Wingate held to draw by Dulwich
Wingate & Finchley welcomed Dulwich Hamlet to the Harry Abrahams Stadium, hoping to bounce back from their midweek League Cup Semi-Final penalty shoot-out heartbreak, writes Khalid Karimullah.
Ryman League Premier Division:
Wingate & Finchley 1 Dulwich Hamlet 1
Saturday, 5 March, 2016
The game started end-to-end from the offset, as first Dulwich’s Nyren Clunis delivered in a fine ball forcing Ahmet Rifat to clear away the danger. Before at the other end, Alfie Bartram fired a long-range effort from near 25 yards which was well defended.
Bartram, Alex Addai, Freddie Moncur and Tommy Cummings then combined with a flowing move, prior to the latter’s cross finding Billy Healey whose header was well saved. Wingate’s Leon Fisher then curled a magnificent effort which would have gone in if it weren’t for the brilliance of Preston Edwards, who pulled off another fine save. With the atmosphere inside the ground being in full voice, Dulwich almost took a shock lead against the run of play. Dean McDonald fired a powerful drive which went inches past the upright, conceivably debutant Chris Haigh would have struggled to make a connection.
Haigh was needed to be at his best to deny McDonald from finding the far corner with a near post stop, before Ahmet Rifat and Cummings were both needed with last-ditch tackles to deny a free McDonald from having a one-on-one chance inside the area. Fisher ensured the hosts finished the half strong after making a telling run inside the area, before combining with Healey, whose deft touch won a corner. From the resulting set-piece, the formers deep ball to the far post was just placed wide by Ahmet Rifat. Minutes later, Addai and Mark Goodman interchanged on the right flank, before the latter’s ball arrived at Moncur, who’s near post effort was denied.
Just after the restart, Addai broke away past Jordan Hibbert, before his dangerous cross just evaded Healey at the near post. Damian Scannell then floated wide, prior to finding Ryan Moss who arrowed an effort into the side netting from inside the area. Then on 55 minutes, the hosts were awarded a penalty. Healey’s run opened up space for Addai to run into, before he was dragged down 12 yards from goal. Fisher stepped up before confidently converting his spot-kick into the corner, giving Edwards no chance. With the game still dangerously back-and-forth, Dulwich found a well-taken equaliser after 63 minutes. Moss found himself with space out on the right flank, before his low cross arrived at the feet of McDonald, who skilfully flicked the ball past Aron Pollock before finding the far bottom corner.
Clunis then forced another fine stop from Haigh, who had to be at full-stretch to tip the Dulwich winger’s effort away from danger. Though with the ball falling kindly to Mitchell Nelson, the full-back delivered a pass to the former, who forced another fine stop, as his following deflected effort came through to the keeper. With the last significant action of the game, Addai’s dangerous cross just evaded Healey at the near post, who was put under pressure by Matt Drage.
With a point to show for their endeavour, Keith Rowland’s side will be confident about climbing up the table if they continue to show the same resiliency.
WingateTV interview with Mark Goodman:
Line-Ups:
Wingate & Finchley:
Chris Haigh, Mark Goodman, Tommy Cummings, Ahmet Rifat, Aron Pollock, Leon Fisher (Joe Foley 83), Alex Addai, Alfie Bartram, Billy Healey, Freddie Moncur (Ola Sogbanmu 56), Rob Laney (Karl Oliyide 73),
Subs:
Karl Oliyide, Joe Foley, Ola Sogbanmu, Jack Read, Karl Stevenson
Dulwich Hamlet:
Preston Edwards, Mitchell Nelson, Jordan Hibbert, Gus Sow (Danny Waldren 55), Matt Drage, Osei Sankefa, Nyren Clunis, Ahley Carew, Ryan Moss (Rhys Murrell-Williamson 76), Damian Scannell (Reece Hackett-Fairchild 89), Dean McDonald.
Subs:
Danny Waldren, Kevin James, Rhys Murrell-Williamson, Jack Dixon, Reece Hackett-Fairchild
Referee:
Rob Smith
Attendance:
331
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.
