Wingate & Finchley 2 Tonbridge 0

Match 16/14/1125 - Saturday, 23rd August 2014 - Ryman Premier

Wingate & Finchley (2) 2 Knight 25, Tejan-Sie 30
Tonbridge (0) 0
Att. 132

Entrance: £5 Senior
Programme: £2.00
Mileage: 118/1,043
New ground: 260

Match Report

This was a visit that I’ve looked forward to since the fixtures were announced. Wingate and Finchley won’t set many pulses racing, but for groundhoppers, the North London venue is one where there is something different to be viewed, in this case an art deco grandstand that dates back to 1930 with a twist that is unique to my knowledge, but I’m sure a hard-core hopper could cite another.

The grandstand’s attraction is that it is a double-sided back-to-back structure that serves on one side the football club and on the other, Finchley Rugby Club. Unfortunately, on the day, I was unable to get into the rugby club side to view their half, but if you click on the link here, there are some photographs that show better detail than I was able to obtain from my side of the fence.

The structure was accorded a Grade II listing last year, not only for its uniqueness, but also it is the earliest cantilevered roof grandstand that is still in use in this country. The rounded corrugated steel canopy that extends the roof was added in the 1950s and, in truth, could do with a lick of paint and the four columns that support it rather defeats the object of the cantilever roof, but in these sad eyes, it remains a classic structure.

This was a first-ever meeting between these two clubs and, ultimately, it was a continuance of Tonbridge’s tale of woe on the road so far this season. Two goals in the space of five minutes decided this contest in favour of the home side as Tonbridge failed to extract a goal from their better start to the match and a second half in which they dominated.

Chances that fell to Tommy Whitnell and Dee Okojie failed to test the Wingate goalkeeper before, in the 25th minute, David Knight converted a cross from Karl Oluyide from the edge of the six yard box to register his seventh goal in the opening five Ryman Premier League fixtures. A striker, in a rich vein of form that caused the Tonbridge defence problems throughout the 75 minutes he was on the pitch.

Five minutes later and the visitors received a second setback from which they were not going to be able to recover. Buoyed by their opening goal, W&F won a series of corners and from the third, Tommy Tejan-Sie was given the time to turn and fire in a shot from inside the box into the bottom corner.

Tonbridge manager, Steve McKimm introduced Alex Teniola at half-time for Chris Piper and the change immediately added some bite to the Angels’ attack. Teniola brought a save from Bobby Smith in the opening minutes of the half, tipping over the bar the striker’s effort.

Okojie’s weaving runs and an improved end product caused concern to the home defence but efforts on goal were restricted to a bare minimum as Tonbridge failed to add to their poor return of just one goal on their travels in their opening three games.

Apart from the dominating feature of the grandstand, the rest of the Harry Abrahams is a tidy stadium with terracing in front of the stand which lays a fair way back from the pitch. There are two more covered enclosures behind one of the goals and another straddling the half way line on which stands a large clock decorated with the Star of David, reflecting the Jewish origins of the Wingate element of the club that is also a feature of the club’s crest.

As a football club supporter, winning games is what it is all about, but sometimes a treasure comes along that makes the day worthwhile despite the result and this was one of them. But, on Bank Holiday Monday, pure tribalism kicks in, the derby against Maidstone United, when the only architects that matter are those in blue shirts, creating the goals that beat our biggest of rivals.