Met Police steal points again as Wingate & Finchley rue missed chances
Reece Beckles-Richards got his 21st of the season for Wingate & Finchley against the Met Police. Picture: MARTIN ADDISON - Credit: Archant
Wingate & Finchley suffered defeat at the hands of Met Police for the third time this season – losing 3-2 at Summers Lane despite having far more chances than their visitors.
A quiet first-half saw the teams go into the break at 0-0 with Wingate left rueing several ‘nearly’ moments.
Spencer McCall and Ben Pattie combined to set Reece Beckles-Richards free, but he could only send his shot wide of the post from 12 yards out.
McCall and Beckles-Richards combined to good effect minutes later, but the former saw his powerful effort saved by Brannon Daly and the corner was cleared.
McCall was at the heart of the action again, dictating play and creating chances, but his cross on 27 minutes was just too high for Rob Laney to head home at the back post.
The most amusing moment of the half saw ex-Wingate player, Ola Sogbanmu emulate Diego Maradona. As a cross came in from the left wing, Sogbanmu was only able to find the back of the net via his hand - and was rewarded with a yellow card for his sins.
At the other end, Pattie was played in on goal but fired wide while off-balance.
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The second half began with a goal, as Sean Cronin played in Laney, who squared across Daly for Pattie to tap into an empty net.
However, a minute later the Police were level. A clumsy push by Tanasheh Abrahams in the box saw the visitors awarded with a penalty, which Charlie Collins finished emphatically.
Beckles-Richards put Wingate back in front, finishing emphatically after Tommy Tejan-Sie floated an inch-perfect ball over the top to the striker.
However, once again, Keith Rowland’s side could not hold their lead and Olli Robinson found space inside the area and drilled home just three minutes later.
In the final 15 minutes, Wingate had numerous chances to score a third.
Claudiu Vilcu headed straight at Daly, Tejan-Sie fired inches wide of the post and then forced the keeper into a smart, low save.
Instead, the Met Police capitalised on a poor Luke Ifil clearance and, for the second time this season, Roman Michael-Percil scored the winner at Summers Lane.
Wingate: Gore, Ifil, Abrahams, Vilcu, Cronin, Rifat, Laney (Obafemi 79), McCall, Pattie, Beckles-Richards, Tejan-Sie
Subs (not used): Wales, Sharpe, Young, Vanderhyde
Goals: Pattie 52, Beckles-Richards 66
Met Police: Daly, Williams, Salmon, McLaughlin, Robinson, Bartley, Sogbanmu, Hickey, Collins, Abbulla, Michael-Percil
Subs (not used): Robertson, Mugabo, Macklin, Wilson, Nurse
Goals: Collins (pen) 54, Robinson 69, Michael-Percil 85
HT: Wingate & Finchley 0 Metropolitan Police 0
Attendance: 117
Referee: Stephen Bates
