11 minutes when a corner from the right was headed on by Bunmi Babajide into a crowded six yard box from where Tom Leahy got the final touch to stab the ball home.



From the opening goal, the visitors controlled the first half and had two great chances to extend their lead when, on 34 minutes, a long ball forward saw Leahy challenged by Enfield’s goalkeeper, Joe Wright a long way from his penalty area with the ball breaking to Ricky Korboa, whose shot was deflected for a corner. On 40 minutes, a superb cross from Leahy found the diving head of Pavey, but his effort was directed at a thankful Wright.

The second half began with the Angels remaining on the front foot with a chance for Korboa that cleared the bar before Enfield began an extended period of pressure and when skipper Scott Wagstaff was helped from the field with a suspected dislocated shoulder, the home side seized control.

The chances began to fall to Enfield with Lamar Reynolds poorly heading at Laurie Shala when found unmarked eight yards from goal and Tom Youngs saw his effort narrowly clear the bar but as the game entered 10 minutes of added time when a through ball from Oliver Knight was taken down by Adam Thompson who fired past Shala into the roof of the net.

Tonbridge survived a number of corners in the remainder of added time to take a valuable point back over the bridge.

McAvoy concluded: “The boys stood up to the physical challenge really well, for a young group to defend the amount of corners, long balls and throw-ins, showed real character. We nearly saw it out, but at the moment we are not getting the points our performances deserve.”

Enfield Town 1 Tonbridge Angels 3

Match 76/24/2315 - Saturday, 22nd February 2025 - National League South

Enfield Town (1) 1 Kasimu 27
Tonbridge Angels (0) 3 Nelson 77 Shields 78 Botti 90+6
Attendance: 733
Admission: Pass
Mileage: 146/5,384

Tonbridge Angels supporters who had endured a difficult journey to Enfield, whether by a road with an M25 road closure or by train, were eventually rewarded with three goals in the final quarter-hour to record their first win on the road since late November and, in so doing, also put a six game winless run behind them.

For 75 minutes, all that seemed unlikely as the visitors struggled to come to terms with a difficult pitch in which any quality from either side was at a premium.

Jay Saunders speaking with Matt Davison after the game: “Up until we got our first goal, it was not the most enjoyable afternoon I’ve had, but it shows you how quickly a game of football can change. It was a tough game, obviously with the pitch, you know what you are in for. I was disappointed with the first half, and the goal we conceded, but I think we showed a good reaction with the substitutes coming on and making an impact.”

On a mild afternoon with glimpses of the sun, Jay Saunders was able to welcome back Sean Shields, Liam Vincent and Crossley Lema, but lost Harry Ottaway to injury. Mikey Berry, Christie Ward and Bailey Akehurst took places on the bench.

The opening 20 minutes was not for the football purist with misplaced passes, hefty clearances and very little in the way of goalmouth action. To be fair to Enfield Town, much of the early momentum was with them but without troubling Matt Rowley to any great degree.

On 27 minutes, as Tonbridge were starting to wrest a bit of control from their hosts and with Gianluca Botti having broken clear to be denied by a good challenge, Enfield Town took the lead when a cross-cum-shot from the right by Anointed Chukwu was bundled home at the far post by Hisham Kasimu.

The Angels could easily have gone into the break further adrift as, on 41 minutes, John Oyenuga put a good chance wide and on the stroke of half-time, Rowley saved well to turn away a shot from Sam Youngs and, from the resultant corner, was needed to claw away an inswinger from under his crossbar.

Jay made a change during the break, reverting to a back four with the substitution of Ethan Sutcliffe with Ward.

But as the second half progressed and the pitch got worse, so did the game. On 64 minutes, Berry was introduced for Taylor Maloney and after Jack Wood had taken a whack, Akehurst was his replacement.

In the space of a minute the game was suddenly turned on its head when the latest of what had been numerous Vincent long throws that had continuously looked the Angels most potent weapon, found its way towards the far post from where a deft header from Ronny Nelson squeezed its way past the Enfield Town goalkeeper, Joe Wright and his post.

If the Angels support felt relief at the equaliser, they were in raptures a moment later when a superbly weighted through ball from Botti sent Shields clear to finish into the bottom corner.

Enfield Town, desperate to get something from the game to aid their relegation fight, threw bodies forward but Rowley was only needed to catch or punch a couple of corners before six minutes of added time were entered.

The Angels were managing the period comfortably but added some gloss to the scoreline when in the final minute, a cross from the right saw a Shields effort brilliantly saved by Wright but as the energetic Berry fought for the rebound the ball fell at the feet of Botti to drive home from inside the six yard box.

Jay added: “I’m pleased because we needed that. We’ve probably played better recently and not got the results, but today, at half-time, I’ve questioned them when I felt they felt sorry for themselves. When you’ve been on the run we’ve been on with injuries and results, you feel that everything has been against you.”

Enfield Town 0 Tonbridge Angels 0

Match 100/18/1693 - Saturday, 2nd March 2019 - Bostik Premier

Enfield Town (0) 0
Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Attendance: 401

Admission: £7 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 123/5,929

The last two Tonbridge Angels games have been an examination of the glass half-full, half-empty state of mind.

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.

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.