Wingate beaten by leaders Wealdstone
Wealdstone returned to the top of the league with a tight 2-0 win at Wingate and Finchley, thanks to goals either side of the half time interval, writes Paul Lerner.
Ryman Premier League
Wingate & Finchley 0 Wealdstone 2
Tuesday, 11 March, 2014
Wingate were not fazed by their high-flying opponents and started the game well. Josh Kennett, brimming with confidence after an excellent display at East Thurrock, showed great trickery to advance down the right wing. He hung a deep cross over to Anton Olondo but his left-footed volley from 15 yards was straight at Jonathan North. Wingate continued to play the better football, and hit the bar with an Ahmet Rifat flicked header, after a chip back into the box from an uncleared corner.
Wingate had dominated the opening spell, but Wealdstone began to liven up midway through the half, they sent two headers off target, and Tom Pett drilled a volley inches wide of the left post.
Pett went closer in the 30th minute, but was denied by a point-blank block by Bobby Smith as he sent a back-post volley goalwards. Scott McGleish then sent a back-heel straight at Smith as Wealdstone pressed. Ola Sogbanmu offered some respite when he went on a marauding 50-yard run upfield but his touch let him down at the last minute.
Wealdstone’s pressure finally told, as a bit of fortune allowed Mark Bentley to score on the stroke of half-time – receiving the ball at the far post he lofted a chip over Smith from close-range.
The lead was doubled immediately after the break when Carl McLuskey rolled home through a crowd of players after a corner kick was not properly cleared.
The second half was a less exciting affair as Wealdstone pressed high up the pitch without taking any risks on the ball, and were organised at the back stifling the game professionally.
Marc Weatherstone and Bobby Aisien were on hand to make superb last ditch blocks in one dangerous attack, at the end of which McLuskey volleyed over the bar from ten yards. Scott McGleish then sent an ambitious shot from distance comfortably over the crossbar when he tried to catch out a stranded Smith.
With ten minutes remaining Tom Pett should have scored at the end of a flowing move, but after having one shot blocked by Aisien, the follow up was spectacularly parried away by Smith.
Wingate made three changes during the half but despite some spells of good pressure, did not create any chances of note. The gap to the bottom four is now 8 points so the Blues will look to kick on when out-of-form Bury Town visit Finchley on Saturday.
Wingate & Finchley Line-up:
Smith, Aisien, Wright (Street 72), Tejan-Sie, Weatherstone, Rifat, Kennett, McCall, Sogbanmu, Olondo (Read 60), Watters (Foley 72). Subs: Sharpe, Hart.
Attendance:
265
Referee:
J Smith
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