Pre-season friendly: Wingate & Finchley 1 Woking 1

Reece Beckles-Richards struck 11 minutes from time to ensure Wingate & Finchley picked up an impressive 1-1 friendly draw against National League side Woking at the weekend.

Having lost 7-1 in midweek to Boreham Wood, Keith Rowland’s side produced the perfect response despite the two division gap between the sides.

The Blues started on the front foot with Ahmet Rifat seeing a shot deflected narrowly wide, before debutant Marc Charles-Smith almost broke the deadlock when meeting Beckles-Richards’ centre, only to be thwarted by goalkeeper Nathan Baxter.

Woking, managed by former Blues player and coach Anthony Limbrick, started to settle into the game and only a Ola Williams block denied James Demetriou the opener.

But it was the Cards who were to take the lead on 19 minutes when striker Inih Effiong capitalised on Sean Cronin’s misjudgement and slotted beyond Wingate goalkeeper Shane Gore.

Undeterred, Wingate continue to push Woking, and before the half was out Beckles-Richards saw an effort fly just wide of the target.

The Cards build-up play continued to create chances, yet Effiong and Demetriou were unable to make the most of those opportunities.

Beckles-Richards saw another effort saved before two direct corners from Joe Sharpe were cleared off the line as Wingate continued to threaten Woking.

The equaliser almost came when Cronin rose highest to head another Sharpe corner, but the defender’s effort was just wide of the target, before Demetriou missed a golden opportunity for Woking when he blazed wide up the other end following a cutback from Bobson Bawling.

But with 11 minutes left on the clock, Wingate’s and Beckles-Richards’ persistence paid off with a deserved equaliser.

Beckles-Richards produced some quick footwork down the right hand side before unleashing a venomous shot.

The initial effort was spilled by Cards goalkeeper Sheldrick and trickled into the net to ensure a share of the spoils.

The Blues will be hoping to build on the encouraging performance when making the trip to face Bostik North side Hertford Town this evening.

Wingate: Gore, Ifil, Williams (Vanderhyde), Kizzi (Parker), Cronin, Rifat (Obafemi), Laney, McCall (Sharpe), Charles-Smith (Newson), Beckles-Richards, Tejan-Sie (Otudeko).