Match Report: Shala's Shootout Sees Reds Progress

Enfield Town 1-1 Uxbridge (8-9 on pens)

So far this season, Uxbridge have fallen at the first hurdle in both the FA Cup and FA

Trophy, so a draw away to National League South side Enfield Town in the 2nd round of

the Middlesex Senior Cup probably wasn’t what the Reds were hoping for in their pursuit of lifting this trophy for the first time since the 2000/01 season.

Uxbridge made a few tweaks to their starting eleven, but it was Enfield Town who rotated more heavily—although that didn’t make them any easier to beat. Both teams looked to attack from the off, and it was the visitors who went closest early on when a pinpoint Harry Rush cross was met by Bernie Tanner at the back post, but his header went narrowly wide. Enfield had their moments too. Tommy Wood’s firm header was deflected just wide on 10 minutes, before the dangerous Dave Opoku broke clear on 22 minutes from an Uxbridge corner and went the length of the field—only to drag his shot wide of the far post, leaving the Reds relieved. They were even more relieved ten minutes later when a

ball in behind the Reds’ defence left Laurie Shala exposed. He came out to meet the

attacker, bringing him down in the process. As the player was going away from goal and

there were covering defenders, a yellow card was the outcome—but for a moment,

Uxbridge fans were rightly concerned it could have been worse. George Moore was lively up front and almost caught out Connolly in the home goal with a 30-yard lob that went just wide before the half hour. But just one minute later, the returning Ada Okorogheye combined well with Moore on the edge of the box, and the talismanic forward made no mistake with a crisp low finish into the far corner to give Uxbridge the lead. This lasted barely five minutes, though, as a run into the Reds’ box from Opoku saw him impeded, and Wood stepped up to convert the resultant spot kick via the underside of the bar. The rest of the half drifted, and it was all square at the break.

HT: 1–1

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, although Cole Brown skimmed

the bar with a fine run and curling shot on 52 minutes. Harry Thorpe, given a starting

berth for this match, then had a couple of good chances—firstly shooting straight at

Connolly when well-placed and then seeing two efforts well blocked by the Enfield

defence, both of which would have troubled the keeper. Enfield grew into the game, their main threat coming from aerial balls into the box, with two headers of note—one which Shala dealt with comfortably and another that went just past the post on 75 minutes. With five minutes to go, Enfield had their best chance: a fine 20-yard shot from Ethan Cann was pushed away by Shala at full stretch for a corner.

The match ended level and went to what would be a dramatic shootout. Uxbridge went first, with Prior-Tack, Nwachuku and Keita all converting their kicks, matched by Enfield Town. The home side’s third kick was then saved by Shala with a fine stop down low to his right. Nnadozie scored, as did Opoku for Enfield, leaving Bernie Tanner to step up to win it for the Reds—but his kick smashed against the bar. Enfield converted their next penalty to take it to sudden death. Hobbs, Lawal, Stepney and Bailey all scored—as did their Enfield counterparts—with Shala actually saving the sixth kick, which looked to have won it, only for the referee to order a retake for coming off his line.

With George Moore having left the field with what looked like a hamstring injury,

Uxbridge were one player short in the shootout—so Shala stepped up to take the tenth penalty, which he converted expertly into the corner, before pulling off another great save, this time to his left from De Olivera, to send the Reds through to the next round and a home tie with North Greenford United.

FT: 1–1 (Uxbridge win 9–8 on pens)

Attendance: 169

Uxbridge: Shala, Hobbs, Giamattei (Stepney), Bailey, Tanner, Prior-Tack, Brown (Lawal),

Rush (Nnadozie), Okorogheye (Nwachuku), Moore, Thorpe (Keita)