Worthing’s trip to Boreham Wood put an end to a run of six-straight away matches at the start of the campaign for Chris Agutter’s side. They were looking to record back-to-back wins for the first time this season as they came up against a strong Boreham Wood outfit at Meadow Park.

Agutter made two changes to the side that started against Hampton & Richmond Borough, one of which was forced and the other tactical. Alfie Young served his one-match suspension and was replaced by Joe Cook at the back, while Nicky Wheeler dropped to the bench to make way for Sam Packham to make his first Worthing start.

In the build-up, Agutter admitted he was looking forward to the contest with Boreham Wood as it would provide his team with a different challenge with the home side willing to go toe-to-toe with similar styles of football – and he wasn’t wrong! The Rebels had some defending to do in the opening stage with Packham and Jack Spong putting their bodies on the line to make vital blocks less than ten minutes in.

The Rebels were playing some nice football of their own, though, on a pristine playing surface at Meadow Park. Glen Rea picked out Danny Cashman with a ball to the byline and it looked like it might open up for Worthing’s number 10, but he settled for a corner after the challenge came in.

From the resulting corner, it was the hosts who had the opportunity on the counter-attack. The ball found its way to Junior Dixon on the edge of the area, and to many of the home supporters, his shot looked like it had gone in but it rippled the side netting.

Then, in an end-to-end encounter, it was the Rebels who broke the deadlock. Temi Babalola found room on the left flank and decided to take on his defender Chris Bush. He breezed past him with ease and drove goalwards after getting to the byline before squeezing it in past Nathan Ashmore at the near post for his first Worthing goal since signing on Friday. It was the first time this season that Worthing had scored the first goal in a match!

Moments later, Worthing had a penalty appeal waved away as Tommy Willard went down under a challenge in the area. However, the referee deemed that it was a dive and he was booked for simulation.

The home side remained a threat and Erico Sousa was asking questions of the Rebels’ defence on and around the half-hour mark. First, he delivered a wicked cross from the right flank that somehow evaded everyone as it flew past the face of goal. Moments later, he got in behind the Rebels defence in a central position. Chris Haigh came out to meet him, but it was Rea who won the race to make a superb recovery tackle.

Babalola had a half chance at doubling his tally a few minutes before half time, but this time he was defended well and his shot deflected wide for a corner. The Rebels maintained their slender lead into the interval.

The second half saw wave after wave of pressure from the home side who were searching for an equaliser and causing the Rebels all sorts of problems in doing so. There were chances for Tyrone Marsh and Tom Whelan before the hour mark but the Reds stayed strong in defence.

Agutter responded with his first change of the evening, replacing Spong with Jack Bates.

But the pressure kept building for the home side and Haigh was called into action to keep out Marsh’s volley at the near post.

Despite being under the cosh, the Rebels proved to be a threat on the break. Cashman was teed up by Willard but the shot went wide of the upright.

Half time substitute Marsh was in the thick of the action for the home side and he should have levelled things up on 66 minutes with a free header in the box. Somehow, he directed the header wide and Worthing were handed a lifeline.

Agutter made his second change on 69 minutes as he introduced Wheeler to replace Packham.

But, the inevitable goal could not be stopped and Lee Ndlovu found the equaliser for his side 73 minutes in.

Harrison Smith was then brought on to replace Babalola with 15 minutes to go to bring some fresh legs on up front and he played a crucial role in the winning goal. Cashman broke away with the ball from his own 18-yard box and linked up with Smith to release himself behind the defence. The two played another couple of passes between each other to free up Cashman who tucked away the finish to send the 76 travelling Rebels into ecstasy behind the goal!

Two more changes were made by Agutter to shore things up. Ollie Starkey replaced Willard before Jake Hutchinson came on for Cashman who was forced off with an injury.

The Rebels dug deep and held on for a mighty three points on their travels to cap off a positive start in their six-straight away matches.

They return home this Saturday as they welcome Hornchurch to a new-look Sussex Transport Community Stadium.