Looking to close out 2024 on a high, league leaders Worthing played host to second-placed Horsham at the Sussex Transport Community Stadium and they were targeting a sixth straight win to continue their perfect league record.

The sides had already met once this season, in Worthing’s season opener in the Isthmian Youth Cup at the Fusion Aviation Community Stadium. The Rebels were winners on penalties on that sunny September evening.

Much like that September encounter, tonight’s was a close contest between two evenly matched sides. The young Rebels looked to dominate possession and had some success, but were hurried and made to work hard by the Hornets which made for a quiet start to proceedings.

The first opportunity of the match went Worthing’s way some 20 minutes in when Arthur Gregory floated in a delightful cross from the left to the far post, finding Ollie Vodden who had time to set himself before volleying over. At the other end the Hornets struck the crossbar from Hammond’s header, but the danger was eventually cleared.

The Rebels deservedly got their opener on 27 minutes through their talisman Dylan Walter. His run in behind the Horsham defence was picked out brilliantly by Will O’Brien who fed him through with an inch-perfect pass and Walter needed no help in doing the rest as he tucked away the finish at the near post.

Walter had the ball in the back of the net twice more before the conclusion of the half, but both times the assistant’s flag was raised for offside and the Rebels took their one-goal lead into the break.

It was a lively start to the second half as both sides had chances in the opening stages before two penalties were given just two minutes apart! First, Worthing were given a spot-kick when the Hornets keeper brought down Walter as he looked to take the ball around him. Ellis Collier stepped up and made no mistake from the spot, burying it into the bottom left corner. Then, almost straight from kick-off, Horsham worked their away into the area and Jack Downie was adjudged to have taken down his man. Archie Short got a hand to Hammond’s spot kick, but he couldn’t prevent it from heading into the back of the net.

After a frantic few minutes, the game settled down once more and the remainder of the second half was again, closely contested. Walter remained a threat for the Rebels and he was slipped in by Eiri Keskinis which could have killed the game with ten minutes to go, but the Horsham keeper rushed off his line to make the stop.

And that was that! The young Rebels concluded 2024 with a perfect league record, with tonight’s win making it six in a row in the league. The will remain top of the table over Christmas, with just under three weeks to wait until their next outing away at Hastings United.