An 88th-minute goal from Ryan Lowe gave Wingate and Finchley a 3-2 victory over Dulwich Hamlet. His long-range winner was no less than the home side deserved, in a game where Ogo Obi and Luke Wanadio notched braces for their respective sides.

The opening goal of the game arrived in the fourth minute. Michael Chambers rolled the ball back to Dillon Barnes, there appeared to be little danger at this point, but the keeper, one of five Hamlet debutants in the starting line-up, slammed his clearance straight into the onrushing Obi and the ball ended up in the back of the net.

The Hamlet high press was causing turnovers in dangerous positions, but the final ball, or finish to the move wasn’t there. A Binnom-Williams sighter from distance was our only effort on target in the opening half, which was far from a classic.

By the time the home side doubled their lead in the 57th minute, we’d made two enforced substitutions with Dami Tawio-Pratt and Mark Marshall both hobbling off. And it was all too easy for Wingate and Finchley, with Ayo Tanimowo crossing to an unmarked Obi, who tapped home unmarked from inside the six-yard box.

At last the Pink and Blue began to stir, in the 70th minute Wanadio was fouled inside the box, last season’s top scorer took the spot kick himself and smashed it into the top left-hand corner. Two minutes later it was Hamlet’s turn to give away a penalty. Barnes bought down Obi but then redeemed himself with a fantastic save to deny the striker a hat-trick.

It was end-to-end stuff now and, in the 84th minute, some typical wizardry from Wanadio levelled the game. He cut in from the right and fired low across goal with his left foot, with the ball finding the bottom far corner of the net.

It looked as if Hamlet would draw 2-2 for the second successive opening day, but although Barnes got a hand to Lowe’s 25-yard strike, he couldn’t keep it out. With two home games in a row, Hamlet will look to bounce back quickly and put some points on the board.

The Hamlet return to Champion Hill tomorrow night to take on Hendon in the Isthmian League, you can get your tickets here.

Dulwich Hamlet

1 Dillon Barnes, 2 Dami Tawio-Pratt (Aamir Daniels 48’), 5 Michael Chambers, 6 Sam German, 7 Luke Wanadio, 8 Ryley Scott, 9 Danny Mills (James Collins 76’), 11 Mark Marshall (Anthony Jeffrey 55’), 14 George Porter, 17 Ralfi Hand (Kreshnic Krasniqi 86’), 18 Jerome Binnom-Williams

Goalscorers: Luke Wanadio (70’, 84’)

Yellow Cards: Dillon Barnes (72’)

Unused Substitutes:  12 Stefan Ilic

Wingate & Finchley

1 Prince Adegoke, 2 William Cracknell, 3 Toby Byron, 4 Lonit Talla, 5 Ben Frempah, 6 Arthur Iontton (Ryan Lowe 40’), 7 Rhamar Garrett – Douglas, 8 Andronicos Georgiou (Brian Garzon 76’), 9 Ogo Obi (Destiny Oladipo 76’), 10 Luke Deslandes (Zack Newton 84’), 11Ayo Tanimowo (Evangelos Empochontsif 90’)

Goalscorers: Ogo Obi (4’, 57’), Ryan Lowe (88’)

Yellow Cards: Toby Byron (69’), Rhamar Garrett – Douglas (79’)