Proud, So so Proud.

These lads gave everything out there, What a team. They should be so proud of themselves and look to this match as a stepping stone for the season.

We knew coming into today, it was going to be a tough game, a battle against one of the best teams south of London. We had won our way to this game and we knew that on the day anything can happen.

The boys were up for it. We went with a strong line up and had options off the bench with rotations. Lathir in net, Charlie, Blu, Jack and Dean filled out the back 4.Cam and JJ sat central while Alafy came back in on the left and Harley on the right. Stephen and Sam were our front 2. Freddie, Praveen, Ethan, Zak and Ellis were our subs.

The lads started the game like a team possessed, Pressing, working and forcing Worthing into mistakes. We had our first chance after 4 minutes with a brilliant corner whipped in by Harley that was met by Blu and he thumped his header off the bar.

This start put the lads on the front foot and we got our goal. A long throw from Charlie on the right caused havoc in the Worthing box, with the defender putting the ball straight up in the air. Stephen had his back to goal, took it down and flicked it into the path of Sam who lashed it into the back of the net on the volley. 1-0.

This woke Worthing up and they then pushed to get the equaliser and after 12 minutes they did. A good move down our left sent their winger through who finished well. 1-1

This didn't stop the boys and the constant work of JJ, Cam, Harley, Alafy in the middle and Stephen and Sam working their socks off up top gave us the chance to go ahead. Sam chased down their CB who got the ball into the box and was holding it near the by line, however Sam showed quick thinking and nicked the ball off the defenders toe before he was sliced down in the box for a penalty.
Stephen stepped up and despite the best efforts of the defenders giving him stick, sent the keeper the wrong way for 2-1.

We continued to work hard and created chances. Worthing were brilliant on the ball but our hunger was keeping them on the back foot.

We got our 3rd not long after. This time a brilliant bit of build up play from the back before playing it into Cam and JJ. They sent it back and Jack sent a ball long that caused the defenders all sorts of problems with a mix up as the keeper came flying out and the defender went to head it back to him but sent it over him. Sam reacted quickest and raced onto it and finished into the open net for 3-1!

Worthing were struggling and the physicality of our lads was getting them frustrated. We continued to press and work and hold it up so well with Stephen and Sam. Sam won a brilliant free kick on the halfway line that got a reaction from the Worthing Cb and got him sin binned for 8 minutes. We almost scored with Stephen winning the ball on the halfway line, turning his man and driving towards goal before hitting a shot just wide of the far post.

Worthing, despite being down to 10 men latched onto a long ball and slight mistake from our back line with the same winger driving through and slotting into the corner for 3-2.

Worthing got their man back on and looked to press for the equaliser before the half but the lads stood strong. Charlie who was having a great half had to come off after a knee to the back. Ethan came in and slotted in at RB for him. The back line were brilliant for the remainder of the half.

However there was one last twist before the whistle. We won a free kick and sent it long into the danger area on the edge of the box, the worthing player cleared it out to Cam, who sent it back in towards Sam who finished it brilliantly into the far corner for 4-2 and a first half hat trick.

HT - Worthing Red - 2 - TD - 4

At the half the lads were buzzing and rightly so. Probably the best first half of football we have seen from these lads. Unfortunately Sam had given us all he could as he had come into the game with a sore hamstring. This meant a shuffle in the team with Ellis coming in and dropping in to the midfield as a 5. We held off making anymore subs right away due to the lads playing so well.

The lads knew Worthing would come out flying in the second half and they made a few changes bringing on several players including a rapid number 7. They went into a 3-5-2 with a lot of width and danger.

The boys battled and were doing really well into the early goings. There was a really good battle going on down the left between Dean and their newly introduced winger. JJ and Cam were covering every bit of 4G while Jack and Blu were colossal in the middle.

We kept them at bay for a while and after the winger landing on Dean, we had to make a change with Zak coming in for Dean and Blu shuffling out to the left.

Worthing stepped it up and were getting joy getting the ball down and moving it quick and got their 3rd goal after a ricochet and the striker pounced to finish calmly for 4-3.

This did dislodged the boys and worthing found the equaliser a few minutes later with some good work down our right before a whipped ball right across to the far side where their number 7 finished well into the top of the net. 4-4.

We made a change with Praveen coming in for Alafy down the left.

The boys continued to work hard, defending well while trying their best to get the ball forward. Stephen working hard to hold it up against 3 CBs.

We created a few chances with Harley going close after a good run down the right. Blu hit the bar for the second time with a brilliant free kick that had beaten the keeper. Ethan had also gone close right near the end with a flick on from a corner.

The game was end to end with both teams going for it and some strong challenges going in. JJ got clattered but was strong and got up and continued. Zak was brilliant with several strong challenges and Jack was winning so many loose balls.

The game and pressure was building up and with 2 minutes left in injury time it boiled over. A strong but fair 50/50 from Zak and their RW got the worthing player to get up and push Zak in the chest. The boys backed him up but from the drop ball we sent the ball long and lost it on the LW before their RCB sent a ball over the top and their big lad took it down on his chest and finished into the near post for 5-4.

Gutting but so so proud of the efforts.

FT - Worthing - 5 - TD - 4

What can we say, that was a performance to be proud of. Every single lad gave their all from the first whistle to the last, on the pitch and on the sidelines. They will be gutted it ended that way but against one of the best teams around, these lads took them to the wire. Thank you to everyone who turned up. A big shout out to Freddie O who didn't get on today but supported the lads. If the lads can put in this kind of performance week after week we are in for a brilliant season. Onto next week as we go again, this time in the county cup v Seaford.

A huge congratulations to Sam and Dean R who today both made their 100th appearances for the club! Well done lads!

Captains Corner - A few words from Cam - Today we had one of the best performances I’ve seen as a team. Every single player gave 120% with constant battling and determination to go get a goal. We remained encouraging throughout and we deserved more from the game. Definitely a performance to be proud of.

POTM - Sam R - A first half hat -trick on one hamstring. Working from the off and causing chaos up top. Well done Sam!