Blues face replay after FA Cup tie ends all square

Wingate & Finchley’s latest step on the road to Wembley will involve a rematch reports Nick Sandamas

Football players on a pitch with trees in the background — Wingate & Finchley in action at Bedford Town (Credit – Nick Sandmas)

Bedford Town 2 Wingate & Finchley 2

FA Cup 3rd qualifying round

Bedford Town and Wingate & Finchley will go again on Tuesday evening after George Moncur’s penalty five minutes from time ensuerd both sides will be in the hat for the 4th qualifying round draw.

The result, against opponents playing at a higher level, was all the more impressive as the Blues had to battle with ten men for the final half hour following Kai Thomas-Fraser’s sending off for a second yellow card.

The first chance of the game fell to the National North Eagles in the tenth minute when Reece Evans forced Blues’ keeper Charlie Grainger into a good save.

Josh Castiglione was next to test Grainger soon after but the number one stood up well to block the ball with his legs.

Then, on 28 minutes and against the run of play, the Blues took the lead.

A ball found Anointed Chukwu who executed a smart turn before placing the ball low into the corner of the net away from keeper Laurie Walker.

Ten minutes later though, the Eagles were handed a spot kick when Castiglione went down and Moncur calmly slotted the ball into the net to ensure it was level pegging going into half time.

With the second half barely a minute old, the Blues went back in front when the ball came to Ben Frempah in the box and he produced a clever turn to find Chukwu who nodded the net into the net from close range to give the small band of Blues fans behind the goal with a cheer.

With the Blues going down to ten men for the last half hour, it was backs to the wall stuff and, soon after the sending off, Grainger got low down to save from Castiglione and had to be at full stretch to deny Ben Wayman brilliantly getting fingertips to take the ball over the bar.

Then Wayman won the penalty which saw Moncur – who previously played in the Championship for Barnsley, Luton Town and Hull City – strike the ball just past Grainger just inside the keeper’s left hand post to level for a second time.

Castiglione almost won it deep in stoppage time but Grainger clawed the ball away to ensure both sides would head back to London N12 for the replay with the Blues attempting to make history with their best ever FA Cup run.

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