Five-star Wingate relegated on goal difference
Wingate & Finchley produced a stunning 5-0 victory, but were still relegated from the Ryman Premier Division on goal difference, writes Paul Lerman.
Ryman League Premier Division:
Wingate & Finchley 5 Billericay Town 0
Saturday, 26 April, 2014
Ahmet Rifat, who ended up with a hat-trick, opened the scoring on 14 minutes, beating former-teammate Ryan Scott to the ball then lofting it over the helpless goalkeeper. Then three minutes later Leon Fisher had doubled the lead. With an instinctive toe-poke he found the bottom right corner from close range.
Wingate were well on top as Rifat drilled a shot wide, though Isaac Layne fired from distance which Smith gathered well. He then made an incredible stop from Ricky Sapperton’s one-on-one.
With results going well elsewhere, it would take a seven-goal swing to doom Wingate & Finchley, however that is exactly what followed in a startling second half. Meanwhile on the pitch Wingate went from strength to strength. Three minutes after the break Rifat headed home Josh Kennet’s corner to seal the points.
Evans Kouassi had Billericay’s best chance with a tricky run after a break down the left side was switched to the right, but he fired straight at Smith.
After the hour mark Scott Shulton turned home with an accurate low strike to make it four from Kennet’s low cross midway through the half. Kennet found the side netting, before Rifat scored with eight minutes remaining after Read’s shot was deflected into his path.
However, it was not to be enough as results went the wrong way and Wingate were left to face relegation by manner of goal difference.
Wingate & Finchley Lineup:
Smith, Aisien, Wright (Mccall 84), Sogbanmu (Bolle 82), Weatherstone, Street, Kennet, Shulton, Rifat, Tejan-Sie, Fisher (Read 80). subs: McGonigle, Suddell.
Referee:
A Pigott
Attendance:
228
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
