FOOTBALL: Wick hit six of the best

Despite emerging 6-3 winners in the County League Division 1 clash, Carl Stabler, who has taken over as manager again, with Keith Croft taking on the role of chairman, insisted his side needs to stop conceding such sloppy goals.

Wick had six different goalscorers, but it looked as though it might be a different story at half-time, when they were 2-1 down.

Stabler said: "It was a great game going forwards but awful in defence. We were woeful defensively, especially in the first half. We got the result at the end of the day, and it's our first win in four games in the league, as we've had a bad little run.

"We really need to tighten things, as a side we haven't been defending well. Last season, we were three points from winning the league and our defending let us down and it's happening again."

Phil Turner opened the scoring for Wick but Pagham got themselves level and then in front just before half-time.

Neil Murfin got Wick back level after the break, smashing home a ball following a corner before George Gaskin, with his 16th goal of the season, then put them in front with a fine finish from 18 yards. Pagham then equalised again as Wick failed to clear from a corner, and the ball was eventually sent home by Aaron Knight.

Wick pushed on after this with goals from Scott Murfin, Simon Clayton and substitute Luke Huggett, who scored from the bench for the third successive game, to seal the win.

Stabler stepped back in to the manager's role after Vic Short resigned in December but he was also still fulfilling duties as chairman. With Croft stepping up from his previous role as vice-chairman, it directs Stabler's full attention to managing the side.

He said: "I'm fairly glad to be out of the chairman role, I just didn't have the time to give the position all it needed. It is honestly like a full-time job, I won't say it is something I'll never do again, maybe when I have a bit more time on my hands."

WICK: Bryant; Torode, Sutcliffe, N.Murfin, Buckland; Turner, Clayton, Pearce, Barnard; Gaskin, S.Murfin. Subs: Sharman (Sutcliffe 45), Huggett (Gaskin 75), More (S.Murfin 85).

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