Enfield Town 4

Southend Manor 1

(Essex Senior League)

ENFIELD TOWN ground out a result against a well organised Southend Manor side. The first half commenced shortly after a blizzard had passed over the area, but the strong winds remained and made the high ball a pointless tactical ploy.

Exchanges were even for the first fifteen minutes but Town started to get on top and Ronnie Watson, on the right flank, was involved in most of the better moves. Town had a penalty shout turned down on 23 minutes when Rudi Hall was toppled in the area.

Mathew Negus then won a free-kick on the left but John Ridout and Graeme Hall both failed to get in a clean header. It was only a brief respite for the visitors though for Daniel Clarke intercepted the attempted clearance and fed Daniel Alleyne who finished in clinical fashion.

Then in first-half stoppage time Southend's keeper Lewis Green failed to collect a through-ball and Alleyne appeared to score from an acute angle. But the linesman thought otherwise though and gave a goal-kick, Clarke being subsequently booked for dissent. The visitors drew level on 49 minutes when Ollie Evans danced through the Town rearguard to bury a shot beyond Andy Hall.

Dean Harding had replaced the injured Rudi Hall at half-time but it didn't change Town's pattern of play. John Ridout and Martin St Hilaire were winning the midfield battle and David Allen, Bradley Brotherton and Graeme Hall were proving to be an impassable defensive unit. Up front, the direct approach was proving effective and it eventually paid dividends on 71 minutes when Negus won possession on the edge of the Manor penalty area and

fed Alleyne who scored from a tight angle.

Alleyne turned provider two minutes later to set up Daniel Clarke for the third. Lewis Green managed to block Clarke's first effort but Town's leading marksman was left with a simple tap-in. Jamie Morris replaced St Hilaire on 76 minutes and Ridout was replaced by Ricky Antoine three minutes later.

These substitutions nearly backfired on Town though, when Dean Harding had to leave the field with an injury.

He returned soon after and performed admirably despite limping throughout the rest of the game. Clarke topped off a fine performance three minutes into time added on with a carbon-copy of his first goal, Green saving his first shot but being unable to stop the tap-in from the rebound.

It was rather unjust on the visitors to concede a fourth, and the Referee blew the final whistle before Clarke could even begin celebrating. For Town though it was a well deserved three points and a further boost to their goal

difference and points tally.