Quickfire Fleet landed in the Second Round of the Buildbase FA Trophy as Alex Reid’s goal after 53 seconds sent them on their way.

Gozie Ugwu added a second and Jordan Holmes saved a penalty as the visitors recorded a welcome clean sheet.

Fleet made two changes, with Lawrie Wilson and Tomi Adeloye starting, Myles Weston dropping to the bench and Marvel Ekpiteta out. There were familiar faces amongst the Enfield contingent, with Billy Bricknell starting and Kezie Ibe, a decade on from leaving the Fleet, a substitute.

Although the home side’s recent form has been poor, they clearly carry a threat and Kevin Watson will have been glad to see his side go a goal ahead from kick-off. The opening attack down the left came via Adeloye and he sent a low delivery into the box that Enfield failed to deal with, allowing Alex Reid to take advantage and poke an effort past Nathan McDonald.

Fleet were able to play a controlled game after that and kill any sting Enfield might have begun with, though it also allowed the home side to settle down after an early conceded goal.

On nine minutes, Payne’s useful inswinger from the corner spot just evaded Jack King at the far post while Adeloye’s enthusiasm was a threat.

Enfield’s best player in the first half, Junior Mubiayi, got round the back of the visiting back line on 14 minutes but lashed a shot way off target.

Fleet made them pay for that on 27 minutes when Payne’s free-kick was flighted into a crowded box and Gozie Ugwu reacted quickest to smash an effort beyond McDonald for 2-0, getting him into double figures for the season.

Enfield were more adventurous after that, with top scorer Mo Faal making his presence felt against King and Wilson and the Isthmian side earned a penalty when skipper Mark Weatherstone was pushed in the box by Tyler Cordner.

Bricknell was the man with the responsibility but he fired a shot too close to Jordan Holmes’s right and the Fleet keeper got down smartly to keep it out.

Cordner stopped Faal in his next attack and the Enfield man broke upfield shortly before half-time but crashed a shot high over the bar. Reid had a half-hearted effort from 10 yards before Payne stung the hands of McDonald with a shot from 25 yards.

The second half began in gloom and the football was at best scrappy, confined largely to midfield for long spells. The opening quarter hour produced only a low Adeloye effort that earned a corner and a Reid shot that cleared the upright by some distance.

Enfield saw more of the ball and on 68 minutes could have grabbed a goal back when Faal finally managed to get the other side of Cordner to test Holmes and Bricknll’s follow-up was on target but Holmes recovered to save again.

Either side of that, Umerah saw a header from Wilson’s cross drop wide and then a shot from an angle saved by McDonald. Fleet were in control at 2-0 up so didn’t need to extend themselves, just keep things tight at the back and keep the ball moving in midfield.

Umerah continued to get on the end of passes to his feet but just couldn’t get a powerful enough effort on target, while Adeloye’s wide left presence kept Enfield,’s defenders on their toes.

Enfield didn’t throw in the towel, knowing a goal back could set up a real cup-tie finish, but the closest they came was when Bricknell shaved the top of the bar on the stroke of full-time.

EUFC: Holmes, Wilson, King, Cordner, Grimes, Egan, Payne, Sutherland, Adeloye (Obileye 86), Reid, Ugwu (Umerah 60). Subs: Weston, Blackman, Achuba, Palmer
ETFC: McDonald, Hatton, Payne, Thomas, Weatherstone, Wilson, Mubiayi (Bawling 77), Youngs, Bricknell, Faal, Brown (Ibe 60). Subs: Forde, Livings, Esan, King, Gardiner
Attendance: 417