NEW YEAR’S EVE MATCH PREVIEW - WINGATE & FINCHLEY KO 1.00 PM

Time to head to Champion Hill as Dulwich Hamlet ring out the old year with the visit of Wingate and Finchley

So many clubs in the Ryman Premier Division have a progress chart that resembles a mountain stage of the Tour de France and Wingate & Finchley are no exception. From second bottom after the opening couple of games (or 23rd in Mick Browne doublespeak) the Blues had climbed to the heady heights of 9th by late September. The rise came on the back of a month long unbeaten run in Premier Division games as Wingate & Finchley bounced back from a late August Bank Holiday Monday crushing under the well-oiled wheels of the Havant & Waterlooville machine.

Having won just one of their six opening games, that thanks to Steve Wales’ goal in the North London derby over Hendon at the newly renamed Maurice Rebak Stadium, September’s falling leaves meant rising hopes for the Blues. Balmy weather saw barmy score lines, Reece Beckles-Richards tucked away a quickfire double as Waltham Abbey were left without a prayer as the Blues progressed 5-0 at Capershotts in the Emirates FA Cup. Promoted Worthing felt a late lash on the South Coast as Fred Moncur’s brace in the last 7 minutes turned a narrow 2-1 lead into a convincing 4-1 win. That despite Sean Cronin’s dismissal on the hour mark. A madcap match at Earlsmead in the Alan Turvey Trophy saw more swapping than a suburban swingers party, both sides leading, Harrow thrice. With final score 4 apiece, it took a penalty shootout to separate the protagonists. Whether this game was the right preparation for a trip to Tonbridge Angels in the FA Cup one must wonder. The highflying ANgels visit to Summers Lane provided a rare blot on the copybook for the month as the ageless Craig Dundas bagged a double as the Kent side matched their opening day 3-0 win over the Blues at Longmead Stadium. The FA Cup chimera slipped from their grasp, the Blues had a quick return to Earlsmead to look forward to come the following Tuesday. The goals were less plentiful this time but by all accounts Billy Healey’s matchwinner more than made up for that. A last gasp leveller from Cronin at home to Lowestoft followed by a 2-1 win over Kingstonian, as sub Ryan Ogleby killed of the K’s with the match winner 11 minutes from time, making Ryan Moss’ early opener count for naught.

A seesaw start to October saw the Blues slip back 5 spots as dark horses Needham Market continued their surprise assault on the summit, John Sands settling a cagey affair at the Rebak Stadium. The Blues rallied with Wales’ winner bringing home three points from Enfield Town. The London Senior Cup providing an entertaining interlude, Tower Hamlets no match for their hosts as a rampant Wingate & Finchley scored EIGHT times with both Billy Healey and Rob Hastings bagging hat tricks. It is believed custody of the match ball has yet to heard at the High Court; lawyers are still in conference! Goals continued to gush forth when the Angels returned to North London. A return to the top half of the table followed in the wake of a stonking 4-0 win, the road to vengeance opened up when Luke Ifil found the net just before the break, the journey complete with Wales’ second half double sandwiching Beckles-Richards’ top drawer finish.delighting the crowd, even the travellers from Kent. However, with new cash and new blood injected, the trip to Billericay Town proved a tougher proposition, the Blues 2-0 down before Ola Williams dismissal rendered any thoughts of a late recovery little more than a pipedream.

The FA Trophy put a smile back on the faces of the fans, though it took a replay to shake off stubborn Grays Athletic with goals from Billy Healey and Claudiu Vilcu securing a 2-0 win back in North London. Next stop Ware but first came a tough trip to NYewood Lane to face Bognor Regis Town and the visit of Emirates FA Cup heroes Merstham. The latter provided barren ground as the Rocks romped to victory but the Moatsiders visit provided copious entertainment as Merstham recovered from 2-0 down thanks to Xavier Vidal’s pair only for the Beckles-Richards to pounce for the perfect poacher’s goal after the goalkeeper had made a topnotch double save. It would be more than a month before the Blues would return to the Maurice Rebak Stadium but any fears of travel sickness proved false. Beckles-Richards particularly seemed to enjoy himself, scoring the opener in a 2-0 win away to Ware in the FA Trophy, bagging a hat trick on Canvey Island as the Gulls were shot down 4-1 and scoring again as Wingate & Finchley reached the First Round Proper of the FA Trophy with a ding-dong 4-2 win away to Slough Town. The draw pulled out a tasty plum with Wingate & Finchley welcoming old rivals in the shape of Wealdstone but first came a Premier Division trip as far East as possible into the rising sun, Lowestoft Town away. Hopes of a fifth straight win were stymied as the Trawler Boys overcame the Blues with a 2-1 victory at Crown Meadow.

Perhaps eyes were on another prize, one still within the grasp of Wingate & Finchley after a dramatic 2-2 away to the National League South ‘Stones. Rob Laney met a long free kick delivery from Wales to put the Blues ahead just before halftime but a foul on erstwhile Dulwich striker Omar Koroma allowed Elliot Benyon to level from the penalty spot. Disaster struck with just ten minutes left as Cronin somehow managed to get cautioned twice in 60 seconds to face the wrath of the red card. Moments later Edward Oshodi put the ‘Stones in front and it seemed Goodnight Vienna. However the Blues still had their joker to play. Laney, hell-bent on goal, had his run curtly ended by Ciaron Brown’s ugly tackle. Wales coolly slotted home the spot kick to give the Blues a second shot on home turf. Three days later and, with a trip to National League Southport the prize, the pair faced up again. Four minutes in Beckles-Richards added to his impressive tally with a opener for the Blues. ‘Keeper Shane Gore and defence provided a plethora of heroics to keep Wingate & Finchley ahead but missed chances at the other end came back to haunt the hosts as the Stones breached the barricades with just 7 minutes remaining, Benyon scrambling home at a corner. Extra time saw both sides come close to clinching their passage but penalties were looming until the 120th minute when Dan Green’s free kick found the net to break home hearts.

The cloud of defeat hung over the Blues as they dropped key league points, going down 2-0 away to the Met Police, Olli Robinson and Roman Michael-Percil scoring the goals in a forgettable encounter. Still at least the office Christmas party proved fun, the Blues heading to AFC Hayes invited along to Summers Lane in the Middlesex Charity Cup. Five goals in each half from a variety of scorers saw Wingate & Finchley romp to an outrageous 10-1 victory with Max Kyte bagging a hat trick. Post festive feasting Wingate welcomed Staines Town on Boxing Day but just a few leftovers on offer as the sides shared a point, early goals from Tanasheh Abrahams for the Blues and Adrian Clifton for the Swans settling matters. The result left Wingate & Finchley just three points clear of Met Police in the last relegation spot, albeit with a number of games in hand of several of the clubs around them.

This Saturday’s game takes place at Champion Hill Stadium, Edgar Kail Way, East Dulwich, London SE22 8BD, kicking off at 1.00pm. Main turnstiles will be open from 11.15 pm with the Greendale turnstiles open shortly after. Guests and officials are asked to enter via the Health Club reception as may Season Ticket holders on presentation of their Dulwich Hamlet Season Ticket.

Admission prices:

• £10 for Adults
• £4 for Concessions
• NB: Concessions cover Seniors - 60+, Teenagers (13-19), Unemployed (JSA), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), NHS Staff, Blue Light Services, Serving Members of the Armed Forces and Full Time Students. (Please bring a form of valid ID for your concession as you might not be admitted without that)
• Under 13s FREE accompanied by a paying adult