Met Police preview

Wingate and Finchley will host Metropolitan Police on Boxing Day as both sides look to overturn a poor December month that has seen them each win just one league game. As the weather begins to worsen, both sides have had a games postponed, making consistency hard to come by. Hard-to-swallow losses at the start of the month to Billericay Town and VCD Athletic meant the postponement of the Blues following game away at Brentwood came as an almost welcome relief to a side that, half way through a jam-packed season, looked as if it needed a rest. And the opportunity for some extra training clearly did Simon Lanes men the world of good as Tommy Tejan-Sies late goal handed them a 2-1 victory over Staines Town last weekend. The same, however, could not be said for Saturdays opponents. Though The Met started December with a win over play-off contenders Leiston, and signing former-Blue Leon Smith, they could only produce a goalless draw at home to Brentwood Town before their midweek away game against Merstham was called off. But despite using the break to capture the signature of Portugese midfielder Andre Da Costa from Hendon, Metropolitan Police fell to a 3-0 defeat at home to Hampton & Richmond Borough last Saturday and found themselves dumped out of the Surrey Senior Cup by Molesey FC on Tuesday night. Though they currently occupy the 15th spot in the Ryman Premier League, Metropolitan Police are not a team to be underestimated, with the five teams above them just three points ahead. Charlie Collins remains their biggest threat having found the net on 8 occasions this season, but it was second-top goalscorer Joe Turner that scored the winner in the Mets last victory in the league at Leiston. Wingate rode out as 3-1 winners when these two sides last met in the league but, with big dinners and big games coming thick and fast around this time of year, nothing will be certain when the Blues get a visit from the Police on Boxing Day. By Andy Gerlis