SALTDEAN lost their nerve last night - and may have handed the title straight back to Burgess Hill.

Tigers, in sight of their first ever Divison One crown, had Glenn Davies sent off after 18 minutes and failed to show any sort of composure on a night for strong nerves.

Davies was their biggest culprit. He elbowed Mick Rowbottom and was back in the changing room by the time Clinton Moore drove the resulting penalty into the bottom corner.

Leighton Allen and Reece Head were lucky only to see yellow for later offences and goalkeeper Dean Lightwood was also booked after running 50 yards to argue with referee Jim McDonald.

Tigers' normal flowing football suffered as a result. They were outmanoeuvred in midfield, any attacks were picked off by Richard Knight and Geoff Ward and, other than Damion Dobbyn's late volley against a post, they offered no threat.

The result means Hillians will complete a title treble by beating Hassocks tonight and Horsham YMCA on Saturday.

To his credit, Tigers boss Tom Hamilton was willing to offer a calm, concise analysis of events within minutes of the final whistle, and he admitted: "We pressed the self-destruct button.

"I thought the officials were weak but I'm not blaming them for the result.

"I was disappointed with our attitude. We let the whole situation get on top of us."

Wick boss Mark Dunk just wishes his side had shown their recent form at the start of the season.

Their last 15 games have brought 34 points and Dunk said: "That might have been us going for the title tonight if I had had this side for the first two months of the season."

The match was spoiled by a strong wind and, in a scrappy first hour, Wick were little more constructive than their visitors.

But, in left-sided Mark Pulling, they had the most skilfull individual on view, and his willingness to take a touch and look up before passing allowed Clinton More to pick out Moore to head the 63rd minute clincher.

Those two near-namesakes have been confusing defenders and pressmen all season, but it was Moore the goalgetter last night - and his brace have put Burgess Hill in double-O heaven.

Wick: Green, Mizon, Cook, Rowbottom (sub Smith 85), Knight, Ward, Smart, Jones, More, Pulling, Moore. Unused subs: Butterfield, Walsh.

Saltdean: Lightwood, Davies, Mitchell, Hamilton, Head, Cooper (sub Pattenden 71), Dobbyn, Tangen, Randell (sub Peters 82), Allen, Lovett. Unused sub: Townsend. Yellow card: Lightwood, Allen, Dobbyn, Head. Red card: Davies.

Man of the match: Ward.

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