by Paul Lerman

Wingate & Finchley 0
Great Wakering Rovers 2
Ryman One North

Great Wakering Rovers came away from Wingate & Finchley with a resounding victory that will shock the play-off hopefuls, who were seemingly suffering a hangover from their cup exploits on Thursday.

It was the Blues however who dominated the first half, finding plenty of space in the centre of midfield. Full-back Marc Weatherstone shot with his left foot from outside the area but keeper Lewis Godwin-Green tipped the ball wide. From the resulting corner the ball was parried into Ahmet Rifat's body and it bounced back towards the goal but was hooked off the line.

Gary Burrell went on a surging run from deep inside his own half, and took the ball all the way up to the Wakering area. However his well-struck shot arrowed just wide of the right post.

Ola Williams, the man-of-the-match from Thursday night, was brought on for the injured Marc Weatherstone late in the first half. Unfortunately his first contribution was to clip the Wakering left winger inside the box and concede a penalty. Ross Wall fired the resulting kick off the right post via a touch from Bobby Smith and saw the ball bounce along the face of goal. It was played back in to Jack Carlisle who mis-hit his shot and Smith gathered.

Early in the second half Wingate nearly scored from a superb flowing move. Burrell broke forward through the centre and released Lewis Jones. His deep cross was headed down by Josh Cooper to Leon Smith, who controlled the ball with his back to goal, but he turned and smashed the ball against the post.

As the half wore on Smith was then sent clear by a long ball from Cooper and he rounded the goalkeeper, but put his effort wide with the goal gaping.

With ten minutes remaining the visitors scored a vital goal. With many players in numbers they went on a quick break down the left wing, and the ball was crossed low along the face of goal. Carlisle was on hand at the far post to tap the ball in.

At the other end Wingate looked to hit back as Rifat sent a swerving volley goalwards from outside the box that flew inches wide of the right post.

However Toran Senghore scored a second for Wakering as injury time approached, breaking from deep through the centre and slotting home low whilst at full stretch from the edge of the Wingate box.

Lineup: Smith B, Weatherstone (Williams 40), Wright, Fowler (O'Brien 46), Nielsen, Rifat, Cooper, Henry, Jones, Laird (Smith L 65), Burrell. Subs: McLachlan, Karagul.