Busy month lies ahead for Wick

The Crabtree Park side have seven scheduled matches in February and that could rise to eight if Wick progress into the Sussex RUR Cup semi-finals.

Wick are at Rye in County League Division 1 on Saturday, before travelling to St Francis in the last eight of the RUR Cup on Tuesday, with the winners facing division-lower AFC Uckfield in the semi-finals on February 28.

Wick had their match at Pagham on Tuesday postponed owing to call-ups to the Sussex FA squad, which included Wick’s Lee Bradshaw, and on his side’s match at St Francis, Block said: “Anyone can beat anyone in this league and I say that all the time.

“We went to Three Bridges and beat them, Eastbourne UA got a result recently, Arundel went to Three Bridges and won, we battered Crawley Down and got nothing, and Arundel battered us.”

Rob Wimble, Carl Turney and Michael Frangou are all cup-tied but Phil Turner and Dean Maynard should be available and Block also hopes Michael Asare could return from injury.

On their games this month, which includes five away matches, Block said:

“We’re away to Rye, St Francis, Hailsham, Hassocks and Pagham and at home to Three Bridges and Chichester, so it’s a tough month and we’ll have to fight to get any points but we know that we can beat anyone in this league and the opposition knows that as well.

“I’d still like to get into the top six but to do that, we’d have to go on another big run and win loads of games.

“But our main objective was to stay up and if we can get two wins this month and two wins next month, that will give us 40 points.”

Block also revealed that recent signing striker Michael Frangou will now take Wick’s penalties after they missed two in their last league match, the 1-0 defeat at Crawley Down.

He said: “I always think forwards should take penalties. Michael wants to take them and, hopefully, he’ll go and slot the next one away.”