Wick overcome rivals Rustington with quick-fire treble

The tight affair essentially boiled down to those four second-half minutes and Blues manager Brett Torode said afterwards: “We just lost our composure for a few vital minutes and, as a result, lost the game.”

The match took a while to get going as players from both sides struggled to keep possession, and it was not until the 25th minute that either goalkeeper was in danger of being forced into a save. That was more by luck than judgement as James Bennett’s corner hit Andy McCarthy’s bar before the Wick stopper was forced to save smartly at Ross Adams’ feet.

Wick had a golden opportunity to take the lead on 39 minutes when Michael Asare crossed to Jamie Ford, who had the goal at his mercy but could only place the ball wide of the far post.

The opening goal came in slightly controversial fashion as Adams played in Mike Hendrick, who looked offside, but Blues’ left-winger raced through and smashed the ball into the roof of the net with only five minutes of the half remaining.

Wick got back into it with the best move of the game on 62 minutes as Asare’s deft touch took him around Chris Green before the wide player squared to John Miller and he drove the ball home from the edge of the box.

The home side took the lead just two minutes later when centre-half Brett Forden neatly chested down a Miller free kick and volleyed home from close range.

Wick soon doubled their lead when a Miller corner appeared to go straight in, although the unfortunate Green was accredited with an own goal after 66 minutes.

Rustington, the wind now out of their sails, struggled to find a response and there was precious little more action, bar a couple of long-range efforts from Wick’s Dan Towers and Blues’ Joe Charman.

Wick manager Richard Towers said: “It wasn’t great but I felt we did just enough to deserve the points.

“We were carrying a few knocks from Saturday, but as I said to the lads in the dressing room, all that will be remembered is that Wick got three points.”

Torode added: “We are facing another season of rebuilding this year, but we have a few players coming back and when they do, I’m sure we’ll get the rub of the green.”

WICK: McCarthy; Jones, Forden, Hotson, D.Miller; Asare, Dan Towers, J.Miller, Speller; Playel-Howard, Ford. Subs: Leggatt (Jones 15), Osbourne (Asare 81), Beadle (Playel-Howard 85), Johnson.

RUSTINGTON: Bonetti; Hamm, Neal, Windsor, Green; Campbell, Bennett, Wimbleton, Sunderland, Hendrick; Adams. Subs: Charman (Bennett 54), Darwin, Farrell (Green, Sunderland 82), Kirkham, Sayers.