Match Report: Gareth Nicholas

The only changes to the side which won so convincingly at Margate last week came on the bench, as Tom Chalaye and Mo Jammeh were displaced by Shaq Gwengwe and new signing Omar Koroma.

Just four minutes were on the clock when Mike Castle got his head to a right wing corner but Roco Rees took a comfortable catch.

The first serious chance arrived on the ten minute mark as Reece Myles-Meekums played a delightful return pass to Mo Diallo, who was denied by the outstretched boot of United goalie Arthur Janata.

A rare lapse in concentration nearly caught the visitors out at the back when a quickly taken throw-in resulted in Zenon Stylianides bearing down on goal and, although equally rapid in response, Rees couldn’t hold on to the ball. Izzy Bademosi also had a shot blocked before Joel Colbran was able to finally clear the danger.

Ollie Pearce became the next red shirt to get a sight of goal after Dajon Golding had slipped him in on the left, but Janata kept his side level by saving at his near post with the ball going agonisingly out of the reach of the incoming Diallo.

Next up, Colbran carved out an opportunity via a pass to Marvin Armstrong who drove into the box but couldn’t find the target.

It fell to Joel to open the scoring himself shortly afterwards, thanks initially to Ricky Aguiar’s right-sided corner that led to a mini scramble in the six-yard area and a blocked effort from Pearce, leaving the right-back to fire home.

Provider so nearly turned scorer less than sixty seconds later as Aguiar dispossessed Stylianides in midfield and embarked on a burst towards the penalty box, leaving a trail of yellow shirts behind him, before unleashing a corker from at least twenty yards that beat Janata all ends up, only to crash against the crossbar.

Half-time was almost upon us when Ricky struck the woodwork a second time in quick succession. This time, however his effort hit the inside of the left-hand post and travelled across to the other side of the six-yard area where Diallo gleefully gobbled up the rebound.

The hosts came out after the break with the bit between their teeth; coming desperately close to pulling one straight back with a ball over the top giving Bademosi the chance to run at Rees, but the keeper was out smartly to grab at the second attempt inches inside his area.

Roco’s reactions then prevented a potential calamity, when Aguiar was robbed by Stylianides who bore down on goal once more. His deflected attempt forced a fine stop out of the teenage netminder.

Worthing were reduced to ten men with more than half-an-hour to go as Cam Tutt went for a loose ball but only succeeded in connecting high and heavily with Kenny Aileru.

Substitute Omar Koroma set up a counter-attack by supplying Reece Myles-Meekums who, in turn allowed Armstrong to eventually have a shot closed down on the edge of the eighteen-yard box.

Bademosi had two opportunities to get on the scoresheet with a weak and wide attempt from distance, that failed to trouble Rees, followed by an effort – at the end of a breakaway – that required the blocking skills of captain Danny Barker, slightly nearer to the target.

As the game drew to a close, the away team sealed the points from twelve yards. Castle tripped fellow sub, Koroma – already with four league goals to his name after starting the season at Carshalton Athletic – over on the right-hand side of the penalty area and it was Koroma himself who got up to dispatch the spot-kick past the outstretched left hand of Janata; tucking it neatly inside the upright, to open his account for his new club.

East Thurrock did manage to pull a goal back in stoppage time but it proved to be a mere consolation. A combination of wind and a deflection saw the ball drop kindly at the feet of Bademosi and he comfortably smashed home from close range to give the scoreline a slightly better look from a home point of view.

A match played out in wet and windy conditions with both sides giving their all but, ultimately it was Worthing who took their chances and the Rocks were unable to break down their resilient guests.

Reds still find themselves narrowly top on goal difference, though, crucially with two games in hand on closest rivals, Cheshunt.

Next on the agenda, an always tricky trip to Potters Bar Town on Tuesday night.