Hoddesdon Town edged a thrilling contest at Lowfield on Tuesday night, overcoming a determined Enfield Borough side 2-1 in a game filled with drama, crunching tackles, and some spectacular goals.

Enfield Borough wasted no time in stamping their authority on the game, deploying strong-arm tactics from the first whistle. The visitors looked to disrupt Hoddesdon’s rhythm early on, and it wasn’t long before the referee had to take action. Enfield’s No. 4, Myles Baiden, saw yellow for dissent after just a few minutes, setting the tone for what was to come. Soon after, Hoddesdon’s Reece Barnett was on the receiving end of a late challenge, further fueling tensions on the pitch.

Despite the physicality, Hoddesdon looked the better side and came close to taking the lead when Connor Casey tried a shot from distance. The keeper didn't instil confidence in the save and only just managed to parry it wide.

From the resulting corner, Enfield’s defence failed to clear their lines on multiple occasions. The ball was eventually hoisted into the six-yard box, and there was only one man for the job—Connor Bolton. The prolific enigma rose highest and nodded home a precise header into the far right corner for his 20th goal of the season. Lowfield erupted as Hoddesdon took a well-deserved 1-0 lead.

Hoddesdon continued to dominate possession, moving the ball well and sending dangerous deliveries into the Enfield box. Jack Gibbs almost doubled the lead in the 26th minute, forcing the Enfield keeper into a smart save at close range. However, his efforts sparked a melee in the box, as tempers flared once more in what was becoming an increasingly spicy contest.

The referee had his hands full, and Hoddesdon’s George Hamill soon found himself in the book for a tactical foul, stopping Enfield from breaking quickly.

Then came a sucker punch. With just four minutes left in the first half, Enfield’s Mario Starvou produced a moment of magic of his own. His looping, dipping effort completely wrong-footed Hoddesdon keeper Liam Nugent and nestled into the back of the net. A bit of a freak goal against the run of play, but they all count, and suddenly the visitors were level at 1-1.

Straight from the restart, Hoddesdon surged forward looking to restore their lead, but Arnis Lala fluffed his lines when presented with a glorious opportunity, firing straight at the keeper. Enfield nearly made Hoddesdon pay again just before the break when Guy Kiangebeni met a corner at the back post, only to send his header agonisingly wide. A real warning sign.

Hoddesdon had dominated possession in the first half but had little to show for it. Would missed opportunities haunt them again?

The answer came swiftly.

Three minutes into the second half, Harry Carter collected the ball from distance, took one look up, and unleashed an absolute rocket into the bottom right corner! It was a stunning strike, a goal worthy of winning any game, and put Hoddesdon back in the driving seat at 2-1.

With the game now wide open, Enfield threw men forward at every opportunity, looking to hit Hoddesdon on the counter. But despite some speculative efforts, they struggled to truly trouble Nugent in goal. However, Hoddesdon then handed them an unexpected advantage in the 60th minute. Arnis Lala, already frustrated, was booked for dissent and sent to the sin bin for ten minutes, leaving the hosts to battle with ten men.

The numerical advantage saw Enfield ramp up the pressure, but Hoddesdon’s defence held firm. The game remained fiercely contested, with Blue Gallagher receiving a yellow for a late challenge in the 66th minute.

With just over ten minutes left, Simon Riddle turned to his bench. Callum Bennison and Jason Brown replaced Connor Casey and Lala in the 75th minute, while Terell Sterling came on for the impressive Harry Carter soon after. Then came a concerning sight for Hoddesdon fans—goal hero Connor Bolton, who had been struggling with cramp, went down clutching his hamstring. Forced off, he was replaced by defender Jimmy Agnew. The home faithful could only hope the injury wasn’t serious.

As the game entered its final stages, both sides pushed forward relentlessly.

Hoddesdon had two glorious chances to kill the game in stoppage time. First, Jason Brown found himself in a three-on-one situation, but instead of squaring the ball, he opted to shoot and sent his effort wide. A huge missed opportunity that left the home crowd groaning in frustration. Then, Jimmy Agnew found himself unmarked in the box with the ball falling perfectly for him, only for an Enfield defender to nod his shot wide at the last possible moment. A brilliant last-ditch clearance that somehow kept Enfield’s hopes alive.

Callum Bennison had one final attempt, drilling a shot from a tight angle, but the keeper parried it behind. Hoddesdon could have easily scored five on the night, but as the final whistle loomed, they still only held a narrow 2-1 lead.

Would they regret their missed chances? Not this time as the referee brought proceedings to a close with the final whistle.

FULL TIME: HODDESDON TOWN 2-1 ENFIELD BOROUGH

A breathless, action-packed contest ended with Hoddesdon claiming all three points in their hunt for a playoff place. Despite Enfield’s aggression and pressure, Hoddesdon’s quality shone through, and they deserved their victory in the end.

Hoddesdon defender Bailey Collins put in an outstanding display, earning himself the Greene King Man of the Match Award. With Jack Riddle absent through injury, Collins stepped up brilliantly, marshalling the backline and repelling wave after wave of Enfield attacks. At times, it felt like Enfield were laying siege to the Hoddesdon box, but Collins stood tall, leading his side to a crucial win.

Simon Riddle’s men will take huge confidence from this victory as they continue their push for promotion. With performances like this, the Lilywhites are proving they have the fight and flair to make a serious challenge at the top.

Onwards and upwards!