Rebels undone by Rocks smash n' grab

Game number two on Bank Holiday Monday took me the short distance across town to Woodside Road, home of Worthing FC and ‘El Classicoast’, the derby with Bognor Regis Town.

If you are a Rebel or a Rock these fixtures are the first two you look out for on the list above all else and generally they’re going to be found around a bank holiday period.

What’s also good around these kinds of fixtures is the amount of people you see that you know on both sides of the camps. Having been around the local scene for the past ten years plus, more and more faces become familiar and it was good to catch up again people you haven’t seen for a long time or even just acknowledge.

Coming into the game from the weekend, the Rebels were on the end of a fine 2-1 away win at Cray Wanderers whilst the Rocks suffered a late 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Haringey Borough, the visiting fans I spoke to were not confident about things panning out their way during the afternoon.

Worthing were quickest out the blocks with early chances for both Jasper Pattenden and Tom Chalaye but neither could find the target, the visitors content to defend and allow Worthing the ball in areas where they had to work harder to create an opening.

As the first half wore on still the Rebels created chances, Aarran Racine’s header from a Dean Cox corner was kicked off the line by Ethan Robb while Ollie Pearce shot over when well placed.

Just before half time the home side and their supporters thought the deadlock was broken, but Dayshonne Golding’s drive landed just the wrong side of the post and the two sides went into the interval level at 0-0.

Again, it was Worthing who began the half with more chances, Golding testing Amadou Tangara this time but still no way through. The same player had a golden chance from a header just before the hour mark but couldn’t direct it goal wards. Further efforts from Marvin Armstrong and Pearce fell short as you sensed it wasn’t going to be Worthing’s day.

And then completely against the run of play Bognor were in front on 62 minutes, Ashton Leigh finding the net much to the delight of the travelling fans behind Harrison Male’s goal.

Bognor sensed the game was theirs for the taking after going in front and Male just three minutes later stopped the deficit becoming two as the Rebels looked shell shocked at going behind.

As it was, the Rocks extend their lead only five minutes after the first goal as Kanye Diedrick-Roberts was put in behind the Worthing defence and gave Male no chance in the Rebels goal, jubilant scenes from the Bognor fans once again at the far end of the stadium.

Whilst the first goal shocked Worthing, the second knocked the stuffing out as although they kept pushing to create chances, the Rocks only needed to sit back and defend which they duly did.

Still the chances came for the Rebels but a combination of poor finishing and Tangara standing firm in the Rocks goal meant no way through and the points left with the visitors leaving the home side to ponder on what might have been had just one of those chances found the back of the net.

Bognor clearly came with a game plan to just defend and try and counter back out, but they were clearly lacking in the first half in that respect on the latter part. What they do need credit for is not allowing Pattenden rarely any space to run at his man and despite some good crosses into the box Cox wasn’t as effective as he can be.

What can you say about the attendance! A magnificent 2,101 were there to witness the game, my apologies for attending and not making it a round figure 2,100! It’s great to see so many fans back inside stadiums watching games up and down the country at all non-league levels, I have a feeling though this crowd figure will be hard to beat in the Pitching In Isthmian Premier Division this season.