Kingstonian vs Wingate & Finchley

The first half ended goalless, with Kingstonian controlling possession (55% overall) but unable to find a way past the Wingate & Finchley defence. The visitors managed just one shot on target across the 90 minutes.

The deadlock was broken in the 51st minute when Kingstonian won a penalty and Flaherty stepped up to convert. The goal sparked a quickfire double — O'Brien made it 2-0 in the 53rd minute, catching the Blues' backline flat-footed.

Flaherty added his second in the 77th minute to round off the scoring, taking his pre-season tally to three goals in two appearances.

The penalty awarded just after the hour mark was the decisive moment. Until Flaherty's 51st-minute strike, Wingate & Finchley had kept Kingstonian at bay despite sustained pressure. The goal opened the floodgates, with O'Brien netting within 120 seconds to put the game beyond reach before half the second half had elapsed.

Stan Flaherty — The forward was the match-winner, scoring twice (51' pen, 77') and leading the line with energy throughout. He was withdrawn after his second goal with the job done.

Sean O'Brien — Made it 2-0 with a composed finish in the 53rd minute, continuing his impressive pre-season form after scoring twice in the previous friendly.

Kingstonian defence — Limited Wingate & Finchley to just one shot on target all game, with the Blues managing only 45% possession and seven total shots. The clean sheet was the Ks' first of pre-season.

Kingstonian's 19 total shots to seven, with seven on target against Wingate & Finchley's one, tells the story of a one-sided contest. The 55-45% split in possession undersells Kingstonian's dominance — the dangerous attacks count (40-28) better reflects territorial control. Both Wingate & Finchley yellow cards came in the second half as they struggled to contain Kingstonian's momentum after the opening goal. Six substitutions for Kingstonian and seven for Wingate & Finchley underline the experimental nature of the friendly, with both managers rotating freely.

This was Kingstonian's fourth pre-season fixture ahead of the 2026/27 Isthmian League campaign. The result builds on a 7-2 win over Tooting & Mitcham United, a 3-3 draw with AFC Portchester, and a 1-0 win at Binfield. Wingate & Finchley, meanwhile, suffered a rare defeat in pre-season after earlier friendlies against Royston Town, Welwyn Garden City, and Uxbridge.

Kingstonian's next pre-season fixture is at home to Tooting & Mitcham United on 18 July 2026. Wingate & Finchley face Hadley away on the same day.

A thoroughly professional pre-season performance from Kingstonian. The scoreline reflected their dominance — clinical finishing from Flaherty and O'Brien, combined with a near-impenetrable defensive display, made for a comfortable evening. Wingate & Finchley will take positives from a disciplined first-half display but will need to sharpen up in the final third before competitive action begins.