Four first-half goals saw Enfield Town slump to a dismal defeat away at Hornchurch in the Isthmian League Premier Division on Saturday.

Both sides are vying for a play-off spot this season but Hornchurch looked a level above as they raced into an unassailable half-time lead.

Strikes from Chris Dickson and Adam Cunnington would have been enough on their own to make it a poor half’s work for Enfield, without former Towner Mickey Parcell and Jordan Clark making it four by the 35th minute.

The sole change from Town’s win away at Margate on Tuesday was the inclusion of Sam Youngs over the suspended Ryan Blackman.

Town started the game far more disciplined than the scoreline suggests and forced the first attack of the game when Lyle Della-Verde’s free-kick was punched clear by Joe Wright in the Hornchurch goal.

Dickson then had an effort blocked for the hosts but all of Town’s work in the early stages unravelled when the hosts won a series of headers in a dangerous area and the ball eventually fell for Dickson to convert with a quarter of an hour gone.

Despite going behind, Town continued to have efforts at goal, but nobody was really able to test Wright. The goalkeeper caught a routine cross from Youngs and was also equal to Marc Weatherstone’s header from another Della-Verde set piece.

The next goal wasn’t far away for Hornchurch, though, as on 25 minutes a long throw from Matt Johnson was met by the head of Cunnington, who had far too much time and space to guide the ball home and give Enfield a mountain to climb.

It then went from bad to worse for Town shortly after as Parcell picked the ball up on a the right and drove towards goal, played a one-two with George Saunders and then lashed an effort past Nathan McDonald to effectively put the game to bed.

The fourth arrived four minutes later as Town failed to close down the man once again as Saunders’ through ball went all the way through to Clark, and he provided the finish.

The second half was a far less entertaining affair than the first, with no further goals added and not nearly as many chances.

Substitute Shaun Okije, who displayed some good-looking touches in a good personal display in the second half, was somehow kept out by Wright late on as Enfield looked to at least gain a consolation goal, but in the end there was no denying that Hornchurch were worthy of the points.

The win puts Hornchurch up to fourth in the league table, four points clear of Enfield but still 11 adrift of leaders Worthing.

Town, meanwhile, sit seventh, thankfully still only two points behind fifth-placed Horsham after they were defeated at Cray Wanderers.

Next up is a home game against another play-off contender in Bognor Regis Town this Saturday, kicking off at 3pm.