Enfield Town boss Bradley Quinton was proud of their performance and admitted their finishing let them down after a 2-0 defeat at Ryman Premier Division leaders Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday.

The Towners slipped down to ninth in the table and ten points behind the table-toppers after the defeat but only missed chances denied them from coming away from the game with a deserved result.

Quinton said: “I was proud of the team for their performance and we played some of the best football we have all season.

“We created five or six good chances and we were just disappointed not to get something out of the game. Their manager was very complimentary about us.

“It just wasn’t to be for us but we certainly should have got something out of the game.”

The Towners boss added: “It felt like a massive loss for us but I was proud of the way we performed.

"We just didn’t score and if we had got the goal then Dulwich would have been under real pressure and we would have been on the front foot.”

Visiting goalkeeper Nathan McDonald was called into action early on as he saved an effort from striker Ryan Moss. Enfield’s first sight of goal came when Bobby Devyne set up Corey Whitely but home keeper Phil Wilson cleared the danger.

The hosts grabbed the opening goal after 33 minutes when Ashley Carew’s corner was headed in powerfully by Mitchell Nelson.

The final chance of the first period fell to the Towners but Whitely’s shot was kept out by Wilson.

Quinton’s side made an excellent start to the second half as they pressed for an equaliser.

Tyler Campbell went close as he fired wide from a flick-on by Whitely. Harry Ottaway had the next effort but was narrowly off target with his header before Wilson made a vital save to deny Campbell.

The Towners kept the pressure on their opponents and were agonisingly denied a goal when Campbell’s effort was hacked off the line by Matt Drage.

Enfield continued to threaten and Whitely missed their best chance when he dragged an effort wide after approach play from Campbell.

It proved a costly miss as Dulwich punished them by doubling their lead.

Dean McDonald’s shot was blocked on the line and Rhys Murrell-Williamson tucked home the rebound for the second goal.

Despite slipping further behind Dulwich Hamlet, Quinton believes it is all to play for this season and has refused to rule out catching the league leaders.

He said: “It was disappointing to lose but we have nothing to fear and still have to play them at home.

"We just need to take our chances and we will be there or thereabouts because we are a very good team.

“We felt devastated to come away with nothing because with the chances we had the game should have been put to bed.”

Enfield have the chance to bounce back in the league on Saturday when they host mid-table Met Police.

Quinton, whose side host Wingate & Finchley tonight in the Alan Turvey Trophy, said: “We have shown we can compete with the better teams and we are not far off.

“We have a lot to offer and it’s just important we get back to winning ways this weekend. It’s in the past now and we have to move on from it.”