A quick return to winning ways is being by Enfield Town tonight after they suffered their first Bostik League Premier Division defeat of the season 2-1 at Margate on Saturday.

Having fallen behind to a Joe Taylor penalty, Billy Bricknell got Andy Leese’s men back on terms before the break. But the visitors were unable to build on that equaliser and were undone by Taylor’s second of the match after 73 minutes.

The defeat left Enfield fifth in the table but they have a quick opportunity to get back on track when they face Brightlingsea Regent at the Queen Elizabeth II Stadium.

Regent sit a lowly 20th prior to kick off but the Towners will be aware both their league victories to date have come on the road.

Playing in the windy conditions and on a 3G pitch in Kent, the visitors found themselves on the back foot early on as Margate pressed through crosses and set pieces.

It looked like Enfield had seen off that early pressure but in the 19th minute Aaron Greene conceded a penalty when he tripped Frannie Collin in the area after Tom Wynter had won a header from a cross-field ball. Taylor made no mistake from 12 yards, sending keeper Joe Wright the opposite way.

Enfield responded with Ryan Blackman volleying over and Sam Youngs sending a low half-volley narrowly wide.

Youngs was to prove increasingly influential as the Towners found their attacking feet and in the 33rd minute they were to level. Blackman found himself with space to advance into before passing to Bricknell, who brushed off his marker before curling home from the edge of the area.

The momentum had shifted and although the visitors were unable to test the Margate keeper again before the break, they maintained their positivity in the second half.

Youngs forced the keeper into a good save to concede a corner before Bricknell went close with another effort which clipped the outside of the post. The pressure continued with Blackman the next to force the hosts’ keeper into action.

Bilal Sayoud was the next to try his luck from a free-kick, Bricknell then sent an effort just wide from a Greene cross, but there was a scare for the visitors when Wright was barged whilst attempting to catch a cross and the ball was put into the net. However, the whistle had already blown for a free-kick.

Enfield still kept pushing for a second goal and their best chance arrived in the 73rd minute when Taofiq Olomowewe sent a free header wide from six yards following a corner.

Town won possession from the resultant goal kick, only to give the ball away and it was immediately switched to the far side of the penalty area between Dan Rumens and Wright where Taylor stole in to lob home what proved to be the winner with his second of the afternoon.