Football Review – A Non-League Football Review

A goal from Taylor McKenzie in the second half was enough to send Enfield Town into the play-off final after a hard fought victory over Wingate & Finchley.

The only chance in the first twenty minutes or so came in the first couple as Jake Cass forced Ben Goode into a good save. Enfield had seen a low driven shot from distance deflect wide of the target, but it looked as though Wingate would take the lead with the pressure they mounted in the first half. A cross aimed towards Anointed Chukwu was headed clear before Ruben Carvalho sent his effort from the edge of the box over the bar.

Chukwu had been at the forefront of everything for Wingate as they continued to come forward. The forward twisted and turned inside the box, but his cross was blocked before a ball aimed towards him in the box was punched away by the keeper and after running through on goal, he could only send an effect across the face of goal from a tight angle. Enfield had looked to attack their opposition t themselves, but they could only manage a cross being plucked out of the air by Goode before Elliott Long fired a good strike at goal, but saw Rhys Forster hold on.

The tide had changed in the second half, despite both sides coming out of the block fast. Marcus Wyllie found himself in a good position just inside the box, but a slip just before he shot allowed the away side to clear their lines before Wingate saw a good ball played across the face of goal, only for the keeper to hold on comfortably.

Enfield began a period of dominance as they sought the opening goal. A ball cut back at the byline saw no white shirts close enough to tap home before Ben Goode made a vital save to deny the hosts the lead. The deadlock was eventually broken in the 66th minute when ball into the box was headed in by Taylor McKenzie, to the delight of the home supporters.

Despite taking the lead, Enfield found themselves on the back foot as Wingate enjoyed some possession. They had looked for an immediate response, but a header at goal was comfortable for Wyllie. Two chances for Enfield Town came as they looked to reduce the pressure on their own goal, but they couldn’t add a second: an effort from inside the box sent just wide of the target before Goode made a excellent save with his legs to deny the hosts a second.

With time running out, Rhamar Garrett-Douglas found some space on the near side, but his low ball into the middle was cleared by the Towners before they did well to work the ball on the edge of the box, but again, Enfield’s defence held strong. The pressure continued for the visitors as Carvalho couldn’t quite get his head to a cross before Garrett-Douglas looked to get another cross into the box, but miscued his effort and sent the ball straight out of play. Added time was a series of Wingate attacks with the hosts standing firm. A free-kick into the box with a couple of minutes left to play saw the keeper struggle to get his hands on it, before a recycled shot was blocked before a long throw was sent into the box, but headed cleared. And with that, Enfield had done it.

The Towners face Chatham Town, who defeated Horsham on penalties, at the Bauvill Stadium on bank holiday Monday for a place in the 2024/25 National League South.