Chick ruffles feathers as Lions and Wick clash

Andy Chick ruffled feathers at Nyetimber Lane as his late equaliser for Wick prevented Pagham starting the New Year with a win in the Southern Combination premier-division derby.
Action between Pagham and Wick / Picture by Roger SmithAction between Pagham and Wick / Picture by Roger Smith
Action between Pagham and Wick / Picture by Roger Smith

Both sides named players who were facing their former teams, including Wick manager Lee Baldwin, formerly of Pagham.

Early action saw the Lions looking to snuff out Wick, with chances aplenty.

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Dan Simmonds was fouled in the area and appealed for a penalty, which referee Dan Austin waved away. Simmonds got his reward a minute later, though, with a low shot on 12 minutes that beat James Binfield in the Pagham goal.

Wick keeper Lewis Boughton was doing his best to keep the Lions at bay, with save after save. The Lions didn’t help themselves though with wayward passing and shooting.

George Bingham’s shot over the bar was close. A flurry of free-kicks and corners emphasised the Lions’ superiority, but they couldn’t turn it into goals.

As the first half came to a close, Binfield had to play rush goalie, with Wick’s Rob Hutchings haring in on goal.

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The second half began like the first, Pagham doing plenty to threaten the Wickers, but with no goals to show for it.

Ryan Davidson’s header over was the nearest they came to scoring before Mark Bennett chose to ring the changes on 53 minutes, Ryan Morey and James Thurgar replacing Davidson and George Bingham.

Ex-Lion Andy Brown’s 55th minute ball in forced Binfield to collect as Wick went on a rare sortie into Pagham’s area. Brown came to the notice of the referee a few minutes later as he and James Thurgar were talked to.

Lloyd Rowlatt struck the ball through a crowd of players for an equaliser he will cherish. Former Lions hot-shot Simmonds saw yellow on 66 minutes, and the resultant free-kick went over Wick’s bar.

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Pagham’s second booking was given to Neil Murfin in a game which wasn’t quite as blood and thunder as some derbies can be.

Goal number two for the Lions came from Callum Overton. Returning to the Lions after a lengthy spell out injured, Overton showed his class as he struck home after a good Pagham build-up.

A change for Wick saw another ex-Lion come on in the shape of Andy Cox. His contribution lasted only ten minutes, as he had to be replaced by Shane Brazil on 80 minutes.

In the interim Pagham had had the ball in the net again, direct from a corner. An infringement spotted by referee Austin denied the Lions a third, a decision which would prove telling as the game entered the last few minutes.

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With three minutes left, Chick’s return to Nyetimber Lane saw him strike home a superb long-range shot that Binfield could do nothing about.

Overton was booked for a challenge before the whistle blew on a game which ended fairly in a draw.

Pagham: Binfield, Davidson, Cox, N Murfin, Humphreys, Shelley, Rowlatt, Overton, S Murfin (Thurgar 53), Bingham (Morey 53). Subs: Crouch, Van Driel, Irish.

JON ROSE

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