Only one change was made to the squad that suffered defeat at Stortford, with Marvin Armstrong starting in place of Dajon Golding, who began the day on the bench.

A gloriously sunny Saturday greeted the two teams who were high in endeavour, if a little low in chance creation.

That reflected in it taking a full fourteen minutes for either goalkeeper to be tested, with Hafed Al-Droubi tipping over a Jasper Pattenden delivery after he’d received a short corner on the left from Jesse Starkey.

Midway through the opening period and shot number two arrived but Armstrong made it worth the wait.

Pattenden was involved again, this time on the right, as his throw-in bounced once before being back-headed by Reece Myles-Meekums, over Jacques Kpohomouh for Marv to sprint clear of Zak Guerfi, burst into the box and slot through Al-Droubi’s legs.

Just past the hour mark, Ollie Pearce was the width of a post away from increasing the visitor’s lead, via a wicked deflection off the boot of Captain Frazer Shaw. James Beresford turning away from Guerfi and sending in a left wing cross, to set-up the opportunity, that nicked off the netminder’s right-hand upright and went behind.

Then, on the stroke of half-time, Meeky made it two via a run that started in his own half.

A lovely ball down the line by Cocoracchio was touched on by Callum Kealy to Reece who took it in his stride, rode one tackle, left Corey Parchment floundering on the floor and, finally, stroked calmly beyond Al-Droubi into the opposite bottom corner.

The early stages of the second forty-five got underway with Worthing still well on top.

Starkey’s floated free-kick bounced in the box and dropped nicely for an unmarked Will Seager on the far side of it. Unfortunately though, he couldn’t keep his effort low enough to concern the ‘keeper on this occasion.

Less than half-an-hour left and Beresford’s throw-in near the left flank corner flag sent substitute Golding scurrying along the byline, from where he picked out Pearce who saw his close range attempt somehow deflected above the bar by an alert Al-Droubi.

Ollie then came close to starting and finishing a move that emanated from him nipping in front of Guerfi to steal possession away from Bar’s number seven. He darted from right to left, selling replacement Calvin Dickson a delightful dummy on the edge of the penalty area and picking out Myles-Meekums, who was denied by a combination of Shaw and Kpohomouh. Armstrong soon suffered a similar fate and the danger was eventually cleared.

The seal was put on all three points with a little over ten to go, as a result of more dead-ball decisiveness.

Tight to the corner flag on the left again, Pearce played a neat one-two with Starkey before firing in a cross that Cocoracchio stooped to conquer; getting goal side of Dickson to power home off his dome to open his Reds account.

Town were second best throughout the contest and only managed to conjure up two chances all afternoon.

Both arrived late in the day, with the first of them failing to find the target, despite some good approach work.

Isaac Ogundere delivered into the danger zone, where sub Norman Wabo did well to recover from an initially heavy touch that took him away from goal but had the wherewithal to beat Myles-Meekums to the ball, swivel, then return the cross. Parchment slid in successfully to regain the initiative from Beresford on the far side, only to see his potential assist headed over the top by Joe Boachie.

The final word went to the hosts, thanks to Parchment’s nineteen yard mishit flying wide and the referee, Val Anekwe – who, it must be said, controlled proceedings admirably alongside his two able assistants, messrs Ayesemuate Agho and Nathan Kitteridge – being unswayed by the left-back’s desperate pleas for a flag-kick.