Going into Saturday’s match at Hashtag United, Wingate & Finchley were sat in third place in the Isthmian Premier League, while their hosts were only a couple of places above the relegation zone.
The Blues were going into this game with a number of missing players, meaning that Ahmet Rifat could only name three players on his bench, meanwhile one of the changes to the starting XI was the introduction of Camilo Restrepo, recently signed from Hashtag United, and the former Tag clearly had a point to prove against his former club. As early as the third minute, one of his ex-colleagues went into the book for a firm tackle on Restrepo, as they looked to restrict his attacking flair.
The home side took the lead after 13 minutes through Sakariya Hassan after a well-worked move. The Blues looked to level things quickly and Restrepo twice forced good saves from the home keeper after some good work link-up play with Andronicos Georgiou.
Shortly after the half hour mark, the Blues did draw level through Ogo Obi with his 18th goal of the season; some strong work down the Wingate & Finchley right leading to the ball being cut back to Obi in the box who fired into the roof of the net. Shortly before the interval, Georgiou had a chance to give the visitors the lead, with an acrobatic attempt which ended up off target, to ensure it ended level at the break.
The second half saw the home side take their chances in clinical fashion, while the Blues were unable to convert any of their chances. First, Misha Djemaili bundled in within ten minutes of the restart to give the home side the lead before Harrison Day got in behind the Blues defence to make it three, and Djemaili scored his second in the final quarter of an hour after some confusion in the Blues box which led to an indirect free kick to make the score 4-1 to Hashtag.
The Blues had a number of golden chances to reduce the deficit throughout the second half. At 2-1 down, Georgiou hit the post from 25 yards, before Restrepo forced another fine save from the home keeper just a minute later. Youngster Alex Osei, stepping up from the U18s to play his first Isthmian League match went through on goal after a Blues counter attack but couldn’t find the target.
As Ahmet Rifat alluded to in his post-match interview, it was a game where one side took their chances, and that side went on to win the game comfortably. On another day if the Blues had been more clinical, or the home side goalkeeper Jack Giddens, who won MOTM, had not been at his best, the result could’ve been different. Next up for the Blues is a 3rd vs 4th clash against Billericay Town at the Maurice Rebak Stadium on Saturday 7th.
Wingate & Finchley: Grainger; Garrett-Douglas; Byron; Drakes-Thomas; Frempah; Lowe (Iontton 86’); Newton; Restrepo; Obi; Georgiou (Roberts 83’); Osei (Briscoe 78’).
Unused subs: none
Attendance: 101
Photos courtesy of Martin Addison.
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