CAFC vs Wingate & Finchley – Preview
Robins Review
Carshalton Athletic ran out 2-1 winners over Folkestone Invicta on Saturday thanks to a debut David Smith goal. Currently, the Robins languish 10th in the league on 16 points with a game in hand over Chichester and Hendon who will be in their sights above.
When we last faced off against Wingate & Finchley at the beginning of the season, it was a tightly contested affair and not one for the faint-hearted. Despite an impressive first-half performance capped off by a Dom Vose brace to put the Robins in the ascendancy heading into the break, the Blues had levelled proceedings on the hour mark, largely thanks to the brilliance of Deslandes. Thankfully our skipper was at hand to bail us out, bundling the ball over the line following a pinball-like scramble to peg the visitors back once again. We held on to claim the three points and avoid a third successive defeat to Wingate.
Wingate & Finchley
Wingate & Finchley suffered a 2-1 defeat away to Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday, despite taking the lead inside 17 minutes, Danny Mills 97th minute winner broke Blues hearts.
Ahmet Rifat’s side are fourth in the Isthmian Premier Division on 20 points after 11 games. It was a mixed start to the 2024-25 campaign for the north London-based side, boasting three wins, which included a cup tie Thame United victory, as well as one draw and two losses. September proved to be even more difficult for Wingate, falling to defeat against Bognor Regis and Cray Wanderers. That said, following a hard-fought 1-1 with Chichester City the Blues all of a sudden spurred into life securing a 2-1 win over league toppers and one of the favourites to get promoted Dover Athletic. Even since then, Wingate have been flying high in confidence and winning 12-3 on aggregate across their last three games, dispatching off Bowers & Pitsea, Dartford, and Hendon, the latter finishing a devastating 6-1. It has been an extremely good month for Rifat’s team.
The Blues enjoyed a historic 23/24 campaign, which saw them finish fourth in the Premier Division and achieve playoffs; however, they fell short at the semi-finals stage following a 1-0 defeat to Enfield Town. Despite this, it was a superb season for Wingate, largely thanks to manager and club legend Rifat, who was rewarded with the “Gaffer of the Season” award, and justifiably so, by Ball Hour and UrFreshTVSport. The young manager transformed the London-based side. He built a young team that played exciting football and scored plenty of goals with the prolific front three of Elliot Long, Ruben Carvalho, and Anointed Chukwu, dazzling crowds.
Long and Carvalho netted 43 times this year, achieving the highest finish in the club’s history and more goals than ever, 78.
They proved formidable in 2024, winning 23 games, joint third with Horsham and Billericay and only behind Chatham and league winners Hornchurch. They also tasted defeat on just five occasions in the second half of the campaign. In his post-season debrief, the manager spoke about the pride the players and the club should feel in what they built this season.
Unfortunately for Wingate, the incredible individual performances in Rifat’s team stirred up a lot of interest from clubs in the higher divisions, and there were a considerable number of important outgoings in the summer.
Welling United snatched the deadly duo of Long and Chukwu, while winger Carvalho departed for Maidenhead. Subsequently, it was a busy summer for Rifat, who completed the signings of eleven new players and set about retaining nine members of the playoff squad at the Maurice Rebak Stadium.
Likely line-ups
Carshalton Athletic
Whitter, Sankoh, Atewologun, Hamstead, Read, Saraiva, Kastrati, Bradford, Ifeanyi, Saunders-Henry, Frimpong
Wingate & Finchley
Grainger, Garrett-Douglas ©, Byron, Iontton, Webb, Drakes-Thomas, Newton, Tanimowo, Briscoe, Roberts, Hernandez
Team News
Goalkeeper Mackenzie Foley and striker Luke Cook are both long term absentees owing to injury, Sam Roberts will replace Foley having arrived on loan from Sutton United. New centre-backs signings Dilan Pauw and will be pushing the likes of Ollie Hamstead and Fikayo Atewologun for a starting spot in defence. We have also made another couple of new additions, … and … will be available for selection.
Pre-Match Analysis
Wingate have netted an outstanding 28 times in the 2024-25 campaign, which is second in the league only to frontrunners Dover athletic on 33. That said, Rifat’s side have conceded a lot of goals with a Goals Against of 20, which is more than 15 teams in the Premier. It is no secret that Wingate have a very attacking style of play, so while they will create several chances, the Blues are vulnerable at the other end of the pitch.
Key Player
Ogo Obi is by far and away the top scorer for Wingate, having netted 13 times. Obi is in a fine fettle of form at the moment, collecting a hat trick in the 6-1 thumping of Hendon last week. When the forward put pen to paper over the summer, Rifat was under no illusion to the fire power he was adding to his ranks; however, Obi has proven to have been one of the signings of the year in the Isthmian Premier. He was a part of the Chesham United team that achieved were achieved promotion to the National League South last season. The attacker was on loan from step 2 Maidstone United.
The Gaffer
Before taking to the helm at Wingate, Ahmet Rifat was the record appearance holder at the club, weaving himself into Blues folklore. Initially, he returned to the club in 2021 as director of football, alongside Marc Weatherstone, who had just been appointed manager. The pair spent a decade playing together and were tasked with ensuring Wingate went back to their ethos of development and progression pathways for young players and coaches.
When Weatherstone was given the boot after a disappointing 15th place finish in the 2022-23 campaign and a disastrous start to the following one, which saw him pick up only one victory in two months, Clapton in the London Cup, Rifat replaced him.
The board were patient with the young coach, and despite an underwhelming 16th-place finish in his first season, he rewarded them with their first playoff appearance since 2016-17 a year later.
Match Details
Date: Tuesday November 5, 2024.
Venue: The Maurice Rebak Stadium
Kickoff: 7:45 pm
Admission: £12 (Adults), £8 (Concessions), £5 (Ages 11-18), Under-11’s (Free)
Tickets: https://www.wingatefinchley.com/first-team-match-tickets
