(F.A. Cup 3rd Qualifying Round) 3rd October 1999

Enfield (1) 2 Cooper 20 ; Brown 50
Billericay Town (0) 0 s/o Roudette 63

Enfield bounced back from last weekend's humiliating performance at Dagenham to ease into the 4th Qualifying round of the cup against fellow Essex side Billericay Town. The result was beyond doubt once Cooper had curled one in from a free kick and then Brown headed home powerfully minutes into the second half. Roudette was sent off for the visitors after earning a second yellow card soon afterwards, which as good as settled the game.

It really wasn't Billericay's day. The nifty Enfield supporters coach squeezed past the much larger Town supporters coach that was stuck waiting for a car to be removed. It's not nice to gloat... but we did.

(Ryman League Premier Division) 9th October 1999

Enfield (3) 4 Bunn 20; Rattray 29; Dunwell 45; Cooper 60
Walton & Hersham (0) 1 Coates 65 s/o Whelan 59; Tilbury 76

Enfield regained pole position of the Premier League on the back of a productive first half that netted three goals - one an amusing slip by the keeper - against a struggling Walton & Hersham side. One worrying aspect to the game was that only 214 made it to the game, and I encountered one Enfield supporter who had journeyed all the way to St. Albans, only to discover he had to dash all the way back!

Enfield's Dunwell missed a hatful of chances early on, heading over the bar unchallenged at one point. After spurning successive chances by the forward line, the first goal when it came, was an absolute fluke. Watson in the Walton goal dived too early for a Bunn shot and the ball bounced over him into the net. Cue the usual 'Cinders missing the ball' jokes. Dowling came close to leveling the scores at the other end from a well-taken free kick minutes later, though the points were effectively sealed as Dunwell's cheeky back heel set up a Morris cross that begged to be converted. Rattray obliged. The third goal of the half was also the product of a Morris right wing cross. There were players actually queueing to head it back at the far post (Brown got there first) and Dunwell applied the finishing boot, knocked the ball high into the net.

The second half saw Walton's players attempt to kick lumps out of anything that moved. Whelan was the first to be sent off for a cynical challenge on Cooper on the edge of the box. Cooper stepped up to score from the free kick via the underside of the crossbar, with Dunwell following it in to make sure. One unhappy opponent fan threw away his shirt in disgust at that point, and promptly wished he hadn't as Coates surprised all present with a rocket shot that cannoned in off the post to narrow the margin. Enfield couldn't take advantage of their numbers difference, even when the visitors were reduced to nine men when Tilbury was quite rightly dismissed for an appalling late lunge at Ellerton right in front of the main stand.

(F.A. Cup 4th Qualifying Round) 16th October 1999

Enfield (0) 1 Jones 77
Baldock Town (1) 1 Cook 17

OK, the simple facts here. Enfield were simply awful for the first eighty minutes. They were extremely fortunate to scrape a draw here after being behind for the majority of the match and were second best in every way imaginable. BUT... Danny Jones forced an equaliser and the game goes to a replay at Baldock Town on Tuesday evening.

After a whole week of speculation as to the club injury crisis, the side that took the field showed no changes from last weekend's win against Walton & Hersham. However, today's performance was a major disappointment, with misplaced passes and no apparent heart for the battle. It was no real surprise when Baldock opened the scoring, though it took a lucky rebound off an Enfield arse for the ball to rebound back to Cook. His shot beat Hall inside the left hand post for the opener. Bunn responded with a deft free kick and Dunwell could count himself unlucky to be denied by Wheeler's finger-tip save to the formers lob. Otherwise, it was Baldock using the touchline clearance out of the stand to resist Enfield - a tactic that was used frequently.

The second half saw scant improvement, though there was entertainment in a big bust up in which Town's No.2 Behen got away with using his fists. His abusive comments in our direction did little to endear himself to the Enfield support! More frustrations followed as Bunn failed with an overhead kick. Then the vital breakthrough: from a corner, Jones' goalbound header beat Wheeler on the line when the keeper was fully expecting it to be diverted in by Dunwell.

There where two further chances to win the game. Dunwell could (and should) have slotted home in the last minute. His shot was blocked ny the keeper and the rebound was blazed wide. Rattray had a goalbound effort cleared off the line, which resulted in a crazy ping-pong series of efforts that must have involved everyone in the box (twice!). Town had the last word though, with Hall just managing to close his legs in time - a cue for a dirty joke perhaps? - and deny the visitors a winner. Chesterfield awaits the winners of this tie. Sounds like a good draw against a side also having ground problems of their own.

(F.A. Cup 4th Qualifying Round Replay) 20th October 1999

Baldock Town 2 Cook 4, 52
Enfield 2 Bunn 16; Alleyne 79
Enfield won 4-3 on penalties

Goalkeeper Andy Hall was the hero as Enfield scraped through by the narrowest of margins against a plucky Baldock side. Baldock's joint manager Steve Cook twice gave his side the lead but James Bunn and Danny Alleyne levelled, the second 11 minutes from time. After the E's had survived extra time - with Hall producing one breathtaking save right at the death - the game went to penalties. It went to 3-3 with one penalty each remaining. Jones scored for Enfield before Hall produced a magnificent one-handed save to Grant's well struck kick to send Enfield through to the first round tie at Chesterfield in a week and a half.

(Ryman League Premier Division) 23rd October 1999

Boreham Wood (0) 1 Lawford 50
Enfield (0) 0

So where has it all gone wrong? Since despaching Walton and Hersham so convincingly a fortnight ago, the past three games have seen a marked down turn in performance levels to the extent where the moaners and whingers of the club are now making their undesirable thoughts known. They were spoilt rotten again as Enfield turned in just about the worst performance of their season against opponents known at the best of times to be a real jinx team. Playing conditions were hardly perfect, with a heavy thunderstorm prior to the match and showers throughout.

Enfield had Andy Hall to thank for this respectable scoreline. He was called into play on three seperate occasions after lapses in defence. Brown was at fault for the first by presenting the ball straight at a forwards feet and Hall had to go full length to keep the scores level. Minutes later the goalkeeper was scrambling in the other direction to keep out another goalbound effort. Brown had in the meantime at least tested Root in Wood's goal. The keeper tipping a powerful header over the bar. Bunn was presented with a reasonable chance by Morris for the opener just before the break, but screwed his shot wide off a stray defenders leg.

Disaster struck within the first five minutes of the second half. Lee Protheroe dithered in defence, allowing Lawford to pinch the ball off his toes and run unopposed at goal before firing home high past Hall. With the rain continuing to fall it was Enfield who struggled from this point on. Boreham Wood had two further chances to wrap up the points, though lacked the killer touch at the crucial moment. Bunn was all too often looking to be involved in throw ins and free kicks in situations where he should have been inside the box and doing what he does best.

(F.A.Cup 1st Round) 31st October 1999

Chesterfield (0) 1 Lomas 49
Enfield (1) 2 Bunn 23; Brown 67