MATCH DETAILS:-
Tuesday 29th September 2026
Harlow Town v Enfield
Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Cost:- £10
Hello once again. A slight diversion here from the FA Cup to take in a match in the above division.
A short history lesson now follows…..Harlow Town were famous for causing one of the most amazing FA Cup upsets in 1980 by beating Leicester City 1-0 in a 3rd round replay. Leicester had a certain Mr. G. Lineker in their side. Whatever happened to him?
Harlow used to play at another venue in the middle of town that gradually became more decrepit and eventually closed down. The club had to look for another home and they found it in Elizabeth Way. Sadly they never found those dizzy heights again and have ended up in a lowly non league. Their new ground though is a nice stadium and tonight held 247 spectators.
Enfield were once an FA Cup side to be feared. They were one of the best non league sides in the country and made giant killing their speciality - culminating in a fourth round replay versus Barnsley at Tottenham’s old ground in front of 40,000.
Again, like Harlow, their club and ground saw better days. Enfield’s old ground, Southbury Road was sold off and built upon and then the club took on a nomadic existence, ground sharing at various places.
The club closed down and then reformed as Enfield and have bumped along near the bottom of the non league pyramid.
THE GAME ITSELF
On another remarkably warm autumn evening, I went along with a few mates to sample this match. First of all I sampled a nice cheeseburger from the small stall next to the main stand - if I tell you that was the highlight of the evening, dear reader, you can tell what the match was like.
The standard of the football wasn’t great, if I’m being honest. Enfield were 5-1 up by half time and were gifted most of the five by a generous Harlow keeper. The Harlow assistant manager, who had spent most of the first 45 minutes yelling at his own team, then turned his guns on the hapless referee, who had done precious little wrong in the first half. Result - red card. So needless.
The second half wasn’t much better and Enfield ran out 7-1 winners. They weren’t a great side but when you’re donated the goals, who’s complaining.? Certainly most of the Harlow fans on the popular side of the ground did their fair share of complaining, in fairly crude terms and against their own side. Thanks for your support lads as the saying goes.
Even the referee came in for criticism from one spectator. I think that spectator should have joined the noisy crew and slagged off his own team rather than the ref.
There was also a customary brawl as a player was cautioned for a late tackle and then everybody chimed in. I couldn’t see any further bookings being administered as it was on the other side of the ground with all the players in the way. An unseemly end to an interesting evening.
You can see why both teams are at this level and one of my mates, who has played at a good level, said he would have done better himself. In fairness, he had a point.
Back to the FA Cup in the next post.
Bye for now
Ian F.
