Ryman Premier
Wingate and Finchley 3 v 4 East Thurrock United
ONCE again these two Ryman Premier sides produced a feast of goals at the Harry Abrahams Stadium, the last three meetings there having now produced 20.
This latest encounter was an exciting, entertaining affair with the visitors clawing their way back from a two goal deficit to take the points with a penalty from top scorer Sam Higgins.
It was Higgins who had the game’s first chance, bursting through to get on the end of a long ball forward but his first touch made the chance more difficult than it needed to be and he lashed his shot high and wide.
Wingate came back strongly and Rocks keeper David Hughes did well to get finger tips to a cross to claw it away from danger but, on 12 minutes he made a poor decision to come for a cross and was nowhere near as Ola Sogbanmu rose to head it into the net through the space Hughes had vacated.
Play was flowing from end to end and on their next attack Rocks ought to have scored when David Bryant rose to make a close range header after a frantic spell of pinball across the six yard box but the ball rose above the bar. However, Bryant set up a 22nd minute equaliser when he held off a challenge and dug out a chipped cross towards the near post where Connor Witherspoon flung himself forward for a brave header past Bobby Smith.
Wingate restored the lead in the 33rd minute when Paul Goodacre clipped Rob Laney as he surged goalwards and David Knight slotted the subsequent penalty. And former Rocks player Knight grabbed a second against his old club with a run down the left and fine low angled shot past Hughes four minutes before the break.
It could have been a hammer blow but the visitors showed their resilience and thought they had won a penalty when Marc Weatherstone was adjudged by referee Ben James to have handled in the box. The ref blew and pointed to the spot and Higgins had the ball in his hands before the ref spotted his assistant’s raised flag for an offside in the build-up. However, within 30 seconds Rocks were celebrating as they regained possession from the freekick and Bryant played in an inch perfect cross that brought an equally accomplished finish from Reece Harris.
The second half saw Rocks enjoy a lion’s share of possession but they were still vulnerable to Wingate’s pacey counter attacks and Hughes redeemed himself for his earlier misjudgement with a stunning double save, first blocking Stuart Lake’s drive and then jumping up quickly for an even better stop to push away Tommy Tejan-Sie’s follow-up strike.
Smith then got plaudits at the other end for a fine stop to get one hand to Bryant’s shot.
Rocks then brought on Lewis Smith and his introduction proved decisive when he first slotted home a 74th minute equaliser from a great flowing move that involved Rocks’ other sub, young Joe Paxman and Higgins. And two minutes later Smith was brought down in the box by Weatherstone as his trickery drew a rash challenge and Higgins stepped up to slam home the spot-kick.
That set up a nerve-shredding last 15 minutes for the visitors and both sides had chances to add to their scoring, the closest either getting to the eighth goal though was a strike from Wingate’s Mark Goodman that brought another good stop from Hughes.
