FOOTBALL: Wick fight back to beat Arundel

It was both sides' third game inside six days and, while Wick won all three, Mullets went through them winless and twice threw away two-goal leads.

This game started so well for Arundel as Wick were slow out of the blocks. On two minutes, Matt Huckett took full advantage of Wick's failure to clear their lines to net from a hopeful Russell Hardwell cross.

The bobbly surface was proving too much for the Wick defence as Huckett and Howard Neighbour both went close before another defensive slip allowed Mullets to double their lead on 16 minutes.

Wick's Luis Freitas initially did well to win the ball from Hardwell, only to see his pass inside arrive at Mullets captain Josh Biggs' feet, and he sent a curler around Alex Bryant.

Arundel seemed in total control until a tactical switch from Wick boss Carl Stabler, from 4-4-2 to 4-5-1, in an attempt to counteract Arundel's midfield dominance, saw the away side come back into the game, albeit a little fortunately.

Ben Torode played a ball into prolific striker Scott Murfin's feet, and he went down under nominal pressure from makeshift centre-back Rob Grove. The 28th-minute penalty was duly dispatched by Murfin for his 37th goal of the season.

It was a family affair as Wick drew level 11 minutes before half-time, Scott crossing for brother Neil to half-volley home. And Wick should have gone ahead when a glancing header from Luke Huggett hit the foot of the post just three minutes later.

The second half was a far less dramatic affair, although Arundel probably had the better of the play. Former Bognor frontman Gary Norgate failed to connect with a dangerous Hardwell cross when any touch would surely have seen Arundel take the lead once again.

It was yet more defensive frailty that led to Wick's winner as both Scott Murfin and George Gaskin had shots charged down for the ball to land at Huggett's feet and his deflected effort found its way into the bottom corner.

There followed a scrappy final quarter of an hour and Arundel's Rob Grove was lucky not to have had first use of the showers after what seemed to be a punch to Neil Murfin's face that was somehow missed by the officials.

Wick boss Stabler said: "I was pleased with the result, and Daren Pearce was my man-of-the-match. I was a bit nervous after 20 minutes mind you."

Mullets boss Richard Towers said: "I thought we played fairly well. The referee gave them a soft penalty and missed a blatant handball to give us a penalty, but when you're at the bottom of the league you don't get those decisions. A draw would have been a fair result in my opinion."

ARUNDEL: O'Connor; Sneller, Grove, D.Walker, Axell; R.Biggs, J.Biggs, Hardwell, Huckett; Norgate, Neighbour. Subs: Tipper (Huckett 65), Grantham, Pickford, Hall.

WICK: Bryant; Torode, Sharman, N.Murfin, Freitas; Buckland, Barnard, Pearce, Gaskin; S.Murfin, Huggett. Subs: West (N.Murfin 89), French (Huggett 90), More, Wrigley, Bassil.

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