FOOTBALL: Wick lose quarter-final to Seaford

WICK Football Club manager Carl Stabler had no complaints about his side's 3-1 John O'Hara Cup quarter-final replay defeat to division-lower Seaford on Monday evening.
By The Newsroom
Published 3rd Mar 2010, 15:41 BST

But he admitted that his side will not have a better chance to reach a final. Had they progressed, they would have met mid-table Division 1 side Crawley Down in the last four and fellow Division 1 high-flyers Peacehaven in the final on Good Friday.

Wick had drawn 0-0 after extra-time in the orginal tie at Seaford and Stabler said: "No disrespect to Crawley Down but we'd have fancied our chances if we'd got through and we won't have a better chance to get to a final.

"We let ourselves down and it just didn't happen for us.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Seaford deserved it and I can't put my finger on what went wrong.

"The pitch wasn't ideal and didn't suit our style of play but I'm not going to make excuses. It was the same for both sides and Seaford deserved to go through."

Despite not playing well, Stabler thought his side had got back into the game at 2-1 when Scott Murfin netted a 80th-minute penalty after a foul on Phil Turner.

Wick had an equalising chance shortly afterwards but Turner missed his volley and Seaford sealed their passage through with seven minutes left.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Dave Sharman fouled Scott Dartnall when he was through on goal and Wick's defender was sent-off.

Wick keeper Alex Bryant saved Matthew Jones' spot-kick but the penalty was ordered to be re-taken for an infringement and Jones scored at the second attempt to kill off any hopes Wick had of forcing extra-time.

Scott Murfin had a couple of opportunities in the first half before Seaford took a 46th-minute lead through Chris Stanyard.

Drew Greenall made it 2-0 on 74 minutes and Bryant also made a couple of outstanding saves to keep Wick in it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

That defeat has not blown Wick's chances of reaching a cup final this season, although they will have to do it a much harder way now.

They host Shoreham in the Sussex RUR Cup last eight on Saturday – the tie was postponed last Saturday owing to a waterlogged pitch – with the winners facing FA Vase semi-finalists Whitehawk in the last four.

Wick then travel to Hassocks in the league on Tuesday.

WICK: Bryant; Torode, Sharman, Clayton, Buckland; More, Barnard, Pearce, French; S.Murfin, Gaskin. Subs: Turner, Huggett (More, French 80), N.Murfin, Wrigley.

-------------------------------------

Click here to go back to Worthing sport.

Click here to return to Gazette sport.

Click here to go back to Shoreham sport.

Where are you? Add your pin to the Herald's international readers' map by clicking here.

Email the Herald: [email protected]

Related topics:SeafordFootballDivision 1Shoreham