Crowborough Athletic FC (1) 2-4 (3) Wick FC
Saturday 22 August ‘09
Sussex County League Division One
3:00pm Kick Off

Crows: B Head, L Leppard, D Adams (capt), J Risby, S Whibley, T Boddy, S Treleaven, P Wilkins (C Ransome 67), S Carrington (A Shade 75), N Millroy (T Saunders 63), D Dunford.
CRO WCK
4 Shots On Target 8
1 Shots Off Target 3
2 Corners 4
9 Fouls Committed 11
3 Offside 2
Subs Not Used: S Reid, R Gordon (GK).
Attendance: 66.
Half-Time: 1-3
Goals: N Millroy 30sec’, P Wilkins 50’ (Assists: J Risby- 2); P Turner 9’ 37’, G Gaskin 43’, S Murfin 73’.
Man of the Match: Luke Leppard.

Crowborough Athletic continued their Sussex County Division One campaign with a disappointing 4-2 defeat to Wick at the Crowborough Community Stadium.

“Having taken an early lead with a coolly taken goal from Nathan Millroy, it was disappointing that we failed to build and gain confidence from it,” commented Crows manager Stuart Nowell, “We allowed Wick to take a foothold in the game and gifted them at least 2 of their 4 goals. We will learn from our mistakes today and the overall workrate of the side must and will improve if we are to gain the desired results in this league.”

Boro were straight on the attack, and broke the deadlock just 30 seconds in. Joe Risby played the ball through the visiting defence for Nathan Millroy, who shrugged off Ben Torode, to scramble the ball beyond the diving Alex Bryant and into the far bottom corner.
Wick however, soon bounced back and came back to level the score on 9 minutes. Lee Barnard’s cross picked out Phil Turner who volleyed the ball away from Ben Head and into the net from 8 yards.
The visitors didn’t stop there, as Turner played in Scott Murfin, who one on one with Head, had his shot well saved by the advancing keeper.
Crowborough nearly fell behind on the half hour, when George Gaskins had a header saved, before Turner’s cross found Dan Swain, whose rasping strike was excellently saved by the diving Head, but the midfielder failed to get the rebound on target.
On 37, Wick took the lead as Murfin took the ball down the right wing, before striking the ball across goal to Turner who had an easy tap-in at the far post.
Crowborough’s misery didn’t end there, Wick went further ahead on the brink of the interval. Gaskin latched onto a through ball, beat Head, and twisted his way through two Boro defenders to drive into the near corner.

Crowborough came out at the start of the second half and played the best football in the match, during this period the hosts clawed themselves back into the match.
Risby’s corner picked out Paul Wilkins, who beat his marker to rise above a crowd of players and head the ball away from Bryant and into the near corner on 50 minutes.
Boro then came very close to equalising when Sam Carrington’s effort was somehow turned around the post by the wrong footed Bryant.. Risby whipped the ball in from a set-play, and picked out Dave Adams who got in front of Bryant to head in, but only to be disallowed for an apparent offside.
Wick then bounced back, and regained control to extend the lead on 73. Barnard squared the ball across the area to Murfin, who turned and drove the ball away from the outstretched Head and into the near corner.
The visitors still applied the pressure late on, as Darren Pearce’s cross picked out Swain, whose volley was brilliantly pushed over the bar by Head.

Crowborough now need to bounce back to face Redhill on Tuesday, before hosting Hassocks Saturday.