Enfield Town 2 Lowestoft Town 1
Failure to turn their first-half dominance into goals cost Lowestoft dearly as a brace of second-half goals ended their interest in the FA Trophy.
Lowestoft's cause was not helped after both Jake Reed and Michael Frew joined Jack Defty and Bradley Woods-Garness on the injury list and with Dan Gleeson suspended, the Trawlerboys had a bare 11 outfield players available and were forced to call reserves Adam Fitzgerald and Luke Bailey into the squad.
Lowestoft made a strong start and inside the first two minutes Adam Smith had played Jack Ainsley through, but his chip over the goalkeeper landed on the roof of the net. A long clearance from keeper Ashlee Jones released Chris Henderson whose cross-cum-shot was inches wide of the post and just too far for Ainsley to reach while an Erkan Okay cross saw Rossi Jarvis send his header inches too high.
Enfield started to come more into the game and Mark Kirby got his head to a right wing corner, but Jones saved comfortably.
Lowestoft eventually took a deserved lead three minutes into the second half, but the goal owed much to an injury picked up by the Enfield keeper.
You may also want to watch:
A Robert Eagle free-kick to the far post was fumbled by Noel Imber and when he dropped the ball, Sam Gaughran was on hand to scramble it home.
Imber was clearly struggling now and was replaced after 53 minutes by David Kendal, with centre back Lee White taking over in goal.
Most Read
- 1 Drink driver arrested after crashing into two trees in Norwich
- 2 Jack-knifed lorry shuts A148 as police issue ice warning
- 3 Yellow weather warning for snow in place across region
- 4 9 of Norfolk's most famous blue plaques
- 5 Atlantis Tower up for sale after owner signs ‘outrageous’ loan deal
- 6 Map reveals the most serious crashes on the NDR since it fully opened
- 7 Norwich hairdresser, former boxer and bodybuilder, dies from Covid
- 8 The secrets and scandals of a former Norwich hotel
- 9 Covid rates continue to fall across Norfolk, especially in Norwich
- 10 Centre takes action after IT failure causes long queues for Covid jab
This injury seemed to upset the Blues, with Enfield equalising in the 61st minute. An excellent through ball from Jordan Lockie dissected the Blues back four for Tyler Campbell to slide past Jones.
Henderson was close to regaining the lead with a spectacular overhead kick from Ainsley's cross which was inches wide of the far post.
White then saved a speculative 35-yard effort from Eagle before Liam Hope scored an 83rd minute minute winner for Enfield.