Warming Up

 

I've never been a big fan of pre season friendlies as for me they mark the beginning of the end of the cricket season rather than the advent of the new football campaign. Still with the ECB doing their damnedest to ensure there is little or no meaningful cricket to watch on a midsummer Saturday I headed north to Wingate & Finchley's well appointed ground in the aptly named Summers Lane to catch a glimpse of what would await me at York Road when I returned from my holiday in mid August.

Any notion of watching incognito disappeared when I was spotted by a local member of the non league Twitterati Mike Bayly on arrival in the bar. Catching up with the North London scene, two mysteries emerged: how homeless Hendon are attracting big names to play for them and what is the point of Boreham Wood? As the match kicked off we exchanged info on our respective XIs, Maidenhead appearing to field what may well be a first choice line up come August whilst Wingate included the odd trialist along with ex Magpie Dean Mason.

Thus the first half went as expected with United dominating, new attacking signings Danny Green and Michael Malcolm impressing most. However although enough chances were created to provide an opportunity for a half time declaration, the superb form of trialist goalkeeper Cain Davies and the profligacy of the United attack led to just the one score which was equalled ahead of the interval from the penalty spot.

For Maidenhead it was fitting that Malcolm opened the scoring in the 27th minute, as it was his free kick which led to the corner from which he scored. Malcolm went closing from another free kick from distance later in the half and the way he combined with strike partner Richard Pacquette bodes well for the season ahead. Likewise in Danny Green it looks like Maidenhead will have a right winger to balance the prodigious talent of Harry Pritchard on the left.

Finchley's equaliser came in rather fortunate circumstances when an innocuous cross reared up and struck Curtis Ujah's hand with no attacker in sight. Leon Smith calmly despatched the spot kick. 

After the break Maidenhead switched their front four for the raw talents of Reece Tison-Lascaris, Anthony Mendy, Ryan De Bastien and a left sided player simply known as Mo. With Davies not required to exert himself to the same extent as the first half, it was Wingate who came closest to a winner when they hit the cross bar thirteen minutes into the second half. The main value to the second half from a Maidenhead point of view was to get a glimpse of other new faces such as Matt Ruby and Wada Ahmidi. 

With faces put to names the final whistle signalled the end of my pre season, my next match falling on the opening day of the Skrill South season at Whitehawk.

Finchley not for turning

Wingate & Finchley deservedly edged a tight Isthmian League Division one contest at Summers Lane when Leon Smith headed in a winner in injury time.

This was my first visit to the Harry Abrahams stadium and I think I can safely say its the neatest non league ground I have ever been to. Entry was a little steep for this level at £8, although I guess that's standard for this division, and a professionally produced programme set me back a fair £1.50.  

The verdant pitch, despite its slope was unsurprisingly judged to be one of the top two in the whole of the league last season, and to their credit the home team were keen to use it, regularly exhibiting some neat passing moves.

The ground is dominated by a 500 seater stand (mainly benches) which is double sided so it can be shared with the back to back rugby pitch.  This means it is set well back from the action with a hedge & palm trees unfortunately obscuring the view of the near corners if the pitch corners.

The terraces are likewise well constructed with two sections of cover although there is barely room for more than one person to pass in most of the surround.  Not that this is a problem as I counted just 70 people watching when the game kicked off.

Wingate & Finchley bear their Jewish origins with pride as shown by a cursory glance at the badge and the impressive clock in laid with the Star of David.  This is quite appropriate as the Wingate name is taken from the General who created the Israeli army. The club was formed by ex soldiers post World War 2 to battle anti semitism on the field of play. In historic terms Wingate were very much the junior partner compared to the Finchley club which dates back to 1874, however these days it seems the second part of the name merely reflects the club's location.

The PA played Magic FM which topped off the sleepy suburban feel of the area, backed by the hum of the north circular in the background, and the sweet briar smell of a pipe smoking spectator.  Even the name Wingate & Finchley sounds like a Building Society.

Their opponents Redbridge are of course descendants of Ford United, with the club's fall from being founder members of the Conference South to bottom markers of the Isthmian league acting as an apt metaphor for the fortunes of the Ford Motor Company.

Following a slightly delayed kick off Wingate & Finchley took the early initiative with some great football, Leon Smith hitting the post early on, with Marc Weatherstone proving himself to be a well spring of inspiration at right back.

In reponse Redbridge opted for the direct route, trying to hit target man Anton Agdomar at every opportunity.  Thus the first half fell victim to the English disease of high tempo, Redbridge's superior strength and fitness enabling them to get a foothold in the game.

The game was goalless at the break with all the action taking place in the second half.
Wingate & Finchley took the lead through a clever back header from Smith following a corner.

The man in the middle Steven Rea gave a good display exhibiting clear commands and signals, using assistants well to work as a team.  This was exemplified when a nasty incident midway through the half saw him give due consideration before dismissing a man from either side.

Unsurprisingly the game developed into a niggly affair and when Smith missed a gilt edged chance to seal the points when through on goal, Redbridge equalised with the goal of the game.  A swift counter attack seeing Perry Christian deliver a perfect cross for Alex Read to convert at the far post.

This fightback came in vain though when Smith took advantage of a goalkeeper error to restore Wingate & Finchley's lead deep into stoppage time.