Chick strikes late to earn Wick a point

Wick players celebrate after Andy Chick's leveller on Monday. Picture by Roger Smith

The draw increased Wick’s unbeaten run to three Southern Combination League Premier Division matches as they moved out of the bottom three.

Dan Simmonds gave Wick an early lead, however two goals in seven second-half minutes took Pagham 2-1 ahead.

Chick then struck late on to gain Wick a point and their manager Lee Baldwin said: “We were very pleased to take a point, especially having gone 2-1 down.

“We rode our luck at times and had to defend well but we had a game plan, stuck to it and had enough about us to get the equaliser.

“When you claw it back to draw a game, you’re always happy with a point.

“We’re three games unbeaten now and if I’d been offered five points from our last three games, I’d have snapped your hand off.”

Wick went ahead after nine minutes when Simmonds turned home Andy Brown’s cross from the right.

Wick keeper Lewis Boughton made an outstanding save to keep the visitors ahead going into half-time.

Pagham levelled when Lloyd Rowlatt fired home on 68 minutes and Callum Overton then put the hosts ahead seven minutes later.

Chick grabbed a point for Wick with three minutes to go when his low strike from 35 yards found the bottom corner.

Wick host bottom-of-the-table Hailsham, who have just four points from 22 matches on Saturday, and Baldwin said: “It’s a big game and is must-win for us. Hopefully we can pick up the three points and start to look forward.”

Baldwin hopes to have dual-signed Winchester striker Simmonds available for Wick’s upcoming games and said: “He is a class player and it’s looking like he’ll be available for us for a while as he’s not playing at Winchester.”

WICK: Boughton; A.Brown, Playle-Howard, Madden, Bingham; Ediker, R.Brown, Williamson, Chick; Hutchings, Simmonds. Subs: Noble (Ediker 55), A.Cox (Madden 76), Brazil (Cox 79).

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