The teams take the field

HENDON PROGRESS IN FA CUP

Jim Taylor

There were 5 Middlesex affiliated clubs engaged in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup on Saturday last, 17th September.   Your roving team visited Hendon’s splendidly reinvigorated Silver Jubilee Park Stadium for their home tie against near neighbours Wingate & Finchley.   Hendon upgraded their 3G playing surface before the start of this season.  

To reach this stage of the competition, Hendon had won 5-1 at Potton United in the 1st Qualifying Round, while their visitors had beaten Bowers & Pitsea 1-0 at home.

Neither club has started its respective league campaign very well.  Hendon are currently bottom of the Southern Premier League South, having lost all of their 6 matches to date, while Wingate & Finchley are 20th in the Isthmian League Premier with 4 draws and 2 defeats in their 6 matches.

Nevertheless, both sides contributed to an entertaining cup tie on a pleasant autumn afternoon.   Hendon took their scoring opportunities in the first half to build up a 3-0 lead.   Wingate hit back in the second half and managed to reduce the deficit, just after an hour’s play but Hendon held on fairly comfortably to win 3-1.

Following a well observed silence for her late majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, the visitors went straight onto the attack and had the ball in the Hendon net in the second minute.   However, the whistle had already been blown for offside.   Hendon then took the initiative and a shot from Arthur Iontton was blocked, at the expense of a corner.   A shot from Liam Brooks, following that corner kick, was well saved by Wingate custodian, Ben Goode.

Hendon took the lead in the 13th minute through Dave Diedhiou, who was at the back post to head home Rohdell Gordon’s perfectly placed corner kick.

Dave Diedhiou heads Hendon's first goal

 

Wingate then had two attempts on the home goal.   A long drive by Alkeo Bani was comfortably taken by Hendon keeper, Marcin Brzozowski, who then saved low down from Kavan Cotter.

Liam Brooks nets, but is given offside

 

Liam Brooks was prominent in the home attack.   He netted but was adjudged to be offside.   Then his dangerous low cross was blocked and his shot across goal passed narrowly wide of the far post.

Robbie Buchanan (11) nets Hendon's second from close range

 

Robbie Buchanan scored Hendon’s second goal in the 34th minute by finishing a good three man move from close range.

Kavan Cotter's corner is headed narrowly wide by Richie Danquah

 

Kavan Cotter’s corner was headed behind by a Hendon defender and his retake was headed narrowly wide by Richie Danquah.

Joe White nets Hendon's third goal

 

Just before the interval, Liam Brooks set up Joe White, who smacked the ball into the net for Hendon’s 3rd goal with aplomb.

Score at half time: Hendon 3   Wingate & Finchley 0

Liam Brooks was fouled just outside the corner of the penalty box.   Rohdell Gordon took the kick, which found Liam, who was thwarted by a defender’s intervention.   Then Liam made progress up the wing but his final shot was blocked.

Loic Hernandez is tripped...

 

Wingate reduced the arrears in the 61st minute.   Kavan Cotter released Loic Hernandez, who was tripped inside the box.   Dylan Kearney blasted the resulting penalty into the centre of the goal.

...and Dylan Kearney converts the penalty

 

Wingate pressed for another goal.   Hendon keeper, Marcin Brzozowski was forced to leave his penalty area to head clear.   Marcin then made an excellent save by pushing a header from Elliot Long onto the post and out for a corner.

Wingate substitute, Theo Ofori, broke menacingly through the middle but Solomon Sambou did just enough to allow the ball to run for a goal kick. Then Alkeo Bani set up Theo, whose shot was blocked.

Joe White almost scores a fourth for Hendon

 

As time ran out, Hendon twice almost scored on the break.   Joe White fired just past the post after being set up by Rhodell Gordon and Tommy Brewer unsuccessfully tried to catch keeper Ben Goode off of his line with a free kick from half way.

Ben Goode recovers to gather Tommy Brewer's long range free kick

Troy Williams burst into the home box during added time but his centre failed to find a suitable head.

Final score: Hendon 3   Wingate & Finchley 1

Hendon: Marcin Brzozowski, Dave Diedhiou, Giovanni Palmer (Josh Dawodu 78 min), Solomon Sambou, Guri Demura (Tommy Brewer 72), Tarik Moore-Azille, Rohdell Gordon, Arthur Iontton, Joe White (capt), Liam Brooks and Robbie Buchanan (Bobson Bawling 72).

Unused substitutes: Frank Keita, Bradley Shaw (gkpr), Alie Bangura and Kieron Forbes.

Wingate & Finchley: Ben Goode (capt), Troy Williams, Daniel Emovon. Alkeo Bani, Yannis Ambroisine, Richie Danquah (Sam Cornish 46), Dernell Wynter, Kavan Cotter (Freddie Hinds 81), Dylan Kearney (Theo Ofori 66), Elliot Long and Loic Hernandez.

Unused substitutes: Antonis Vasiliou, Fergal Hale-Brown (gkpr), Camron Gbadebo and Emmanuel Yeboah.

Referee: Joe Woolmer   Assistant Referees: Harry Price and Jamie Stevenson.

Two of the other 4 Middlesex clubs involved at this stage of the competition won away from home.   Hanwell Town recorded a 2-1 victory at Cray Valley, despite trailing at half time.   Their goals were scored by Conrad Lucan and Shomari Barnwell.   Hampton & Richmond Borough won 2-0 at Bognor Regis Town thanks to an early goal from Ade Shokunbi and an OG.

Hayes & Yeading achieved a good result in forcing a replay at Farnborough, the team that beat them in last season’s Southern League Premier Division play-off.   Taylor Miles scored their goal in a 1-1 draw.

Uxbridge lost a keenly contested game at Eastbourne Borough 2-0.

We thank Chris & Jim for their recent travels as they took in an entertaining North London Derby, as ever Chris & Jim have reviewed the photos, and selected their favourites which can be seen throughout the report. Chris has also very kindly provided a full album of imagery from the match.

Chris & Jim's Picks

Full album courtesy of Chris Benn