August 31, 2024
Cup fever hit Thame as their local side took on Wingate and Finchley, from step 3 in the non-league pyramid, but with Thame United in good form so far this season a cup upset, whilst unlikely, was not totally out of the question.
These diaries covered Thame most recent outing, a 5-0 mauling of Kidlington, which give them five wins out of six in all competitions and with four clean sheets. The one blot on their record though, was a 0-4 home loss to Berkhamsted Town, a side relegated from step 3 last season.
So far in the FA Cup, Thame had registered two emphatic home wins against fellow Southern League Division One Central sides, first overcoming an Aylesbury United side, who still have a 100% record in the league, 3-0, and then thumping Beaconsfield Town, who were a step 3 side last season, 5-0.
Thame United Cup Runs
This is Thame’s best FA Cup run for 13 years, when in 2011/12 as an Hellenic League ( step 5 ) side they caused a sensation with a 2-0 home win over step 3 Brackley Town, who went on to become the Southern League Premier Division champions that season. Thame’s 45-year-old player-coach Jefferson Louis was a substitute for Brackley that day.
In the 2nd Qualifying Round, another shock looked possible as Thame led Oxford City, who would go on to be runners-up in the Southern League Premier Division runners-up, 1-0 at half-time. Unfortunately for the Red Kites, The Hoops turned it around to secure a 3-1 victory.
Thame United have reached the 4th Qualifying Round on two occasions.
In 2003/04, Thame, who were at step 4, were fortunate to have been drawn at home in each round as they eliminated VCD Athletic and Thamesmead before causing an upset with a 3-0 triumph over step 2 Bath City. Conference side Farnborough Town, who the previous season had reached the 4th Round and played Arsenal, stood in the way of Thame’s first ever appearance in the 1st Round proper but with 909 spectators watching, Farnborough narrowly squeezed home with a 2-1 win.
In 2004/05, a crowd of 778, including Fatbear, witnessed Conference side Forest Green Rovers proving to be far too strong for Thame with a 5-0 win. Jefferson Louis was one of the goal scorers for Rovers !
Earlier in the competition, Thame had clocked up the miles with away wins at Norwich United ( 1-0 ) and Gorleston ( 4-1 ) before knocking out step 2 Weymouth 2-1 at home in a replay after a 1-1 draw in Dorset. That result caused national headlines as immediately after the match Weymouth sacked player-manager Steve Claridge, the ex-Leicester City, Birmingham City, Millwall and Portsmouth forward and a TV & radio pundit at the time, and left him at the ground with no means of getting home, and reportedly had to be given a lift by a Thame official !
Wingate & Finchley History
Wingate and Finchley were formed in 1991 following the merger of Wingate FC and Finchley FC. They took Wingate’s place in South Midlands League Premier Division but played at Finchley’s Summers Lane ground, which is now the Maurice Rebak Stadium. The club are also known as The Blues.
Wingate were formed in Hendon in 1946 with the aim of forming a Jewish club to fight antisemitism. Their Hall Lane ground was demolished in 1972 to make way for an extension to the M1, so they briefly moved in with Finchley, and in 1975 Wingate merged with Leyton to form Leyton-Wingate.
Finchley were founded in 1874 and mostly played in the Athenian League until transferring to the Isthmian League in 1973. Financial difficulties lead to the merger with Wingate.
Wingate and Finchley are still often perceived as being a Jewish club, partly through the history of Wingate FC but also due Finchley’s significant Jewish population and the Star of David forming part of their club crest. They are also able to apply for a special dispensation to move their games should they fall on Yom Kippur.
Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was the MP for Finchley for 33 years.
Promotion to the Isthmian League was won in 1994/95 and they secured promotion to the Ryman Premier Division with extra-time victories over Harlow Town and Brentwood Town in the 2010/11 play-offs.
In 2013/14, Wingate and Finchley were reprieved from relegation when Worksop Town pulled out of the Southern League, and they achieved their highest finish up to that point in 2016/17 when then ended in 5th place but lost out to Bognor Regis Town in the play-off.
This was surpassed last season when Wingate and Finchley finished in 4th place but were beaten 0-1 at Enfield Town in the play-off semi-final.
Wingate & Finchley This Season
There have been plenty of goals in Wingate and Finchley’s games this season, with three being the lowest amount scored so far. They started with a 3-2 home win over Dulwich Hamlet but then lost by the same score at Carshalton Athletic. Their match at home to Folkestone Invicta was abandoned in the last minute with the score standing at 3-3 following a serious injury to W&F keeper Prince Adegoke, who thankfully was discharged from hospital the following day.
Another 3-2 score followed, with a victory at Canvey Island, before slipping to a 1-2 home loss to Potters Bar Town.
A decision is still to be made as to whether the 3-3 score with Folkestone stands as the final result or the match will need to be replayed. With those two sides having played one game less than everyone else in the Isthmian League Premier Division, Wingate & Finchley were in 14th place in the table.
Including the goals from the Folkestone game, their top scorer so far was ex Slough Town and Maidstone centre-forward Ogo Obi with four goals. These diaries saw Obi score a penalty for Chesham United last season at Didcot.
Destiny Oladipo had three goals to his name, having signed from Margate just before the start of the season, having only joined Margate from Dover in March. Striker Luke Deslandes had scored twice.
Keeper Charlie Grainger played in the EFL for Leyton Orient and played for Dulwich Hamlet in 2022 in a game featured in these diaries. Captain Billy Cracknell played once for Colchester and Italian centre-back Ben Frempah has played for Ross County and Wycombe Wanderers in a nomadic career. Midfielder Arthur Iontton played 38 times for Stevenage Borough and Cypriot attacking midfielder Andronikos Georgiou played 9 matches for Stevenage. Winger Ayo Tanimowo was at Brighton, playing in the under 19s and 21s before being released.
Previous Meetings
The Wingate & Finchley website mentions that the two sides have only played each other four times, between 2002 and 2004 when they were in the Isthmian Division One North but were then separated by league restructuring.
In 2003/04 both results were away wins, with Thame winning 4-1 at the Maurice Rebak Stadium, whilst The Blues won 2-1 at Windmill Road. In 2002/03, Wingate and Finchley won both meetings 1-0.
Matchday Information
The journey from Finchley to Thame is around 50 miles and should take approximately 70 minutes via the M1, M25 and A41.
The weather at the 15.00 kick-off was cloudy, with the temperature around 20 degrees, but it was windy so I was glad I had a coat with me !
Thame made one change to the side that started against Kidlington, with Jack Tutton replacing Jefferson Louis, who dropped to the bench. Wingate and Finchley made three changes from the side which lost at home to Potters Bar, with Welsh keeper Fergal Hale-Brown, Irish left wing-back Michael O’Donoghue and Obi coming into the side. O’Donoghue was another to have played once for Colchester.
Around 15 Wingate and Finchley supporters had congregated behind the goal their side was attacking, and they had some amusing banners, including “This Is All We Take”, “More Flags Than Fans” & “Riddled With Cockney”
Wingate & Finchley took to the field wearing royal blue shirts and white shorts and socks. Thame were in their usual red and black stripe shirts.
Matchday Report
The visitors started strongly and in the first minute Isaac ( Zach ) Newton collided with Thame centre-back Finlay Murray, and as the Thame player fell to the ground the game continued. Newton laid the ball off to Obi who played a delightful defence splitting pass for Donoghue to run onto, but the Irishman was just unable to prevent the ball going out for a goal-kick.
Thame won a free kick in a promising position but after Hogg’s delivery bounced around the Wingate penalty box, Alexander sent a left footed shot well over the bar from the edge of the area.
Wingate were passing the ball at pace and making imaginative runs, and even at this early stage looked a very good side. Thame were having to work hard but in the 6th minute Georgiou committed a late tackle on Thame midfielder Mark Riddick but no card was shown. Some feisty challenges were going in and Riddick was spoken to by the referee after one foul, but again the card stayed in the referee’s pocket.
Tutton was then cynically brought down by Frempah as he ran from the half-way line but again the offender was only penalised by the free kick award.
With 10 minutes played, the visitors won the first corner of the game, which was played short to Ryan Lowe, who when challenged by Ollie Hogg fell theatrically to the floor. The referee was unimpressed, and the ball rolled off the pitch for a goal kick.
The referee’s patience finally ended in the 14th minute when Lowe made a bad foul on Alexander as Thame man ran into the Wingate half, and a yellow card was produced. The free kick was played in low to the area for McElroy to head on for Tutton to run for, but Cracknell anticipated and cleared for a throw-in just before Tutton and the keeper could get to the ball, and there was a three-way collision.
Hogg then sent a 25 yarder a couple of feet over, shortly after which Tanimowo made a pathetic dive in attempt to con the referee for a free-kick after his poor control put the ball off for a throw-in.
Wingate’s Lowe found some space on the left, but Stranks slid in to block the low ball into the area at the expense of a corner. Tanimowo’s corner found Frempah beyond the far post, but his header went narrowly over the bar.
Thame’s response was to release Braydon Daniel on the left, and the Oxford City loanee’s left footed drive was met by a good diving save by Hale-Brown at this near post for a corner. Wingate had to concede another corner which saw a scramble in the 6-yard box, but then the ball was cleared only as far as Galpin, who optimistically tried to volley from the edge of the area, only to see his effort go out of the ground and onto the ring road.
In the 24th minute, Galpin’s misplaced defensive header gave Newton the chance to try and control the bouncing ball, but the ball ended up at the feet of Georgiou who shot a yard over from 20 yards.
A minute later McElory ran across the face of the Wingate penalty area and was brought down. Toby Byron was shown a yellow card, but that may have been for what he said rather than for the foul ? The free kick deflected off for a corner, which was then wasted.
With 28 minutes played a neat move involving Newton and Georgiou saw Newton being able to turn on the angle penalty area, and he decided to try and chip the Thame keeper, only to see the ball strike the top of the bar and go over.
A minute later Georgiou showed some good skill with a delicate ball from the right wing played with the outside of his left foot, but Thame were able to clear, but only as far as Obi, whose left-footed 20 yard effort also hit the bar and went over. The visitors had hit the bar twice in little more than a minute and the Thame goal was living a charmed life !
However, the home side’s luck soon ran out. Wingate produced a flowing move down the left wing and the ball was played across the Thame 6-yard area where it was met by Tanimowo beyond the far post. His effort took a deflection towards the goal, and Crowther desperately clawed the ball away. It may have crossed the line, but Iontton following up bundled the ball over the line and into the net. 0-1 after 32 minutes.
Five minutes later O’Donoghue ran onto a ball inside the Thame penalty area but went down far too easily when challenged by Galpin and the referee allowed play to continue.
McElroy went on a good run for Thame and passed to Alexander, who found Tutton inside the area, but after a thigh trap to control, the shot was partially blocked and the keeper gathered.
O’Donoghue again got into a good position on the left and when the ball was reworked, Byron went on a barnstorming run at the Thame back-line but was tripped 20 yards from goal. The free kick from Lowe was headed away.
Newton showed impressive pace to race onto a long ball towards the corner flag but when Alexander gave him a push, Newton’s Law of Gravity was confirmed as he crashed to the deck. Alexander received a yellow card for his efforts.
Georgiou then showed good feet in a tight area to win a corner, from which Frempah was again left unmarked at the far post, but this time his header hit a defender and went off for another corner. Thame unconvincingly defended the set-piece at their near post for a third consecutive corner. Lowe’s delivery again found Frempah and his header hit the underside of the bar and bounced up for keeper Crowther to claim.
The last action of half saw McElroy pick up his side’s second yellow card when Frempah was pushed over as the centre-back attempted to shield the ball out of play for a goal kick.
Wingate & Finchley deserved led at the interval, but they could easily have been leading by more than the one goal.
Thame started the second half brightly, but after a flowing move involving Alexander, Tutton and Daniel, the cross from the left wing sailed just over the bar. McElroy then latched onto a long ball from Alexander and wriggled past Byron, but his shot from a tight angle was saved by Hale-Brown at his near post and went off for a corner.
An odd moment occurred in the 54th minute when Thame’s Hogg went down with a head injury after a challenge, and play was stopped to allow treatment to the injured player. The visitors were astonished when the referee then awarded a free kick to Thame !
Play had become scrappy as Thame continued to battle. Thame keeper Crowther was called upon to claw the ball away from the top corner after Newton’s free kick had come of the head of Galpin then ricochets off two other players. A minute later Crowther made another good save, diving at his near post to deny Obi.
Stranks was having a good game for Thame, and the right-back went on a 60-yard run to win a corner, which was headed away at the near post.
With 64 minutes played, a Thame free kick was played in to the danger zone and as the ball bounced around, Murray, laying on the floor was able to get a foot on the ball, but could only scoop over the bar.
However, despite having put Wingate & Finchley under pressure Thame were unable to score the equaliser, and The Blues doubled their lead. Tanimowo made a good run down the right wing, and played in Newton, whose shot from 8 yards was parried by Crowther. Unfortunately for the Thame keeper, the ball rolled into the path of Obi, who fired home from close to the penalty spot. 0-2 after 65 minutes.
With Thame still reeling from this reversal, Newton went on a strong run and when his pass reached Georgiou, the Cypriot sent a classy 20 yard left footed shot curling into the bottom corner, past the right hand of the diving Crowther. 0-3 with 69 minutes played.
With the result of the cup-tie now seemingly destined, both sides made a raft of substitutions. Wingate should have extended their lead after 72 minutes, but Lowe’s cross from the left was poorly headed by Garret-Douglas, unmarked 6 yards out, and he could only direct back across goal for a goal kick.
Thame created a half chance when Tamplin’s cross was headed across goal by Riddick, but Murray could only head at the keeper. Wingate’s response was for Georgiou to have a 20-yard shot saved by Crowther.
Crowther was in action again in the 80th minute when Galpin’s under hit pass put him under pressure with Obi bearing down on him and his clearance struck the Wingate striker, but Crowther reacted quickly to dive on the loose ball before Newton could pounce.
Thame’s substitutes had brought new energy to their side, although perhaps subconsciously Wingate may have relaxed a little with their passage to the next round assured. A scramble in the Wingate area saw two Thame shots blocked.
Louis won a free-kick after being hauled to the ground when holding up the ball and backing into the defender, but although Tucker’s free kick sailed over the wall, Hale-Brown was equal to it with a diving save to push the ball away. Brown had a long range attempt saved by the sprawling Wingate keeper. Louis then proved to be too strong for Frempah but Garcia was crowded out by three Wingate players after trying to jink his way into a shooting position.
Wingate added another goal a minute from time. Garret-Douglas was played into space down the right wing and his pinpoint cross reached the unmarked Obi 8 yards out, and he buried his header for his second goal of the game. 0-4 with 89 minutes on the clock.
There was still time for Garcia to get past Webb on the right flank, but his low shot was saved by Hale-Brown. At the other end, the visitors should have added a fifth but after Garret-Douglas twisted and turned to get past Lucey, his ball drilled across the face of the goal hit Tanimowo three yards from goal, but Crowther was able to dive on the ball before it crossed the line.
In the 5th minute of added time, Garcia tried his luck again but with the ball seemingly heading into the corner of the net, Hale-Brown produced a diving finger-tipped save. The corner was partially cleared as far as Tucker, whose long-range attempt flashed narrowly wide.
The final whistle was blown immediately afterwards, and Wingate and Finchley progressed Monday's draw for the 2nd Qualifying Round with a well-deserved victory which reflected their higher status in the pyramid.
Thame fought hard and had their moments, but ultimately, they were beaten by the better side.
Matchday Programme : https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/files.pitchero.com/clubs/13461/GqwFBQwcSMaQF9TTiV5C_Match%20Day%20Programme%20Wingate%20&%20Finchley.pdf
Thame United : Crowther – Stranks, Galpin, Murray, Lucey – Daniel ( Brown ), Tutton ( Tucker ), Riddick, Hogg ( Louis ) – Alexander ( Garcia ), McElroy ( Tamplin )
Wingate & Finchley FC : Hale-Brown – Cracknell ( Webb ), Frempah, Byron ( Garret-Douglas ) – Tanimowo, Iontton ( Deslandes ), Lowe ( Okoh ), Georgiou ( Roberts ), O’Donoghue – Newton, Obi
