| Wingate & Finchley made their first ever visit to the impressive Barrows Farm Stadium to cross swords with table topping Harlow Town and despite playing 64 minutes with only ten men the Blues looked the more likely to pinch all three points.
As ever in games between these two sides the opening was feisty with neither side prepared to give an inch and some over zealous refereeing with numerous free kicks that did not help the game to flow.
When the game was allowed to flow both sides produced some excellent passing movement on a very good surface. The hosts with Sammy Winston leading the line troubled the Wingate back line but it was nothing the Blues could not handle. Then in the space of two minutes just before the midway point of the half tempers really frayed with Leon Osei cautioned and then Kevin George seeing red for an incident that arose out of nothing.
Despite going down to ten men the Blues still produced excellent football with Chris West playing the lone striker roll very well running into space and holding the ball up for Joe O’Brien, Leon Osei, Craig Ellis and Daniel Stanton to make supporting runs but home keeper Hasell was hardly troubled. Then minutes before the interval former Wingate & Finchley striker Danny Boateng, now forming a central defensive partnership with another former Blue in Danny Chapman chased after Chris West and pulled his hamstring therefore ending his afternoon.
The half time break allowed tempers on both sides to cool and it was the Blues who looked the most threatening with Craig Ellis having a drive saved by Hasell and Joe O’Brien also being denied whilst at the other end Ed Thompson produced a fantastic one handed save to deny former Borehamwood striker Sammy Winston another goal against the Blues. From a Wingate & Finchley corner the ball fell to Billy Amarteifio who hooked his effort beyond the reach of Hasell only for Danny Chapman to clear the ball off the line.
At full time the Blues had a thoroughly deserved point for their tremendous work rate through the game whilst this was another two points dropped by the hosts as they look to gain promotion to the Ryman Premier and get bigger crowds into their stadium.
Wingate & Finchley:- Ed Thompson 7; Billy Amarteifio
8; Jirka Houdek 8; Craig Ellis 8 (Captain); Ahmet Rifat
8; Guy Morris 8; Daniel Stanton 7; Joe O’Brien 7 (Danny Berg 81
n/a); Chris West 6 (Dean Williams 88 n/a); Kevin George
n/a; Leon Osei 8 (Leon Wilson 86 n/a). Subs not used: Stephen Badu; Darren Assiamah.
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