Rebels cruise into cup final

After having a weekend off from going to games, there was no chance my Tuesday night one was going to be called off despite the weather putting paid to most if not all games across Sussex.

Culver Road the home of Lancing FC and the Sussex FA was my destination along with former East Preston boss Simon Hull, the standard midweek effort for Gareth Spinks and the dragged along Pete Clarke to watch Three Bridges and Worthing for a place in the Sussex Senior Cup Final.

Bridges actually knocked the Rebels out of the same competition last season which turned out to be the last competitive action for both sides and with a step difference between the two sides it was going to be interesting to see how they were going to contain the leaders of the Isthmian Premier Division.

Rebels boss Adam Hinshelwood opted for a near full strength side with Ollie Pearce rested and on the bench, a competition the club has won a record 21 times and eager to add to that.

On what was a very wet evening as expected Worthing had the bulk of the early possession but found Bridges were compact and finding there weren’t many gaps across the pitch, neither Cam Tutt nor Jasper Pattenden were able to make inroads on the flanks.

A minor stoppage ensued after just five minutes when some of the floodlights went out only to be restored within a couple of minutes and play resumed without too much bother.

With Worthing having to probe more the game didn’t really open up to create chances for either side, Bridges not getting enough of the ball and Worthing not able to find the gaps there was only one effort of note after 20 minutes when Dajon Golding was denied by Mitch Bromage from close range.

It seemed as though we were heading for a blank scoreline going into the interval, Bridges hard work containing the Rebels had been working fine until six minutes before half time when Pattenden cut inside from the right hand side and shot left footed at Bromage, the ball ending up in the back of net looking like it was diverted in by Davide Rodari for the game’s opening goal and a half time lead for Worthing.

There appeared to be more intensity and urgency to get the ball moved around the pitch quicker from the Rebels as the second half began and seven minutes in they doubled their lead, Reece Meekums finding the ball played through to him and he curled it round Bromage with a neat finish.

Golding could have made it three four minutes later but skied his effort over the bar, the last action for the front man as he made way for Pearce who seemed to slot into midfield and Rodari partnering Callum Kealy.

The game was put to bed twenty minutes from time with the best goal of the night, the ball dropping to Rodari just outside the penalty area and he rifled a low shot through the crowd of players and into the net.

Two minutes later Pearce’s cross found Kealy at the front post for the Rebels fourth of the night as Worthing continue to pour forward and 11 minutes from time Meekums was on hand for his second of the night touching the ball in after getting in front of his defender to complete a stunning second half for Worthing and a place in the final.

Hinshelwood afterwards was pleased with how his side played despite Bridges compacting the play in the opening period:

‘First half it was more a case of us being patient with the ball, making more passes and switching the play instead of playing straight balls all the time. Second half we made a slight tweak to our formation and that seemed to really help us get overloads in good areas of the pitch, but it was very much a case of just moving the ball quicker from side to side.’

With the cup now put to bed until the final takes place Hinshelwood’s task turns to the final 11 league games for a place in the National League South:

‘I think if we continue to perform like we have then the results will take care of themselves, so we will just focus like we have done all season on improving our performance game by game.’

Backed by another superb following, the half time tweak certainly did allow for Worthing to find a way through Bridges who worked hard to contain their higher league opponents during the first half but ultimately it’s hard to press a side like Worthing for 90 minutes.

Marc White of Dorking Wanderers and Dom Di Paola of Horsham were in attendance to watch a good display from those in red, Luca Cocoracchio impressive in the backline whilst the space Meekums picked up in the second half made the telling difference in the end.