Following successive draws against Hastings United and Lewes, the Bay knew that they couldn’t afford to slip up in their race to maintain their Isthmian League Premier Division status.

However, a 5-3 defeat at the hands of play-off chasing Cray Wanderers dealt a huge blow, with anything less than a win on Saturday meaning relegation to the South-East Division.

Kevin Watson’s side were left with a mountain to climb after two goals from Nyren Clunis and a strike from Sam Wood saw the Bay down by three.

Mason Saunders-Henry’s goal reduced the arrears before the break, before Jalen Jones scored our second and Cray’s fourth, the second of which came with ten minutes left to play.

Substitute Daniel Ogunleye looked to spark a late comeback for the hosts with a well taken goal in the 87th minute of the game.

However, Rio Campbell put the game to bed with three minutes to go as the Bay’s hopes of retaining their place in the Isthmian League Premier Division took a hefty blow.

The Opposition

Wingate and Finchley Football club can trace its roots back to the formation of Finchley Football Club in 1874 making it one of the oldest clubs in the country. Founded by Pa Jackson, who also was instrumental in the creation of the Corinthians, The London Football Association as well as later serving as secretary of the FA, Finchley became founder members of the Athenian League in 1912 after spells in the London League and North London League. They finished fourth in the maiden season, higher than such luminaries as Grays Athletic, Chelmsford City and Enfield.

However, their stay was cut short due to the onset of World War One and they would only return for a lone season in 1929 before returning to the London League and forging success.
It was immediately after the conflict that saw Major Harry Sadow, Frank Davis, George Hyams and Asher Rebak form a Jewish Football Club believing the field of play was a ground of battling the ignorance of anti-Semitism.

So, in 1946 Wingate Football Club began life in the Middlesex Senior League. The club was named after General Orde C. Wingate who despite not being Jewish himself oversaw the creation of the Israeli Army during the Second World War.

Meanwhile Finchley, back in the Athenian League, were in the middle of their glory years with the 1952-1953 season proving to be the pinnacle.

In 1991, with Finchley struggling in the Isthmian League Second Division and with mounting debts it was announced that a merger with Wingate would take place in the summer. After extensive refurbishment and a name change of the Summers Lane ground in honour of long time Wingate supporter Harry Abrahams, Wingate and Finchley took to the field for the start of the 1991-1992 season.

Success was immediate and despite starting life in the South Midlands League the club were quickly competing in the Isthmian League and by season 2003-2004 were members of the newly formed Division One North.

In recent seasons the club has continued its growth. A brief flirtation with the Southern League was shortly followed by the arrivals of Manager Michael Stone and Chairman Aron Sharpe. Now back in the Isthmian League a youthful squad achieved seventh position in the First Division North in the 2008-2009. Stone sadly left the club in 2009 after being offered the post of Assistant Manager at Conference giants Rushden and Diamonds.

A consistent league season for the First Team saw the side match their previous 3rd place league finish and earn a second crack at the playoffs. In the semi-final Harlow Town were beaten 4-2 after extra time, and promotion to the Ryman premier Division was won with a 118th minute winner over Brentwood Town in extra time of the final - The Blues winning 3-2 on their home turf.

This victory was the middle leg of a remarkable and unique Treble. Earlier that season the club had lifted the Ryman League Cup having beaten Dulwich Hamlet 2-0 at Imber Court, and London Senior Cup success was to follow shortly when Hendon were convincingly beaten 3-1 in the final.

The 2012-13 season was a difficult one for the first team. Early season poor form led to the departure of Norman in November as ex-Northwood boss Gary Meakin came in. The Club flirted with relegation all season until a momentous 3-2 victory over Lowestoft two days before the final day secured survival.

The 2016-17 season saw the club set a new record, finishing in 5th place in the Ryman Premier League and qualifying for the end of season playoffs. A last-minute defeat at Bognor Regis Town in the semi-final ended the season, but this was a magnificent achievement and saw the Blues win the League's Team Performance of the Year Award.

The subsequent three seasons saw a period of uncertainty both on and off the pitch, with short management stints for ex England International Nicky Shorey, ex-Premier League stalwart Glen Little and ex-West Ham Academy and Wingate & Finchley favourite Steve Clarke, followed by two null and void seasons under the stewardship of Spencer Knight due to the COVID pandemic.

In the summer of 2021, Club legends Ahmet Rifat (Director of Football) and Marc Weatherstone (Manager) were appointed as a new Management Team after nearly 1000 first team appearances between them.

Opposition so far

Our hosts on Saturday, while not enjoying the kind of campaign they would have wanted at the start of the season, were relieved to secure their Isthmian League Premier Division status last weekend with a 2-0 win at home against Potters Bar Town. The goals that day were scored by Dylan Kearney.

Key Players

Dylan Kearney (Forward): Irish striker who has already made a legendary goalscoring reputation at the club despite only joining on loan in late November 2021.

Previously featured for Hayes and Yeading, Wealdstone, Uxbridge, Harrow Borough, Sutton United and Dulwich Hamlet, Dylan signed on loan from Beaconsfield Town on loan last season, then signed a permanent deal over the summer, and has scored some crucial goals along the way. Including last season at Wingate, he has been the top scorer of a season at four different clubs.

Antonis Vasiliou (Winger): An ex-Barnet player who had time in their academy and first team, Antonis is an international winger, having four caps for Cyprus under-19s. He has also had loan spells at Berkhamsted, St Albans City, Beaconsfield Town, and Ashford Town (Middx). An exciting young technical player, he is also known for his hard work and dribbling abilities.

Loic Hernandez (Defender): A full back who is also capable down the wings spent 11 years with the academy of local rivals Barnet, including some time around their first team. Then upon his release in 2021 joined Wingate. Skilled in 1 on 1 battles and proficient at both attacking and defending. Also spent a loan with us during the 2018/19 season.

Last time we met

The last time we met was on December 3, 2022, at the MBS Stadium. On that occasion, a very late goal from Dan Johnson saw the Bay claim a point.