WINGATE & FINCHLEY 1 DIDCOT TOWN 2

WINGATE & Finchley’s FA Cup campaign was over before it started as they fell to a home defeat to Didcot Town.

The opening goal came after 25 minutes when the visitors worked a nice move which culminated in a good finish by Brett Gardner at the near post.

Wingate nearly equalised ten minutes later when a corner resulted in Sean Cronin volleying a ferocious attempt but it was headed over by a defender.

Lewis Putman saw his cross-shot saved smartly by Leigh Bedwell after a purposeful drive into the box soon after the restart.

Didcot doubled their lead just after the hour mark when Callum McNish tapped in from a yard out when a squared ball deflected off a defender and fell into his path.

Few clear-cut chances were created in the second half, although Marc Charles-Smith’s burst into the box after taking on a defender could’ve ended in a goal if it weren’t for a superb recovery challenge.

Wingate did register, through a penalty with two minutes remaining. The referee spotted a handball and Cronin fired home powerfully.

Despite the possibility of a grandstand finish, coupled with McNish’s late sending off for a second yellow, the equaliser never came, consigning Wingate to their first defeat at this stage of the competition since 2013.