Enfield fc 5 afc 2
Enfield FC 5 AFC Dunstable 2 (3-1 Half time)
Southern League Central Division 1
Hertingfordbury Park (Hertford FC) Monday 25th August 2025.
Attendance – 126
Match report by Richard Church.
Our unbeaten league run came to an abrupt halt with this resounding defeat. Both games last season saw 6 goals in each match between AFC and Enfield with AFC victorious in both – this season went one better with 7 goals but unfortunately for us, Enfield came out on top.
The game got off to a poor start for the ODs. With 4 minutes on the clock, Tommy made a foul on the edge of the box for which he picked up the first of 4 yellows for AFC personnel in the match. The resulting free kick was walloped low and hard by Callum Taylor in to the bottom corner of the net giving Matt no chance. The visitors looked very disjointed in the early stages – perhaps as a result of having to rejig the line up with Shawn having to withdraw during the warm up, and it was no surprise when Enfield went further ahead on 12 minutes when a ball was played in from the left straight on to the head of unmarked Kieran Southgate at the far past who nodded home to double the lead.
AFC came back in to game following the goal and Sean had a couple of decent opportunities to get us back in the game. The first came following some great work by Aaron to close down a defender. He won the ball and put the ball in to Sean but his shot was cleared off the line. A minute later Sean hit a shot straight at a very grateful defender who cleared the ball away – Sean really should have scored. Avto then had a chance with a run through the middle but he shot past the post. Brooksie next – he played a short corner and as the ball was played back to him he shot first time but the keeper got down well and punched the ball away. A good 10 minutes spell for AFC but nothing to show for it.
As is often the way, we then fell for a sucker punch in the 29th minute. Harry put in a great block from a shot that looked a definite goal if he had not thrown himself in front of it. The resulting corner was played in just under the bar and in trying to clear the ball, Harry did well to get to the ball but he inadvertently headed it back past Matt for an own goal. 3-0 down with half an hour gone, but not game over as with 33 gone Sean got a goal back with a fine shot across the keeper. We looked to be back in the game as we started to control the match but unfortunately could not add to the score as we went in to the half time break.
We started the second half in the way we finished the first with some good approach play but no end product – Avto, Tali and Aaron all having efforts early in the second period. As the half wore on, the home team took control of the game again and kept the AFC defence busy – we were looking pretty ragged at this stage and it was no surprise when Enfield scored again with 62 on the clock. A bit of a scramble in the box when we just could not clear the ball ended with the ball falling nicely for Fred Moncur who lashed the ball home. Sean got us back in the game on 74 with a shot from the edge of the box that took a slight deflection on the way in to the net to make it 4-2. Three minutes later it was pretty much game over when what can only be described as a defensive cock up allowed Enfield to score again to complete the scoring.
So we lost our unbeaten start to the season and drop down to 14th in the league. Enfield deservedly picked up their first league win.
Man of the match (as decided by the AFC committee) was Sean Duodu.
Team line up (subs in brackets) ; Matt Bonsu, Aaron Addy (Abel Damoah-Kyeremeh 58), George Joyce, Maks Jarzabek (Eric Frunza 64), Mwita Mgoyo, Harry Riley, Akhsiashvili Avtandil, Tommy Blennerhasset, Sean Duodu (Patrik Horvath 78), Tali Jallow, Kyle Brooks.
