Wingate & Finchley progressed to the First Qualifying Round of the E.ON sponsored FA Cup where the visitors to the Abrahams Stadium will be East Thurrock United with a hard fought victory in a game that was tetchy and marked by two red cards. With the game being played at Tilbury FC which Eton Manor groundshare it was the hosts who made the brightest start controlling the opening minutes of the tie but they did not trouble David Lovell making his competitive debut for Wingate & Finchley after joining the Club in the close season. Lovell showed excellent command of his area and from an attack down the left flank was confident enough to collect the ball in his left hand from under the boot of the onrushing home striker.

Against the run of play Wingate and Finchley opened the scoring when Dean Williams took the ball down the flank and his low cross evaded the home keeper Smyth and CRAIG SCOTCHER slid in at the far post for his first Wingate & Finchley goal. This goal was the impetus that Wingate and Finchley needed and they took control of the game with a Jirka Houdek free kick played to the flank where Dean Williams delivered another excellent cross and Anthony Limbrick, returning to the starting line up after a lengthy injury lay off, saw his diving header clawed to safety by Smyth. Four minutes from the interval David Lovell was alert to make a smart save to deny Thompson for the hosts before right on the interval DANNY BERG timed his run to perfection to beat the offside trap before advancing on Smyth and finishing with an excellent lob that dipped perfectly under the bar.

Prior to Wingate & Finchley doubling their advantage the hosts had one of their substitutes dismissed from the action for abusing an assistant referee and this incident set the tone for a tempestuous second period which threatened to boil over but didn’t. The Blues, playing in all white, played the majority of the second half football with Craig Ellis releasing Craig Scotcher who struck a fierce drive which Smyth did well to block with his body and then Dean Williams beat the offside trap and slipped the ball under Smyth but not with enough power and the defence cleared the danger.

Eighteen minutes from time DaFraitas for Eton Manor beat Guy Morris for pace only to see his goal bound effort cleared off the line by the hand of Houdek who was dismissed from the fray. Up stepped Wallace who struck the penalty down the middle of the goal but Lovell got a strong hand to the ball and the Wingate defence then covered back to clear the follow up effort. The final action saw Jon Nichols deliver a free kick to Craig Scotcher who acrobatic effort went just wide. The Blues had done enough to complete the victory and can now look forward to the visit from East Thurrock United to the Abrahams Stadium on Saturday 16 September.

WINGATE & FINCHLEY: David Lovell 7; Jirka Houdek 7; Darren Spinks 6 (Guy Helman 46 7) ; Craig Ellis 6 (Captain); Billy Amarteifio 7; Guy Morris 6; Jon Nichols 6; Danny Berg 8; Dean Williams 6 (Tashan Bradshaw-Brown 74 6); Craig Scotcher 7; Anthony Limbrick 6 (Daniel Stanton 66 6) Subs not Used: Jonathan Ellis; Ed Thompson.