After Saturday's first half attacking blitz, and second half resilient defending, the Blues brought back all three points from Dartford in a thrilling 3-2 win. That win has put Wingate & Finchley up into 6th place in the table, with 17 points from 10 matches so far. Throughout the next few weeks, the games are coming thick and fast and next up is a short journey west to Hendon FC on Tuesday night.
Our Opponents
Hendon FC have returned to the Isthmian Premier League this season after spending the last six seasons in the Southern League Premier South Division. In their time in the Southern League, Hendon's best performance came in the most recent season, finishing 10th in 2023/24, ten points outside of the playoff places. This was a marked improvement on 2022/23, where The Greens finished 18th, just one point and one place clear of Harrow Borough in the final relegation spot.
Prior to their spell in the Southern League, in their last season in the Isthmian Premier League, back in 2017/18, Hendon had an excellent season, finishing third behind champions Billericay and second placed Dulwich Hamlet who were promoted via the playoffs, after beating Hendon on penalties in the playoff final.
So far this season, Hendon have 16 points (W4 D4 L2) from their 10 matches so far, putting them in 9th place, three places, but only one point, behind the Blues. One of the highlights of the Greens' league season so far has been their home form, winning all four league matches at home, while the away form has been less successful, with four draws and two defeats all coming on their travels.
Head to Head
The most recent league meetings between us and Hendon were in the Isthmian Premier League in 2017/18, where a Niko Muir brace for Hendon cancelled out goals from Irnti Rapai and Marc Charles-Smith to ensure a 2-2 draw at the Maurice Rebak Stadium in April 2018. At Silver Jubilee Park, a Quentin Monville goal was enough to give the Blues all three points in 1-0 win. In cup competitions, we have faced off as recently as last season, where a Shaun Lucien goal was the only difference between the two sides in the London Senior Cup, Hendon winning 1-0 in December 2023. We also faced Hendon in the FA Cup in 2022/23.
Last Time Out
Hendon's last two matches have been on the road, and both have ended in draws. On Saturday, a 98th minute equaliser for Carshalton meant that Hendon had to settle for a point, despite the Greens looking like holding on for all three points despite being down to ten men for much of the second half. The week before, it was a trip to Dartford, and it was ten-man Dartford who held on to keep a point; Hendon unable to break the deadlock in Kent on that day.
Players To Watch
Hendon's top scorer this season is Kai Brosnan, a young forward who signed for Hendon last season and was a regular fixture, scoring seven in 52 appearances in 2023/24. He has already surpassed last season's goal tally, netting eight in 14 appearances so far this season, including a hat-trick at Bedford Town in the FA Trophy.
In goal for the Greens is 18-year old Luke Campbell, who signed on a season-long loan deal from Chelsea in August. Campbell has played for Chelsea academy since the age of 9 and played a key role as Chelsea U18s won the title in 2023/24.
For the Blues, centre back Ben Frempah netted his second goal of the season on Saturday, continuing to contribute at the attacking end of the pitch as well as developing a strong defensive partnership with captain Billy Cracknell and Toby Byron. Meanwhile in midfield, Arthur Iontton will be looking to make his mark on Tuesday, after he returned to the matchday squad on Saturday for the first time in a month.
Photos courtesy of Martin Addison.
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