New signing Craig Faulconbridge, making his first competitive start, was instantly a handful for the Dunstable defence. He latched on to a Joe O’Brien chipped through ball but his shot was excellently charged down by the home keeper Paul Taylor. The pace of the game was fast as both sides played football the right way, with fluid passing and superb movement off the ball – and it was Dunstable who struck first. In the 22nd minute Barnett broke through to the right side of the area, squared the ball inside to Daniel Picknell who accurately diverted the ball into the bottom left corner with a first-time effort.

The Blues deservedly regained parity just two minutes later. Guy Helman advanced down the left flank, and having played a one-two with Anthony Limbrick, fed the ball in to Faulconbridge. He teed up Craig Ellis whose shot was half blocked and fell into the path of the grateful Elvis Balic who drilled the ball home from close range. The first half continued to be played with entertaining football. Glen Johnson was on hand to block a few efforts from long range by the Dunstable forwards, whilst Faulconbridge and Balic both came close with headed efforts at the other end.

The second half was scrappier and both sides struggled to create clear cut chances and were mainly restricted to long range efforts. It was through Picknell again that Dunstable regained the lead, in the 69th minute, as he broke through from the half way line far too easily as the defence back off inviting the shot. Johnson was left with no chance as the lob found the far right corner. Wingate & Finchley substitute James Gershfield looked bright when he came on, and he almost restored parity when his shot on the turn from 18 yards had the keeper beaten but rebounded off the far post. As The Blues looked to stretch the game to score the vital equaliser Gershfield had another chance, this time with a header, but he could not find the target.

Picknell sealed the game and his excellent hat-trick in the last-minute with a swift counter attack as Wingate & Finchley were stretched – the 3-1 scoreline flattering the home side.

Wingate & Finchley: Glen Johnson, Denis Paratusic, Guy Helman, Craig Ellis (Daniel Clarke 79), Billy Amarteifio, Shola Oyedele, Joe O’Brien, Elvis Balic, Craig Faulconbridge, Tashan Bradshaw-Brown (James Gershfield 67), Anthony Limbrick (Dan Stanton 76). Subs: Marc Weatherstone, David Lovell.