Blues back to winning ways with deserved victory over Potters Bar

By Aaron Toubian

Gianluca Botti and Eddie Allsopp fired Wingate & Finchley to a first league victory in more than three months, as the Blues ran out 2-1 winners over neighbours Potters Bar Town, at Summers Lane. Ahmet Rifat’s men were more than worthy winners in what was a largely one-sided contest.

Despite a bright start from the Blues, it was the visitors who broke the deadlock, halfway through the first period. Demaray Anyadike collected a long ball over the top, and coolly slotted past Charlie Grainger.

Following a string of golden opportunities in-front of goal, Gianluca Botti finally restored parity, ten minutes before the break. The number nine made perfect use of Loïc Hernandez’s pinpoint delivery, tapping home the equaliser.

Sammy Moore’s team would have felt rather fortunate to head in at the break all square, despite taking the lead, earlier on.

Wingate started the second-half much like they began, and ended, the first. Minutes after the restart, Camilo Restrepo found himself through on goal, but the Colombian fired his strike straight at Josh Shattell, in the visiting net. Caoilan McGettigan also came close to netting, on multiple occasions.

Fifteen minutes from time, the Blues finally took the lead through substitute Eddie Allsopp, who netted his first goal for the club. Rhamar Garrett-Douglas completed a mazing run on the right, setting up 17-year-old Josh Gibbons to deliver a cross, which fired back out to Allsopp, who made no mistake from 20-yards-out. The strike took a hefty deflection on its way in, catching the Town keeper off guard, and sending the home faithful wild.

Naturally, the final stages were hugely nerve-racking, from a Wingate perspective, but the hosts proved resolute to see through a much-needed victory. Three points lifts Rifat’s team out of the relegation zone, and into a far more promising position to end the Isthmian Premier Division season strongly.

The Blues will want to give this victory some substance on Saturday afternoon, when they travel to West Sussex to take on ninth placed Burgess Hill Town. After that, it’s three consecutive home matches against Canvey Island, Brentwood Town and Saturday’s opponents, Burgess Hill Town, respectively.