Arlesey lose at home again

Arlesey Town 0 Wingate and Finchley 2

What could go wrong, did go wrong, for the Blues in a 2-0 home defeat by Wingate and Finchley on Tuesday night.

The miss of an early penalty, the visitors reduced to 10 men for two-thirds of the match, then failure to make their advantage pay, and the smallest attendance in memory - just 48 people.

And Wingate, who had recorded seven defeats in their previous seven matches, were naturally overjoyed.

In the 12th minute, Leon Gutzmore was tripped in the box and the home side had a golden opportunity. Unfortunately Lee Tekell's spot-kick was easily saved by keeper King and cleared to safety.

Arlesey enjoyed the early pressure and almost took the lead three minutes after the penalty failure when Craig Reynolds played the ball to Ryan Oliva, still in the box from a corner, only for his shot to be saved by the keeper's legs.

Wingate took the lead in the 24th minute as Arlesey failed to clear an attack down their left and a cross from O'Brien was turned into the net by Edmonds.

In the 32nd minute, Rifat was red carded for an off-the-ball incident on George Fowler although it appeared the ref had got the wrong man.

This deficiency in numbers was hardly noticed and Nyman almost increased the lead.

On the stroke of half time, a corner from Boyce was headed home at the far post by Amarteri for the second.

Obi Nene replaced Reynolds at the start of the second half.

The home side pushed forward more in desperation than with hope and shots from Shane Brown and Nene were off target.

The visitors should have added number three when Fowler somehow blocked a shot from Nyman.

King was not to be beaten and he made another excellent save from Nene to bring a night of misery for Arlesey to an end.

Blues: Howard, Waldron, Fowler, Oliva, Dillnutt, Beale, Osbourne, Brown, Reynolds, Gutzmore, Tekell.

Subs: Nene, King, Clark, Chung.