Match Report

MATCH REPORT
Enfield Borough 2 Hilltop 3

Enfield Borough were left still looking for their first points of the season after losing a five-goal thriller to fellow Combined Counties League new boys Hilltop on Tuesday evening. Showing resilience, they twice fought back from a one goal deficit but eventually succumbed to a goal scored four minutes from the end of normal time.

There were a number of changes after Saturday’s disappointing display at Sandhurst. Finn Rushton, Michael Mullings, Noor Mbaza, Carlito Montana-Williams and Richard Worrell started in place of Million Shaun, Joe Huston-Mendy, Craig Nelson, Kevin Mussunda and Redon Abazi. Enfield started the match slowly and the first chance fell to the visitors when a corner was cleared to the edge of the box and Mohamedamin Mohamed’s shot was deflected behind for another corner. There were only seven minutes on the clock when Hilltop opened the scoring. Keeper Cem Temur took a free-kick from well inside his own half, the ball flew narrowly over the head of Sevdar Bokciu into the path of Michael Panford whose cross was tapped home at the far post by Anis Assoweh. Stunned into action Borough replied through efforts by Darrel Wopara and Rinidie Lokilo-Imponge which, while only narrowly missing the target, failed to trouble Temur. Bokciu came to Borough’s rescue when he managed to intercept a low centre from Mohamed but was booked shortly after for an agricultural challenge on Mohammed Hussein.

Borough should have found themselves 2-0 down after twenty seven minutes when Jibril Mahdi sprinted down the right wing and put over an inch perfect cross for Panford to tap home from right on the goal line, but he somehow made insufficient contact with the ball which flew wide. Enfield took full advantage of the reprieve and levelled the score a minute later. Mullings attacked down the right and cut the ball back to Montana-Wiliams. His shot was blocked and appeals for handball waved away, but the rebound fell for Adewale Orisagbemi who was tripped and the referee awarded a penalty. Montana-Williams quickly picked up the ball and placed it on the spot before confidently placing it wide of Temur’s grasp. The remainder of the half was largely uneventful but Borough had a warning of things to come when Hilltop broke quickly from a corner for the hosts. Mbaza failed to control the ball in midfield and Panford broke clear with Assoweh in support, but the latter delayed his shot and Mullings made an excellent recovery run to extinguish the danger.

The second half was also a slow burner in the early stages with only a shot by Mohamed which was dragged wide of target to show for either sides efforts. But on the hour mark Hilltop regained the lead as Mahdi made another raid down the right flank and drove in a cross that Bokciu, in trying to clear the danger, only succeeded in placing past Rushton in the home goal. Rushton was then called upon to make his first real save of the game when he collected Carlos Balde’s near post shot. Both sides were now making numerous substitutions with Borough desperate to get back on level terms, but they were leaving themselves vulnerable to the counter and with fifteen minutes to go they survived another rapid Hilltop breakout when a through ball spilt open the hosts rearguard leaving Mahdi with only Rushton to beat, but Mullings was the hero once more with an excellent last-ditch challenge.

Yet again Borough made the most of the lifeline they had been given and a minute later Montana-Williams’ corner was flicked on by Malachi Soile for Lokilo-Imponge to stab through a forest of legs to bring parity to the score. The points were now up for grabs and two of Borough’s subs combined when Fusion Queta’s long ball released Felix Udoji, but the bounce of the ball left Udoji unable to control his shot. Almost predictably it was a quick counter attack that cost Enfield any hope of a result as their free kick was cleared upfield leaving three Hilltop attackers with only Soile for company. The young defender did his best to delay the inevitable, but with assistance slow to arrive, a couple of quick passes, one of which looked suspiciously offside, set up Luqmaan Cusmaan for the winner. Rushton had to make a double save from Mahdi in added time before the final whistle sounded.

Assistant manager Patrick Kanyuka was disappointed afterwards. “We know the lads are young and inexperienced, but they need to learn quickly. There was a notable lack of communication between them which is vital to good team work. They also have to approach the nasty side of the job in the same manner as the fun stuff. I want to see them getting back to defend with the same speed and intensity as they want to support an attack. We were left short at the back far too often and we were made to pay for that in the end.”

On Saturday Borough visit British Airways hoping to open their account for the season at the third time of asking. Kick off in Bedfont is 3pm.
Team; Rushton, Mullings, Mbaza, Wopara (Queta), Bokciu, Soile, Montana-Williams (Udoji), Adiku (Ombasii), Worrell (Akande), Orisagbemi (Opoku), Lokilo-Imponge