Wingate & Finchley 5 – 2 Wealdstone
Wingate & Finchley5 - 2
Wealdstone24 hours on and some of the emotion has subsided, leaving a more considered view of the nights events.
For twenty minutes, both sides played some good football, and managed to create a few half chances, but only Mickie Swaysland had brought a save from either keeper. Then Danny White miss placed a pass around halfway and the home forward knocked the ball into space behind him for the wing back to run on, unchallenged. His low cross from the byline cut back across the six yard box and fell for Hakim, in front of his marker at the back post to slot home.
A minute later, and a similar move down the left flank brought a similar result – a mistake in defence and then three failed attempts to clear saw the ball fall to Morris to stab in Wingate’s second goal.
Stones showed a little spirit in continuing to play and did force two saves from the home keeper, one each for Morgan and Swaysland – the save one on one from Mickie Swaysland was excellent at least, while Wingate failed to trouble Andy Carter in the Stones goal with nothing more than collecting crosses until the 39th minute.
A cross came over and Shafer rose above the ball – too high to head accurately, his header was powered into the ground and the high bounce saw it drift over the stranded Carter and between the defenders on the line to give the home side a 3-0 half time lead from three shots.
The second half saw Stones introduce Fisher for White and Tilbury for Myhill – Fisher’s first involvement was shielding a forward with the ball in his own penalty area, and then an impetuous challenge that conceded a penalty on 47 minutes to give the buoyant home side a 4 – 0 lead.
The Stones started to play. At times knocking the ball around better than for a number of weeks and playing with a passion not seen since Christmas they started to dominate the game and were rewarded when Tilbury scored on the hour. This was followed by a further attempt from Tilbury, a header from Swaysland just wide, and another chance that saw a low cross drift agonisingly past his out stretched foot, before he did score with a header, only to see the referee award a penalty, but justice was done in a small way as he slotted home to make the score 4-2, with the home side well on the back foot.
Stones continued to press, hitting the bar and bringing a number of saves from the home keeper but they copuld not break through – it seemed to many that if Wealdstone had scored again, then Wingate would have crumbled further, but we’llnever know. what we do know is that playing with two at the back and four up front trying to salvage the game, a breakaway saw Butterfield score a fifth for the home side as the match drew to a close.
Is the season over? If the fight that was evident for twenty five minutes, coupled with abilities the players have not lost can be harnessed for 90 minutes a week over the next seven weeks i don’t think so.
Wealdstone: Andy Carter, Danny White (s45 James Fisher b55), Rob Courtnage (b43), Mark Burgess, Lee Gardener (b44 s84 Jermaine Beckford) Martin Carter, Jason Shaw, Richard Jolly, Mickie Swaysland (75), Marvin Morgan, Andy Myhill (s45 Danny Tilbury 60) Subs not used: Tyronne Hercules, Carl Hunt