Wick FC – Match Report

Steyning Town arrived to the fixture in strong form, fresh from a 7-1 home victory over Newhaven in the league, a commanding response to their narrow 3-2 defeat against Guernsey the week prior. Having already faced Wick twice this season, including a 3-2 away league win and an early cup exit at their hands, Steyning were well aware of the challenge despite the visitor’s sitting 14th in the table compared to their own second place position. With league leaders Haywards Heath level on points but holding three games in hand and a superior goal difference, the stakes were clear.

Steyning began the contest on the front foot, showing attacking intent from the outset. In the 4th minute, captain Dion Jarvis delivered a dangerous ball into the box that was well cleared by the Wick defence. Two minutes later, Jazz Rance picked out Jarvis again, but the visitors stood firm, forcing a corning that ultimately came to little.

The early pressure continued, Jarvis making probing runs into the area. By the 16th minute, another well-weighted delivery from Rance found its way towards Jarvis, though he was unable to make decisive contact. Wick offered a reminder of their threat in the 23rd minute when Tom Holland broke forward and sent a shot narrowly wide of the post. Steyning responded immediately, Jarvis threading a pass into Rance that was blocked behind for a corner.

The physical tone of the match began to show midway through the half. In the 26th minute. Wick’s George Bingham was cautioned following a foul on Mitch Bromage. Steyning capitalised on their sustained pressure three minutes later, as Alex Brewer calmly slipped the ball beyond the goalkeeper to give the hosts a deserved 1-0 lead, the effort evading a last-ditch defensive attempt on the line.

Steyning continued to push for a second, with Alex Plummer seeing a deflected effort turned over for a corner in the 32nd minute. Wick’s discipline continued to falter when Ben Hauxwell was shown a yellow card in the 36th minute for a foul on Brewer, presenting Steyning with a dangerous free-kick opportunity just outside the box. Plummer’s strike forced an excellent save from Keelan Belcher.

The visitors’ frustrations deepened just before the interval. In the 44th minute, Bingham received a second yellow card for a foul on Tegan Freeman, reducing Wick to ten players for the remainder of the match. Steyning went into the break 1-0 ahead, having controlled much of the first half and now holding an advantage.

Steyning resumed the second half with the same attacking momentum that had defined the opening period. In the 54th minute, Freeman tested Blecher, who gathered comfortably, but the pressure continued to mount.

The breakthrough for a second goal arrived on the hour mark when substitute Stan Bridgman made an immediate impact, finishing confidently from a Callum Dowdell delivery to double the advantage. Jarvis sent a shot over the bar moments later as Steyning maintained their relentless tempo.

Bridgman quickly took centre stage. Three minutes after the second goal, a corner found its way to him, and he powered home a header to extend the lead. Within two minutes, he turned provider, slipping a ball through to Jarvis who fired high into the net. In a devastating spell of attacking football, Bridgman had registered two goals and an assist inside five minutes.

The forward was not finished there. In the 71st minute, he completed a remarkable hat-trick inside eleven minutes, putting the result beyond doubt at 5–0. Wick attempted to respond, with Isaac Glanfield producing a strong run and cross for Teddy Stairs in the 78th minute, but the chance went unfinished.

The visitors’ frustrations deepened when Ben Hauxwell received a second yellow card for dissent in the 81st minute, reducing Wick to nine players. Steyning capitalised immediately, as Bridgman rose to head home his fourth of the afternoon, making it 6–0.

There was still time for further gloss on an already assertive scoreline. In the 86th minute, Dowdell struck a superb effort from outside the box into the bottom left corner to make it 7–0, before Jarvis added an eighth in stoppage time with a well-taken header.

The final whistle confirmed an 8–0 victory, a dominant display that propelled Steyning to the top of the league in high fashion.

PotM: Stan Bridgeman – here with First Team Secretary Dave Rowland.