Utter pandemonium descended on Wingate & Finchley FC on Tuesday night as the Isthmian League side played host to Wealdstone in an FA Trophy first-round replay.
Indeed, the sheer volume of fans flocking to the Rebak Stadium to watch the contest saw the home side forced the club into taking emergency measures…
Due to overwhelming demand we have opened the second turnstile for the first time since August 1957 pic.twitter.com/dNzS6PagNx
— Wingate&Finchley FC (@WinFinchleyFC) December 13, 2016
(Or thereabouts)
— Wingate&Finchley FC (@WinFinchleyFC) December 13, 2016
After totting up the ticket stubs, it was duly confirmed that the attendance was as huge as first estimated…
ATTENDANCE: Wingate & Finchley v Wealdstone – 280
— Wingate&Finchley FC (@WinFinchleyFC) December 13, 2016
To be fair, those 280 supporters certainly got their money’s worth as the tie went the distance.
They witnessed a flurry of late chances and a missed penalty as the game ended 1-1 in normal time, only for Wealdstone to nab a winner in the 120th minute…
FT Wingate 1 – 2 @wealdstonefc (AET)
Painful loss for a Blues side that can hold their heads high after matching a tough team toe-to-toe
— Wingate&Finchley FC (@WinFinchleyFC) December 13, 2016
A painful loss in the short term, but just think of those gate receipts.