Wingate & Finchley made their first foray into FA competitions at the weekend, with a first round qualifying match against Thame United. The last time that the Blues were knocked out at this early stage was in 2020-21 in a season that was eventually curtailed, however on Saturday they faced a Thame United side who have shown vast improvements this season compared with last. The Red Kites had scored eight goals and conceded none in their two FA Cup ties prior to this one, both against sides in their own division.
Owing to the importance of the FA Cup, coupled with the strong performance in the unlucky 2-1 defeat to Potters Bar, Ahmet Rifat only made three changes from the side that played on Bank Holiday Monday; Fergal Hale-Brown starting in goal for the first time this season, Ogo Obi returning to lead the line and Mikey O'Donoghue making only his second start of the season, in place of Rhamar Garrett-Douglas.
The Blues looked slick from the off on Saturday, playing some neat passes and making intelligent runs to threaten the Thame defence. Frempah went close from a set-piece midway through the first half, but it was the home side that were first to get a shot on target, forcing Hale-Brown into a good diving save at his near post from a Braydon Daniel shot.
It was then the woodwork which had a role to play, preventing a Wingate & Finchley opening goal twice in the space of two minutes; first from Zack Newton's lofted effort, before Ogo Obi's long range strike also clipped the bar on its way over. Shortly after the half hour mark, however, the Blues were in front - a ball across the face of goal from the left flank by O'Donoghue was put back into then mix by Ayo Tanimowo and flicked into the net by Arthur Iontton for his first goal for the Blues.
Before the break, there was time for the Blues to threaten the home goal again, with Frempah rising highest at the back post from a Lowe corner, nodding against the crossbar and the ball falling safely into the keeper's grasp, making it three times in 45 minutes that the Blues had been denied by the woodwork.
The start of the second half was scrappy and saw both sides go close on occasion, but with the Blues knowing that a one goal lead would likely not be enough given the goalscoring exploits of the Red Kites this season. With less than half an hour remaining, the Blues got their second of the day, much to the relief of the travelling fans behind the goal. Tanimowo found Zack Newton whose shot on goal was well saved but only parried into the path of Ogo Obi who stroked the ball home. Just five minutes later, Newton was involved again as his pass found Georgiou whose left footed strike found the bottom corner from the edge of the box to give the Blues a more comfortable three goal lead.
Shortly before the end of the game, the Blues added a fourth and final goal, substitute Garrett-Douglas going on a mazy run down the right side before playing an excellent deep cross into the area for Ogo Obi to nod home for his second of the day and third brace of the season. Before the final whistle was blown, Hale-Brown was called into action again, making a fingertip save to keep his side's clean sheet intact for the first time this season.
Wingate & Finchley: Hale-Brown; Cracknell (Webb 83'); Byron (Garrett-Douglas 71'); Iontton (Deslandes 87'); Frempah; Lowe (Okoh 78'); Tanimowo; Georgiou (Roberts 84'); Obi; Newton; O'Donoghue Unused subs: Grainger; Oladipo
Attendance: 126
Our next game is an away trip to Bognor on Saturday 7th in the Isthmian Premier League, with a few weeks until our next home match, against Chichester City on 21st September. In the meantime, the FA Youth Cup is at the Maurice Rebak Stadium on 4th September with Romford U18s the visitors.
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