Wingate see off Wanderers in FA Cup

Wingate & Finchley booked their place in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup after they recorded this slender victory to book a trip to Hitchin Town, having nearly blown a three goal lead in this replay against Ipswich Wanderers.

FA Cup First Qualifying Round Replay
Ipswich Wanderers 3 Wingate & Finchley 4
Wednesday, 17 September, 2014

Ipswich started confidently following their late comeback on Saturday, and Jack Severy shot on goal with a ferocious free-kick from distance which Jack Metcalfe did well to parry wide.

The game started fairly evenly with both sides threatening, both able to play a fluid passing game on the slick surface. Rob Laney was brought on for an unwell Tommy Tejan-Sie, and made an immediate impact. In the 26th minute he turned home a loose ball after a Marc Weatherstone effort from a corner was blocked – the ball crossing the line by a matter of inches. Just two minutes later he swept home a low David Knight cross from the left wing, the ball going in off the far post, to give the clinical Blues an invaluable two-goal lead.

They nearly scored a third with a beautiful one-touch move with the front three all combining. Knight again crossed from the left to Laney. He then flicked the ball back inside to the onrushing Nico Muir, but his effort was well blocked by a big keeper.

In the final minute before the break Wingate extended the lead to three as Ipswich seemed to fall apart. Shulton crossed low into the box after a half-cleared corner; the ball deflected off a defender at the near post and fell to Carl McCluskey who rifled it home.

Six minutes after the restart Ipswich pulled one goal back. Craig Jennings latched on to a long ball and comfortably slotted home to cut the deficit.

However, in the 55th minute Marc Weatherstone scored a powerful header at close-range from a corner – repeating his feat in the same match 365 days prior. But a minute later Ipswich scored again through Ross Myhill as the lead was again reduced to two goals. The flurry continued when on the hour mark the deficit was cut back to just one goal. Jack Severy finished off a left-wing break with a firm finish into the bottom right corner.

Wingate were under severe pressure, but launched a counter-attack which Nico Muir nearly finished off – but his low daisy cutter drive narrowly missed the left post.

Ipswich were working harder and enjoyed a long spell of pressure, particularly with early direct long balls upfield. Wingate eventually settled the game down from here by introducing Joe Sharpe and playing more narrowly. In a rare attack McCluskey rifled the ball against the post from ten yards, as Wingate remained unable to kill the game off.

Metcalfe saved another ferocious free-kick from Severy, much like in the opening moments. An Ipswich volley from a dangerous cross was deflected inches wide as Wingate clung on to the lead. A few minutes later the referee blew for full time sealing Wingate’s progression to the next round.

Wingate & Finchley Lineup:
Metcalfe, Goodman, Marsh-Brown, McCluskey, Weatherstone, Rifat, Knight, Tejan-Sie (Laney 18), Muir, Shulton, Oliyide (Sharpe 71). Subs: Sharpe, King, Laney, Fisher, Suddell, Nielsen, Norman.

Attendance:
189

Referee:
J Block