Winless Wingate and Finchley lost their fourth game in five attempts to lowly Leatherhead on Saturday and find themselves in free-fall in the Ryman Premier League.

Their 1-0 defeat dropped them to 10th in the division, having started the day in fifth, the final play-off spot, with a sensational run of form since the turn of the year looking a distant memory now.

D’Sean Theobalds' goal after half an hour settled a scrappy tie in Surrey which could have been more emphatic had Daniel Carr not struck the bar after rounding Shane Gore just before half-time, while the second period offered neither side any meaningful opportunity to change the scoreline.

Both sides traded chances following a quiet opening 20 minutes, but could not direct their efforts goalwards - until Gore was called into action to pull off a superb stop from Jerome Fedreico's piledriver.

Reece Beckles-Richards might have won the visitors a penalty when he was pulled back in the Leatherhead box, but may have been too honest in staying on his feet and getting a weak shot away under pressure.

Within moments the hosts had the lead thanks to some lax marking, when Theobalds was given time to pick his spot from the edge of the box.

Claudiu Vilcu's free-kick was tipped wide by Louie Wells in Wingate's best chance of the half, before Carr struck the woodwork just before the interval.

The second half never really got going as a spectacle and Rob Laney's header over the bar was the only effort of note which would have made the highlights reel.

Grays Athletic, another struggling side, visit the Maurice Rebak Stadium on Saturday in the Blues' next test.

Wingate: Gore, Young (Williams 83), Abrahams, Vilcu, Cronin, Rifat, Wales (Sharpe 76), Ifil, Laney, Beckles-Richards, Tejan-Sie (Pattie 68).

Not used: McCall, Obafemi.