Wingate & Finchley 2 – 0 Wealdstone

Wingate & Finchley

Bryco Cup
2R

2 - 0

Wealdstone

KO: 0:00 | Tue 18th Nov ’03

A stones side showing eight changes from that which started on Saturday, so very much a fringe team tonight, and in some areas it showed as players who had not played regularly and four players making their first team starts of the season struggled early on against a very quick and full strength Wingate side.

Stones defended well and as the half went on started to create although service to Morgan and Alexander up front was limited by poor passing and good defence, Wingate content to soak up the Stones attacks, and then to break at speed.

Wingate took the lead on 16 minutes when Hakim scored with a header from a corner, but Stones from then on had more of the possession and forced a number of corners without creating a real chance. Twice however Wingate bundled the ball off of the line when it seemed Stones must equalise.

The second half followed a very similar pattern, and Wingate scored their second on the break on 68 minutes, Nyman’s shot beating Godfrey from close range.

Stones did gain a little more shape and solidity at the back with the introduction of Burrell, Shaw and Williams on 72 minutes, but only had long range efforts from Alexander and Ryan to show for their efforts as they lost 2 – 0, but at least Gordon Bartlett has now seen what is available in the squad as he looks to Saturday.

Harrow Times
Wingate and Finchley 2 Wealdstone 0

Wealdstone fielded an experimental line-up of fringe players and reserves for this Bryco Cup game on Tuesday, and they failed to gel.

The defence was run ragged by Wingate breaks out of defence, and Stones were fortunate to go in at half time with only a one goal deficit.

That came after a quarter-of-an-hour. Moments after David Godfrey had saved full length to keep out a header from Hakim at the expense of a corner, the same player was left unmarked at the corner to head in.

It was a more even contest after the break and, within five minutes, Ben Alexander saw his close range effort from close in come back off a post.

More corners were clawed away by Walker in the Wingate goal and the same player saved well from Marvin Morgan late on, but midway through the half Wingate increased their lead.