Wingate & Finchley vs Cray Wanderers – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 4th January, 3 pm – Match Preview
A NOTE FOR ALL SUPPORTERS TRAVELLING THAT THERE WILL BE AN 11 AM PITCH INSPECTION AHEAD OF THE GAME. THE RESULT WILL BE POSTED HERE.
Cray Wanderers play the first away game of 2025 on Saturday 4th January as Neil Smith’s in-form side head to North London to face Wingate & Finchley for the third time this season. Kick off 3 pm.
Cray have been on a good run since the start of December and have lost just one of the last seven games and on New Year’s Day produced another inventive and solid performance to beat Dulwich Hamlet 1-0 courtesy of Frankie Raymond’s 83rd minute strike. After a first half where Shaun Rowley had to make a couple of key saves, Cray were the better side in the second and Nathan Jeche, Michael Ihiedi, Kenny Coker and Josh Williams all came close to scoring before Raymond’s classy strike.
The win moved the Wands up to 11th in the table on 32 points from 24 games and a great turnaround and have picked up 26 points since a goalless draw with Whitehawk on 22nd October when Cray were at the bottom of the table and have had five 1-0 wins in the last seven matches. Defensively Cray have been very resolute conceding just twenty six goals and Shaun Rowley has kept fifteen clean sheets which is remarkable for a side that was struggling early in the season. The Dulwich win meant Cray are just six points behind Horsham in 5th place but perhaps more importantly nine clear of the bottom four although Cray have played a couple of games more.
Cray will be tested against a very strong Wingate & Finchley side who have just been going through an indifferent run of form and without a win in eight but were in the playoff places earlier in the season after one defeat in eight during October-November. Ahmet Rifat’s side have won at both Dover Athletic and Dartford and are a club that exceeded expectations by reaching the playoffs last season when usually tipped to struggle.
Wingate & Finchley never played on New Year’s Day as their game at Potters Bar Town was postponed due to the wet weather and their last outing was a 2-3 defeat at Folkestone Invicta on 28th December with goals from Zack Newton and Ben Ward-Cochrane. Wingate & Finchley are 13th in the table on 31 points after 23 games but another good run could see them playoff contenders once again.
The teams have met twice already this season in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup with the sides drawing 1-1 at Flamingo Park on 14th September with David Ijaha’s goal cancelled out by a late Ogo Obi penalty. Cray won the replay three days later at Wingate & Finchley with David Smith’s goal just before half time. The last time the sides met in the league was on January 27th 2024 with Gary Lockyer’s overhead kick winning the game for Cray 1-0.
At home this season Wingate & Finchley have beaten Dulwich Hamlet (3-2), Bowers & Pitsea (3-1), Carshalton Athletic (2-1) and Hastings United (2-1). They drew with Folkestone Invicta (3-3), Chichester City (1-1), Chatham Town (1-1) and Lewes 2-2. Wingate & Finchley were beaten by Potters Bar Town (1-2), Horsham (0-1), Billericay Town (0-1) and Cheshunt (0-1) on Boxing Day. Away form has seen wins at Canvey Island (3-2), Dover Athletic (3-2), Dartford (3-2), Hendon (6-1) and Whitehawk (2-0). Their other games ended in defeat at Carshalton Athletic, Dulwich Hamlet, Hashtag United, Cray Valley PM and Folkestone Invicta. Wingate & Finchley beat Thame United in the FA Cup before losing to the Wands and in the FA Trophy exited at the 3QR losing at Chatham Town and were beaten at home by Tilbury in the Isthmian League Cup.
Games between the sides over the years have been very close and always competitive and will be again although it may be one for the fans to wrap up warm.
DIRECTIONS TO WINGATE & FINCHLEY FC
Maurice Rebak Stadium, Summers Lane, Finchley, London N12 0PD
ADMISSION PRICES
Adults – £12
Conc (OAP, student, unemployed) – £8
U18s – Free
Cash and card are accepted at all sales points at the stadium.
Programmes: Online
Supporting ID required for concessions or full price admission will be charged
Driving
The simplest way to get to the stadium is to get on to the A406 North Circular Road.
If coming from the West (e.g. via M1), go past Henlys Corner (taking the left fork after the traffic lights) and then drive for about 1 mile. The exit to take is the one immediately after a BP garage. Take the slip road and then turn right at the lights onto the A1000.
If coming from the East (eg via A10, M11) take the A1000 turn off. At the end of the slip road turn left at the lights. Go straight over the next set of lights, then after 100m pass through another set of lights. Then at the next set of lights turn right into Summers Lane. The Stadium is a few hundred metres down on the right hand side.
- Car Parking
Please be aware NOT to park in the Rugby Club next door, as they will close their gates and lock you in. There are plenty of nearby streets, although please note not to park on the kerbs and also some surrounding roads have yellow lines.
The Club car park on matchdays is available for Club Officials (Home & Away), Players, Staff and VIP guests only.
Blue Badge Parking: 4 free spaces are available on the front forecourt.
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Tube
The nearest Underground station is West Finchley Station (Northern Line – High Barnet branch).
The station is a 10/15 minute walk away from the Ground. Alternatively go to East Finchley Station (also on the Northern Line, High Barnet branch) and get a 263 bus heading north towards Barnet. Get off at the bus stop just after the Summers Lane traffic lights
National Rail
The nearest station is New Southgate in Travelcard Zone 4, approximately 1.5 miles from the Abrahams Stadium. Trains are operated by First Capital Connect and can be picked up from Finsbury Park.
At the top of the station steps take the right hand gangway which brings you onto Station Road. Head left up Station Road towards the bus stop. The regular 382 service to Millbrook Park goes via Summers Lane and takes about 5-10 minutes. You will need to alight at the Woodgrange Avenue stop, which is a short walk to the ground.
Nearest Pubs: The nearest pubs are the Elephant Inn in North Finchley which is also a Thai Restaurant around 0.6 miles away with the Tally Ho (Wetherspoons) similarly located.
If coming into East Finchley then the Old White Lion and the Bald Faced Stag are a bit of a trek on foot but the 263 bus will take you from there close enough to the ground.
For a decent chippie The Two Brothers Fish restaurant in Finchley is worth a stop off. About 1.4 miles away or a 263 (south bound) bus will take you to the ground.
Finchley is an area of the LB of Barnet which has three town centres in East Finchley, North Finchley and Finchley Central (Church End) and developed from the late 1800’s with connections to the Great North Railway. The area is quite artistic and has been the site of a number of films and TV locations. Finchley was the home of the Goons’ Spike Milligan and there is a bronze statue in the Stephens House and Gardens in East End Road. It was also the constituency of Margaret Thatcher from 1959-1992 and former speaker of the house John Bercow. Also singer-songwriter George Michael was born in East Finchley and Spice Girl Emma Bunton was born in Finchley. The area has a large Jewish community and the original Wingate club who Cray Wanderers played in the 1950’s were formed in honour of an Israeli soldier Orde Wingate and to combat Anti-Semitism and the current set up was formed in 1991 as a merger of the Wingate and Finchley football clubs.
