Sport

Match report: Hendon vs Wingate & Finchley

Liam Blaney reports on last Tuesday’s local derby

Wingate & Finchley FC's 2024/25 squad photo
Wingate & Finchley’s 2024/25 squad – (Credit – Martin Addison)

Hendon 1-6 Wingate & Finchley

Fans of Wingate & Finchley and Hendon will have been looking forward to this game, a first league meeting since 2018 after Hendon were moved back into the Isthmian League structure. After the game, however, the visiting fans were left jubilant while the home contingent were bemused.

Going into this fixture, Hendon had won all four of their home league fixtures of the season so far, and they started the game brightly, blazing their first big chance over the bar inside the first ten minutes. The first Wingate & Finchley goal came in the 17th minute, and it was a signal for the floodgates to open. Rhamar Garrett-Douglas put an excellent deep cross into the box which was met by the head of diminutive defender Ayo Tanimowo at the back post to give the Blues the lead.

Just five minutes later and Ben Frempah applied the finishing touches after a bit of pinball in the area when a corner wasn’t cleared. Ten minutes later and it was 3-0, Jaiden Drakes-Thomas glancing the ball into the net from the near post. And before the half was complete, the Blues made it 4-0 thanks to striker Ogo Obi, whose powerful run ended in a calm finish. 

Just three minutes into the second half, it could’ve been 5-0 but Obi’s goal was judged to be offside. Two minutes later, the Blues’ number 9 made amends with a 20-yard curling effort into the top corner to put the game out of sight.

The striker wasn’t done yet, and in the 55th minute he completed his hat-trick, again calmly slotting home when put through one-on-one.

From this point on, the Blues took their foot off the gas, making all five substitutes in the final half hour, and Hendon did manage to get a consolation goal, Sam Adenola scoring after running from within his own half.

There were further chances for the Blues as the game progressed, including a penalty which was drilled against the crossbar late on.

It was a night to remember for Wingate & Finchley, and it puts the Blues up to 4th in the Isthmian Premier League. There are some especially tough games coming up in the league but before that, there is a Saturday to rest without a game, as attention turns to the London Senior Cup, when Erith & Belvedere visit Summers Lane on Tuesday night. 

Wingate & Finchley: Grainger; Cracknell (Webb 58’); Byron; Achuba (Iontton 58’); Frempah; Drakes-Thomas; Garrett-Douglas (Hernandez 76’); Tanimowo; Obi (Briscoe 69’); Georgiou (Lowe 78’); Newton


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