Report
Walthamstow returned to winning ways with a clinical 4-0 victory over Enfield at Barrow’s Farm.
There was a Stow debut for Kyan Gulliver, while Remi Nelson would make his debut from the bench, and Luke Stanley would return after five years away from the club.
After a delayed kick off due to the late arrival of a match official, Stow started brightly, and were unlucky not to be ahead after just four minutes when Correy Davidson’s curling outside of the boot effort was tipped away from a corner by Hocking-Rising in the Enfield goal.
But a quarter of an hour later Davidson gave his side the lead. The winger did brilliantly to bring the ball down on his chest, turn and fire into the bottom corner, all from the edge of the box.
Stow were in control, but a pass slipped through to Ben Bradbury almost had the home side level, but James Bransgrove made himself big in the Stow goal and saved well with his feet.
Enfield were causing themselves problems at the back with their attempts to play the ball out, and Dwade James, Samrai Gebrai and Davidson all went close before the half was up.
The home side came out for the second half with a bit more gusto, forcing an early corner, but it only lasted a couple of minutes before Stow doubled their lead. Hocking-Rising raced out of his goal to head away a long ball over the top, but his clearance landed straight to the feet of Leon McKenzie. McKenzie’s goal-bound shot hit Gebrai, but the winger was able to turn and rifle the ball into the top corner.
And a minute later, Gebrai was in the right place again, smashing a loose ball home after Hocking-Rising had knocked James’ initial shot onto the post.
The two early second half goals essentially killed the game as a contest, and while Enfield enjoyed more of the ball, Stow kept creating chances through Davidson, and James, who hit the bar after lifting the ball around his marker.
Bransgrove had to be on his toes at the other end, keeping his clean sheet intact with a superb reflex save, but James sealed off a fine afternoon for Stow, lashing home a loose ball after Davidson’s initial effort was parried.
Deep into injury time Nelson almost made it five, but he dragged his shot wide when through on goal.