Wingate & Finchley won their first
Ryman League match of season 2006/2007 thanks to a tenth
minute strike from Jon Nichols and a superb defensive
display particularly after the dismissal of Captain Craig
Ellis when the Blues were on the back foot for nearly 20
minutes. In the face of some very strong tackles
it was the Blues who controlled the first half and their
dominance with chances began as early as the fifth minute
when after a foul on Spinks, the free kick fell to Jon
Nichols effort goes for a corner which is delivered long to
C Ellis whose bicycle kick is cleared to Nichols who returns
the ball into the mixer but Aveley cleared the danger. Dean
Williams caused trouble with his space and won a free kick
which Spinks laid back to JON NICHOLS who drove a low effort
in for the Blues first league goal of season 2006/2007.
Wingate & Finchley had to survive some Aveley pressure and
on 21 minutes a hanging cross lands on the crossbar and the
follow up effort goes into the side netting. Simon
Patterson burst onto a through ball and is fouled seemingly
in the area but the Blues were awarded a free kick on the
edge of the box for the challenge that ended Patterson’s
part in the game. Patterson was taken to Barnet General
Hospital with a suspected ruptured anterior cruciate
ligament that will rule him out for the rest of this season,
everyone at Wingate & Finchley wishes him well and look
forward to seeing him back at the Club soon.
From the resultant free kick which had
been worked on Aveley cleared the danger, the Blues
continued to apply the pressure and Jirka Houdek had an
effort blocked. On a rare foray forward in the Wingate &
Finchley half Aveley’s Gary Dixon held off a challenge from
Jonathan Ellis but his shot was well saved by Ed Thompson.
Just before the break Aveley won a free kick which was
blasted not only over the bar but into the Glebelands are
behind the Wingate goal. Three minutes into the second half Man
of the Match Ahmet Rifat latched onto the ball some 45 yards
out and spotted Marc Palmer off his line tried an audacious
shot that landed inches wide of the post. A long cross to
the far post fell to Aveley full back Ryan Sammons whose
header sailed wide and was cleared by Amarteifio for
Wingate.
Further Aveley pressure and from a long Sammons
throw Wingate struggled to clear the ball eventually the
ball fell to Booby Port who was hustled into an error by
superb covering work by Dean Williams who tracked back
well. Superb defending by Amarteifio heading a Martin Tuohy
cross behind for a corner as the Blues have to endure a
sustained period of Aveley pressure From an Ed Thompson
clearance Scotcher flicks the ball into the path of Williams
who takes a touch and tries to lob Palmer but the ball goes
just over the top. Twenty minutes from time Wingate &
Finchley skipper Craig Ellis sent off for two bookable
offences from the resultant free kick Aveley win a corner
and from Sammons header Thompson makes a superb one handed
save to preserve the Blues lead.
Daniel Stanton embarked on
a mazy run down the flank and then cut inside across the
edge of the area before shooting but Palmer saved, at the
Summers Lane end of the ground Ed Thompson went down bravely
at feet and then punched a long throw away as the pressure
continued on the Blues. Having endured a huge amount of
pressure following the dismissal of Craig Ellis Wingate
launched an attack and won a corner which came to nothing
but with the Blues defending resolutely the points were
deserved for the Blues first victory of the season.
The
Blues will look to continue their good form when they travel
to Potters Bar Town on Monday and then with a journey to
Eton Manor who play at Tilbury in the FA Cup on Sunday 3
September.
Wingate & Finchley:- Ed Thompson 7;
Jonathan Ellis 7; Jirka Houdek 7; Craig Ellis 7; Billy Amarteifio
8;
Ahmet Rifat 8; Daniel Stanton 7; Jon Nichols 7; Dean Williams
8;
Simon Patterson 6 ( Craig Scotcher 24 6{Guy Morris 72 7}); Darren
Spinks 6 (Danny Berg 62 6). Subs:- Stephen Badu;Tahsan
Bradshaw-Brown.
Man of the Match – Ahmet Rifat (Wingate
& Finchley)
Att - 53