Gaskin trebel helps sink Wick

GEORGE Gaskin hit a first-half hat-trick for East Preston Football Club as they hit five past a local rival for the second time in four days on Tuesday night against a battling young Wick side.

If points were awarded for effort, Wick would have romped this game having had eight players drop out during the day, but East Preston’s quality was always going to be a step too far for the hosts in what turned out to be a very one-sided affair which ended 5-0.

Wick started brightly on a typically bobbly, end-of-season pitch and had Dan Simmonds not scuffed a chance to chip visiting goalkeeper Alex Bryant after just nine minutes, this could have been a far more nervy affair for the Division 2 champions.

However, EP went almost straight up the other end and the prolific Gaskin took full advantage of a mix-up between defence and stand-in goalkeeper Dave Speller to net his 42nd goal of the season with 12 minutes on the clock.

Gaskin could have scored again a minute later but was foiled by Speller, though he did get a second on 25 minutes as he finished a powerful run and cross from Jordan Clark, who managed to get past three Wick defenders in the process with a number of deft touches.

Gaskin completed his inevitable hat-trick – his sixth of the season – on 37 minutes as he latched onto a through ball and slotted the ball under the advancing Speller, taking his tally to 44 for the season.

The second half was a bit of a damp squib, and not just because of the heavy downpour that made life difficult for the players. With the game seemingly won, the visitors took their foot off the gas and almost allowed Jack Beadle to pull one back, but his chip was cleared off the line by Jon Elliot.

Normal service resumed though after 59 minutes as Joe Shelley rose unchallenged from a Matt Axell corner to make it 4-0 and Wick’s misery was complete in the 69th minute as Lewis Hamilton skipped around two challenges and placed the ball inside Speller’s right-hand post.

The game drifted into the realms of exhibition stuff until referee Robert Bell blew the final whistle, although Wick continued to hassle EP’s players at every opportunity and never allowed their heads to drop.

Wick boss Mike Williamson said: “We had three 16-year-olds in the starting 11 and I can’t fault any of the boys’ effort. East Preston are a good side and this has been a valuable learning experience for all of them.”

EP manager Dominic Di Paola said: “We kept our discipline and it’s obviously good to score a few goals.

“I have to give credit to Wick as they put a lot of effort in but now we are building for next season and getting into good habits for the step up.”