Worthing met Eastbourne for the third time this season, hoping to make it a hat-trick of victories over their Sussex rivals.

The away side started off exactly how everyone expected them to, with a positive, attacking mentality – after thrashing Borough 3-0 less than a week ago at Woodside Road.

Michael Klass’ header tested Harrison Foulkes inside the opening 10’ minutes from close range before Klass’ dancing feet earned the Rebels a penalty in the eighteenth minute.

Top goalscorer Ollie Pearce stepped up from the spot and made no mistake as he dispatched into the bottom left hand corner, claiming his 16th goal of the season.

The Sports responded well to going behind and just five minutes later almost levelled the scoring.

Leone Gravata picked out Louis Collins at the back post but thankfully for Worthing, the latter was unable to keep his effort down as the ball soared over the top.

Despite the host’s best efforts, they created few chances meaning that a cagey first half concluded with Hinshelwood’s men holding a one goal lead courtesy of Pearce’s penalty.

The Mackerel Men started the second half just as they did in the first, testing Foulkes with a headed effort. This time, Pearce was denied by Borough’s number one.

Nicky Wheeler was the man who found Pearce’s head and in the 57th minute he found the back of the net!

Pearce tested Foulkes once more, this time with a venomous effort from a tight angle. The ‘keeper could only parry the ball into the path of Martin Odei Sorondo, who pounced onto the rebound ahead of the desperate defenders and shot towards goal for himself!

Unfortunately for the Spaniard, his effort was met by a brilliant block, before Wheeler scrambled home on the goal-line of his former side and in front of the jubilant visiting supporters. Worthing’s lead was doubled!

A third came 15’ minutes later after a spellbinding run down the left flank from Kane Wills.

The Rebels’ fullback beat a number of men before cutting the ball back for Pearce who unselfishly let it slide through his legs, fooling Eastbourne’s Scott Leslie and allowing Ricky Aguiar to run onto the ball and power beyond Foulkes with a superb strike!

Proceedings were sealed in the 90th minute as Aguiar charged at the heart of the Eastbourne defence on the counter attack; creating a 3v1 overlaid in the favour of the Rebels.

Joan Luque busted a gut to get the back post where he met Aguiar’s cross on the volley, placing precisely into the far corner to make it four!

A gloomy atmosphere loomed over Priory Lane as the rain poured in the final few minutes with home fans heading for the exit.

As for the Mackerel Men behind the goal, they chanted “you’re getting sacked in the morning” in the direction of Borough boss Mark Beard; mocking the home faithful with “ole” chants ringing around the away end with every competed pass!

The Rebels rise to third while Eastbourne remain in their perilous position, six points adrift from safety.