Our under-21s lost 2-1 away to Enfield Town in their second pre-season game on Tuesday night.

Marcus Wyllie gave Enfield the lead late in the first half before Trialist B made it 2-0 in the second. Daniel Casey got on the scoresheet for us to reduce the arrears.

We had the first chance of the game when a corner was cleared as far as Theo Julienne, who hit it just wide on the half volley from the edge of the area.

Khayon Edwards was next to go close as he saw a shot blocked behind for a corner, but it was Enfield who took the lead with half-time approaching.

Wyllie ran through on goal for the home side and slotted the ball into the bottom of the net for 1-0.

We almost responded straight away as a corner found Edwards unmarked at the back post, but he struck over the bar from close range.

Osman Kamara nearly equalised on the brink of the break as he curled a right-footed shot towards goal from the edge of the area, but it was saved well by Rhys Forster.

Mehmet Ali made nine changes at half-time to give plenty of players in the squad 45 minutes under their belts, only Brian Okonkwo and Edwards staying on for the second half.

Edwards continued to hunt for a way back into the game with a right footed shot from a central area just outside the penalty area going high and wide, before Josh Robinson hit the post with a low, powerful right-footed drive from 25 yards out.

In the 65th minute, it was Enfield’s Trialist B who doubled the scoring for the home side from the edge of the area, but we responded instantly, Casey making it 2-1 from long range.

Michal Rosiak curled the ball over the crossbar from a free-kick with just over 15 minutes remaining, before Ismail Oulad M’Hand had a shot from outside the area saved well by substitute goalkeeper Ade Connolly, getting down to his left.

With eight minutes remaining, it was Ismeal Kabia’s header across goal that was cleared as far as Elian Quesada-Thorn, who had a shot blocked behind for a corner.

In the first minute of added time, Quesada-Thorn dragged a shot wide of the near post as Enfield held on for the win.

Team news

Enfield Town XI: Forster (Connolly 46), Parcell (Trialist A 46), Nembhard (Solomon 46), Tanner (McKenzie 46), Thomas (C) (Payne 46), Smith (Trialist B 46), Alves (Beckles Richards 46), Leonard (Youngs 46), Knight (Owusu 46), Adjei-Hersey (Trialist C 46), Wyllie (Trialist D 46).

Substitutes (not used): Trialist E.

Arsenal XI: Okonkwo (Ransom 67), Julienne (Ibrahim 46), Clarke (Robinson 46), Kacurri (Sweet 46), Ismail (Rosiak 46), Shuaib (Kabia 46), Copley (Ismail Oulad M’Hand 46), Dudziak (Annous 46), Butler-Oyedeji (Casey 46), Edwards (Forde 67), Kamara (Quesada-Thorn 46).

Substitutes (not used): None.

What’s next?

The under-21s face Rapid Vienna at X-Bionic Sphere for an 11am (BST) kick-off on Saturday, July 27.