After a turbulent week which saw both joint-managers Ady Baker and Lee Baldwin both leave the club, Wick faced 3rd placed team Alfold with a crippling injury list which meant they had just 11 fully fit players who played and 4 injury victims sitting on the bench. Just prior to kick off things looked bleak as the weather (cold, windy and very rainy) but Wick produced an excellent performance in a thrilling match that will become part of Wick folklore. Credit has to be given to Alfold for playing their part in the seven goal thriller!

Dean Janman, Danny Hand (both injured) and Terry Dodd (illness) dropped out of the team that played at Hailsham in midweek. They were replaced by Tyler Hope, acting manager Dan Cox and debutant Joe Kilhams. Kilhams made an instant impact, only 9 minutes into the game he put in a dangerous cross shot from the left which Alfold defender Rob Goodman turned into his own net. Alfold worked their way back into the game and persistent play on the left set up the opportunity for Jack Stafford to level on the half hour. Five minutes before half time a lovely forward pass from Kieron Playle-Howard found Kilhams who controlled the ball and turned towards the goal all in one movement to fire home three minutes before the break. Alfold equalised for the second time two minutes into added on time when after a goalmouth melee the ball rebounded into the goal off of an unfortunate Wick defender to send the teams in locked at 2-2.

Wick scored again with 56 minutes gone, Playle-Howard on target for the 6th consecutive game with a deft finish, KPH certainly is enjoying a hot goal scoring streak. Another man in goal scoring form is Alflold’s top scorer Sam Lemon and he was on hand to finish a superb move involving Gavin Fowler and substitute Jamie Wanstall 6 minutes further into the game as Alfold levelled once more. The decisive goal was nabbed by the hard working Jack Cole who latched on to a through ball and he wriggled free of the defence to net his eighth of the season, with 17 minutes to go. Alfold pushed for yet another equaliser but it was to be Wick’s day, also it was gratifying to see the number of happy smiling Wick faces at the final whistle.

After a challenging week this performance was the best of the season and credit to the players and acting manager Dan Cox, plus Hand and Grant Thetford for a stirring ‘backs-to-the wall’ performance. Tough away fixtures at Newhaven and Bexhill loom sandwiched between is the big game in the FA Vase against Lordswood and there may be bumps in the road to come but with players of ability who can play with this kind of spirit then maybe this can become the first of many memorable performances! It is important not to look back as that’s not the way we are going but this result and performance makes what happened at Billingshurst even more unfathomable. The final bit of praise should go to the Wick committee who took decisive action in order to rectify a situation that was not working well for the club. The future for the club is beginning to look brighter in many ways – well done committee members!

Wick Man of the Match: Everybody! It would be unfair to single out any individual in what was a true team performance showing plenty of character.

Wick; Belcher, Chaplin, J.Bingham, Playle-Howard, Cox, Ediker, Kilhams, Kew, Hope, Cole, Church. Subs: (Not Used): Hand, Thetford Northeast, Horn.

Courtesy of Steve Cox