Wigmore Wanderers FC 5 vs 6 Cliffe Woods Colts First

Wigmore Wanderers FC hosted Cliffe Woods Colts First at Hempstead Recreation Ground #1 on the morning of 3 May 2026, with kick-off at 10:30am in a fiercely contested cup tie. The match ended in a thrilling 6-5 victory for Cliffe Woods Colts after 90 minutes of pulsating football, witnessed by a modest crowd of 23 spectators.

Wigmore Wanderers lined up in a 4-2-1-3 formation, aiming to balance defensive solidity with attacking flair. Zach Henderson took his place between the sticks as goalkeeper, protected by a back four comprising Ben Brewster at right-back, Harvey Edkins and Alex Toms as central defenders, and Harry Smith on the left flank. The midfield double pivot featured Harley Tutt and Leon Vidler tasked with both breaking up play and initiating attacks, while James Lundie operated as the attacking midfielder, linking midfield and forward lines. Up front, Wigmore deployed a front three with Kai Wong on the right wing, Jason Yuen leading the line as striker, and George Hennessy on the left wing, all expected to stretch the opposition defence and create scoring opportunities. The substitutes bench included Jack Downey and Tom Spearink, ready to influence the game if called upon.

The game exploded into life within the opening minutes as James Lundie opened the scoring for Wigmore with a close-range tap-in, neatly finished with his right foot following a precise assist from Harley Tutt in the very first minute. However, Cliffe Woods Colts responded swiftly, levelling the score just two minutes later with a powerful strike from outside the box, also with the right foot, leaving Henderson with little chance.

Wigmore regained the lead at the sixth minute when George Hennessy converted a cross from Kai Wong inside the penalty area with a composed right-foot finish. The early exchanges were frantic, and the visitors equalised again at 13 minutes through a close-range tap-in, cancelling out Wigmore’s advantage.

A stroke of fortune then favoured Wigmore at 19 minutes when an own goal was forced by a long pass from Harvey Edkins, which the Cliffe Woods defender inadvertently headed into his own net from close range. The Wanderers’ defensive pressure paid dividends, restoring their lead. Yet, the Colts were relentless and drew level once more at 27 minutes with another close-range tap-in, maintaining the seesaw nature of the contest.

Tactical changes began to shape the match as Wigmore replaced James Lundie with Jack Downey at 33 minutes, aiming to refresh their attacking impetus. Before the break, George Hennessy doubled his tally at 41 minutes, slotting home a close-range tap-in after a clever flick from Kai Wong, putting Wigmore 4-3 ahead going into half-time.

The second half saw Cliffe Woods Colts hit back immediately, equalising at 48 minutes with a well-placed strike inside the box. The visitors then took the lead for the first time since the opening exchanges at 59 minutes, again finishing from close range inside the penalty area. Wigmore responded with further substitutions: Tom Spearink replaced Ben Brewster at right-back on the hour mark, followed by James Lundie returning to the pitch in place of Leon Vidler at 66 minutes. Unfortunately, injury forced another change shortly after as Leon Vidler came back on to replace Jason Yuen at 71 minutes.

Cliffe Woods extended their advantage at 81 minutes with another inside-the-box finish, stretching their lead to 6-4. Wigmore sought to claw back the deficit and made a tactical swap at 86 minutes, reinstating Ben Brewster in place of Harvey Edkins to shore up the defence and add fresh legs.

Despite their efforts, Wigmore’s fightback fell just short. George Hennessy completed his hat-trick deep into injury time at 94 minutes, expertly finishing inside the box with a right-footed flick assisted by Ben Brewster, bringing the score to 6-5. However, the Wanderers could not find the equaliser before the final whistle.

George Hennessy’s relentless attacking threat and clinical finishing earned him the player of the match accolade, having scored a superb hat-trick and consistently troubled the opposition defence. The referee maintained good control throughout, allowing the game to flow and managing the intensity of this high-scoring cup encounter effectively.

In a match brimming with goals and end-to-end action, Wigmore Wanderers showed great spirit but ultimately fell agonisingly short against a resilient Cliffe Woods Colts side in a memorable cup tie at Hempstead Recreation Ground.