Stotfold vs Enfield Town

Town burst out of the blocks on a pleasant summer evening in Bedfordshire. Amrit Bansal-McNulty had already sent an effort over the bar before the opening goal arrived inside four minutes. An incisive move released a trialist on the left flank, and he cut inside to beat the Stotfold goalkeeper via the left-hand post.

The remainder of the first half was played almost exclusively in Stotfold's half. George Nunn, Finlay Corrigan and two further trialists all went close as Town carved open the home defence with crisp, positive attacking football.

Stotfold emerged with renewed purpose after the interval, winning an early corner and forcing a blocked shot inside the first minute. The home side had a goal ruled out for offside around the hour mark. But Adam Thompson was imperious at the heart of the Enfield defence, restricting Stotfold to minimal opportunities.

Town continued to create chances of their own. New signing Tom Avgoustidis impressed on the right flank and saw two efforts well saved. Billy Leonard had a shot deflected wide, while a second-half trialist blazed over an open goal after being set up by Nana Kyei.

Stotfold's best — and only — real moment came in the final minute when an effort from the edge of the box crashed against the crossbar, but Dylan Thompson in the Town goal had been largely untroubled throughout.

The fourth-minute goal was decisive. Enfield Town's early breakthrough settled any pre-season nerves and allowed them to play with the freedom that produced a string of further chances. That they failed to add to the scoreline owed more to poor finishing and Stotfold's goalkeeper than any shift in the balance of play.

Adam Thompson (Enfield Town) — imperious at centre-back, reading the game superbly and snuffing out Stotfold's sporadic second-half attacks before they developed.

Tom Avgoustidis (Enfield Town) — the new signing caught the eye on the right flank after the break, with two efforts well saved and lively movement throughout.

Trialist (Enfield Town) — the left-sided attacker who scored the winner inside four minutes, cutting in from the flank to find the far corner.

The 1-0 scoreline flatters Stotfold. Enfield Town dominated territory and chances from the first whistle, with the match report from the club's own correspondent describing "only some excellent goalkeeping and wayward finishing" preventing a heavy defeat. The second half was more evenly contested after both sides made wholesale substitutions, but Town's defensive organisation — led by Thompson — limited Stotfold to a single late effort against the woodwork.

For Billy Holland's Enfield Town, this is a second pre-season win from three matches (after a 3-3 draw at Haringey Borough and a 1-4 home defeat to League One Leyton Orient). Town return to the Isthmian League Premier Division — Step 3 of the non-league pyramid — for the 2026-27 campaign after winning promotion last season. Their league campaign begins at Lewes on 8 August. Stotfold, who play in Southern League Division One Central (Step 4), continue their own pre-season preparations.

Enfield Town, founded in 2001 by supporters after the demise of the original Enfield FC, remain the UK's first fan-owned football club.

A thoroughly professional pre-season performance from Enfield Town against a side one division below them. The one-way traffic of the first half set the tone, and only a combination of wasteful finishing and stubborn goalkeeping kept the margin to a single goal. Holland will be pleased with the attacking patterns and defensive solidity—but the conversion rate will need sharpening before the real business begins on 8 August.