Worthing pushed hard for the win
On Tuesday evening I headed off to Woodside Road, home of Worthing FC safe in the knowledge the 3G surface would make sure I would be seeing ninety minutes of action. This was my first visit of the season to watch the Mackerel Men, pretty poor by my standards and I was looking forward to seeing some very familiar faces.
Regular readers will know I have written a few articles for the Worthing website on occasions over the past couple of seasons and thoroughly enjoyed being part of the club, it’s the second club I would be at locally after Wick.
A win for Worthing would lift them level on points with Folkestone Invicta at the very top of the table and heading into the busy Xmas and New Year period followed by the second half of the season there is a real chance they will feature in the play-off’s come the end of the season.
Enfield Town as visitors are always a tough nut to crack. Despite sitting in 8th position they are still very much in touch with the play off race themselves and the game proved to be as difficult as I expected.
Not that it began that way! Worthing were two goals to the good after just ten minutes, Reece Myles-Meekums reacting quickest to a spilt ball from the Enfield keeper to give the Mackerel Men an early lead. It was doubled just five minutes later when Ollie Pearce rifled a rocket of a free kick through the wall and no chance for the keeper there!
Needless to say Town looked rocked and there was a wonder of how much Worthing were going to score. But, as stated above Enfield are a tough nut and no pushovers and responded with a goal from the penalty spot, Dylan Jelly bringing down Mo Faal and the much coveted striker dispatched the spot kick to halve the deficit.
Town at that point were certainly having the better of the exchanges, Worthing unable to keep hold of the ball across midfield but the Mackerel Men went into the break still in front.
Enfield started the brighter of the two sides after the interval and just before the hour Faal scored his and Town’s second to bring things level once again. Worthing boss Adam Hinshelwood then made a couple of changes, changes that began to change the pace and ultimately the course of the game, Aarran Racine and Darren Budd were brought into the action and their experience showed as they took control of the back line and midfield area, not allowing Town to play their game. Just as it appeared both side would be settling for a point up stepped Joel Colbran with a sweet left footed shot, advantage back to Worthing and the three points staying in Sussex.
Definitely an end to end entertaining game, Town will feel hard done by with their overall performance warranting a point at least, but winning games when not playing at your full potential are the hallmarks of a good team.
Good performances from young Dylan Jelly at the back, assured Alfie Young is always a bonus whilst Callum Kealy worked his socks off up front all night, but it has to be said those substitutions from Hinch took the steam out of Enfield and Faal disappeared from the game once Racine stamped his authority on the game.