Wick held at home in top-of-the-table clash

Action from Wick & Barnham Uniteds draw at home to AFC Uckfield on Saturday

The result means Wick are now 12 points behind leaders Worthing United, who they host on Saturday, with two games in hand.

Wick boss Jon Tucker was pleased with his side’s work-rate in the game and said: “Overall, I am quite happy that we managed to take a point away from the game.

“I felt Jordan Matthews was superb in goal for us and made a couple of excellent saves.

“We didn’t test their goalkeeper too much but sometimes that happens in games.”

In the top-of-the-table clash, it was the visitors who made the better start and they should have gone ahead on 11 minutes when Scott Taylor played in Sam Ellis but he shot straight at Matthews.

Ellis had another great chance to give Uckfield the lead on 27 minutes but he was again denied by Matthews.

Uckfield went close again when a Taylor 25-yard free kick was heading towards the top corner but once again Matthews was equal to the task.

Wick’s best chance of the half came on 41 minutes when a Ash Harper through ball found Joseph Matthews, who drove his shot past Uckfield keeper Tom Bradford but Andy Whittingham got back to clear the ball off the line.

Uckfield’s Kelvin Brown should have put his team in front six minutes after the break but his header from just six yards out went wide of the goal.

The best chance of the match fell to Uckfield’s Elliott Wood two minutes from time. A long ball forward from Whittingham found Wood, who controlled the ball but his left-foot shot went just wide as the game finished all square.

The result leaves Wick fourth in the table and Uckfield remain second.

WICK & BARNHAM: Jordan Matthews; Enticott, Horn, Urquhart, Cox; Anderton, Joseph Matthews, Noble, Dobbs; Harper, Hardwell. Subs: Pedrick (Anderton), Hutchings (Hardwell), Boxall (Joseph Matthews), Bentley.