Enfield Borough’s recent defensive solidity was torn apart as they crashed to a 5-2 defeat at Park View in Spartan South Midlands League Division One.

Ricardo Price was Borough’s chief tormentor on a miserable Saturday afternoon, scoring four times to move his side within a point of the fourth-placed visitors.

Disappointed Enfield assistant manager Roy Bleau said: “They appeared to be much more up for the physical battle than we were today and even our passing game, which is normally our strength, was well below par.

“We can’t afford to give our opponents three-goal leads before we start playing. Then every time we did manage to play our way back into the contest, we immediately gifted Park View another goal”.

Borough made two changes to their starting line-up with Brandon Mckenna and Mohab Madkour replacing Bilal Sesay and the suspended Bobby Devyne.

Enfield were off the pace from the outset and with the strong wind at their backs Park View took the game to the visitors.

After seven minutes captain Francis Williams spotted Curtis Jackson off his line and tried to beat the keeper from 40 yards out, but the Borough stopper was able to tip his shot over.

But the first goal did arrive three minutes later when a long ball was brought under control by Price and after moving into a more central position he acrobatically drove a finish past Jackson from the edge of the box.

It took only six more minutes for Park View to double their lead. A neat passing movement that opened up Borough’s defence appeared to have been halted by Brian Tshibangu’s prone body. But the ball was quickly extricated and Price found the corner of the net with a first-time shot.

It got even worse for Borough midway through the half when Treci Bambi lost possession to Steve Opoku-Domfeh who played the ball inside to Price. Without hesitation he fired past Jackson’s left hand to complete a 13-minute hat-trick.

Drastic action was needed. Borough’s manager Shaun Reece replaced Bambi with centre forward Thomas Opoku and reorganised his troops.

Price was on target once more soon after, but having been forced wide by Guy Kiangebeni, his shot was comfortably held by Jackson.

It was not until seven minutes before the interval that Borough created their first chance. Mckenna and Tage Kennedy linked well down the left wing and the latter’s cross, intended for Opoku, was cut out by keeper Luis Silva.

Kennedy had the next chance as he sped down the left before cutting back inside. His shot was parried by Silva, but the ball landed perfectly for Madkour inside the six-yard box, only for him to hit the crossbar with the goal gaping.

It was important for Borough to start the second half strongly if they were to have any hope of a comeback. Instead they gifted a fourth goal inside three minutes.

Jackson had the ball at his feet on the edge of the penalty box when he was robbed by Jamel Williams, who was left with a simple finish into an empty net.

Enfield eventually pulled one back midway through the half when McKenna and Kennedy worked a short corner and Madkour’s pin-point cross found Tshibangu inside the six-yard box and the giant centre-back headed home.

Sensing the chance of getting back into the game Sesay replaced James-Thompson, but once more Borough shot themselves in the foot by conceding inside a minute.

Francis Williams meandered past four or five ineffectual challenges before passing the ball to Price and despite the acute angle the striker drove the ball hard and low past Jackson.

The deficit was again reduced to three goals eight minutes from the end when Tshibangu scored his second of the game, heading home a Madkour corner at the far post.

Alie Bangura came on for Madkour as Borough looked to further reduce the deficit and Kennedy was unlucky to see his shot cleared off the line by Opoku-Domfeh, but Price could not be kept out of the action as his cross shot beat Jackson only to hit the crossbar.