The visitors threatened with a couple of speculative efforts in the opening ten minutes, but their real big chance came after eleven minutes. Harrison Male gifted possession to Paulius Ditkevicius. Fortunately, the forward’s effort was closed well by Aarran Racine.

East Thurrock took the lead minutes later:

Racine failed to intercept a well-timed pass from the midfield. Johnny Ashman latched onto it, rounding the helpless Harrison Male, before passing it home into an empty net.

Worthing responded well to going behind. After some brilliant trickery from Ollie Pearce out on the left wing, his cross found Dayshonne Golding’s head in the six-yard box who looked destined to score but his effort soared over the bar.

Pearce, who set up Dayshonne Golding in the twentieth minute got a headed chance himself, just a minute later. The play was switched beautifully to Jesse Starkey on the left yet again. Starkey got his head up and whipped in for the onrushing Pearce, whose flicked header flew over.

With 31’ minutes on the clock, Golding plucked the ball out of the sky on the right flank. Golding was able to shrug off the defender before cutting ball back to Tom Chalaye. Chalaye calmly found Pearce unmarked on the left hand-side of the penalty area, who finished clinically.

With momentum flowing, Marvin Armstrong picked up the pieces in midfield before spreading it to Ollie Pearce. The goal scorer turned provider this time, for Chalaye who set him up for the equaliser, unfortunately Chalaye’s scuffed effort rolled the wrong side of Janata’s post.

Pearce took matters into his own hands, in the 36th minute, receiving the ball from Armstrong in the penalty area, rounding the keeper. Heroically, Rimmel Daniel came to the rescue for the away side with a goal saving block, preventing the Reds taking the lead.

Worthing were made to pay for not taking their chances on the stroke of half time. East Thurrock brought the ball forwards, it was set up for Ditkevicius to fire at goal, 25-yards out from goal. His effort flew beyond Male and straight into the top left-hand corner.

With two minutes of stoppage time on the clock, Worthing sensed a chance to grab an equaliser. Dean Cox’s corner found the head of skipper, Racine at the far post. Racine’s effort was initially saved well downlow to Janata’s right, luckily Racine’s centre back partner Alfie Young was on call to smash home from inside the six-yard box. That was the last kick of an exciting first half.

The second half started slowly from both sides, but in the 54th minute, first goal scorer Ashman had an effort from the edge of the box. As he cried for a penalty, due to an alleged handball from the Worthing defender, the ball fell in the area for Alex Hernandez whose strike blasted over the bar.

Worthing grew into the second half nicely and in the 57th minute Jesse Starkey’s overlapping run created a corner for the hosts. Dean Cox’s floated ball from the corner found the skipper Racine, whose header crashed into the roof of the net.

On the hour mark, Pearce had a chance to double Worthing’s lead. His strike was well-held though by Janata who was having a busy afternoon. Janata was called on again, two minutes later. This time he denied Golding whose quick feet opened up an opportunity in the penalty area, which he was unable take.

Golding burst up the pitch in the 73rd minute, after beating a couple of men he cut it back to Chalaye. The young striker miss controlled the ball; however, it fell to Pearce who should’ve scored. His effort blazed over the bar though. Just minutes later Worthing were almost made to pay. Thankfully, Male delivered a brilliant stop down low, to deny Ola Ogunwamide. After 85’ minutes, Male was forced into producing another save. This time he denied Hernandez’s effort from the edge of the box.

Worthing’s substitutes forced the home side to sit back slightly, as Hinshelwood opted to preserve the lead, rather than attempt to extend it. In added time though, Pearce had an opportunity to seal things. The forward was threaded through by midfield maestro Armstrong; however, Pearce’s effort was dragged narrowly wide from a tight angle.

You have to say that the changes, did enough. Worthing were able to preserve the lead, as we get back to winning ways, in league action at The Crucial Environmental Stadium.