“It’s a must win game”, proclaimed manager Chris Agutter ahead of this brisk, battling encounter against Bath City. Another of that nerve-shredding, edge-of-the-seat action that we just come to expect. This was one of Worthing’s games in hand on the leaders Dorking Wanderers. And with four points adrift, you can’t blame Agutter too much for his honesty. This was a crucial three points on offer. And this was a vital three points earned.

So, Saturday was fun. It was one of those games that just fills you with belief. Worthing were fairly ordinary on the day, saved by the right boot of Nicky Wheeler in the sixth minute of stoppage time. All of this, with 10 men for much of the second half. It was a performance of merit, of miracle. An afternoon that probably should have sauntered to a fairly vapid 1-1, morphing into one of the most memorable Saturdays of the season.

Fast forward three and a bit days, and the camera pans to a chilly night beneath Woodside’s white lights. Worthing started things well. There was a zest about them: Danny Cashman being direct; Temi Babalola a rejuvenated weapon in the frontline. Glen Rea returned to the midfield, and everyone knows what a difference he makes in the midfield.

Perhaps the most prominent moment of the half arrived with 26 played. Pretty much the entire Worthing attack combined to tee up Babalola with space for a shot, but his blitz flashed just wide of Harvey Wiles-Richards right-post. Worthing were moving the ball quicker, though. In recent weeks those pretty patterns of play have gone slightly amiss, but here they returned an improved outfit. It’s easy to forget what occurred on this pitch seven days’ prior.

But Worthing would be scoring first this time. 47 minutes in, and the Bath City goal would have a ball nestled in it. 133 days after Jack Spong’s stunning strike at Plainmoor he’d be wheeling away again. An equally strong start to a half, this time rewarded. Spong spied the bottom corner and found it with surgical precision: slamming low and firmly beyond the paw of Wiles-Richards. Woodside erupts. The Reds move into second.

But could they stay there? The pressure persisted, the patterns continued. Babalola and Cashman were linking up nicely here. Nash took aim but lifted an effort over the crossbar. Then Wiles-Richards produced three fine saves in as many minutes, denying Babalola first before following that up with a double stop to deny Cashman and Colbran in quick succession. This was Worthing’s best spell of the match.

Bath would ride the red storm and offer passages of promise of their own. They were solid, here. One of the more robust and lively looking sides to visit Woodside Road this season. They didn’t threaten much, but they certainly weren’t overrun. They levelled on 72 minutes: Kieran Parselle heading home from a corner kick seconds after Lucas Covolan had made his first save of the night to tip Scott Wilson’s rasping drive behind. They were just always in the game. Worthing made to once again rue their missed chances in front of goal.

That is, until Cashman popped up seven minutes later to stamp victory on this Tuesday night. Beset by a box brimming with bodies, Cashman found the confidence to adroitly turn the ball into the back of net after Wiles-Richards couldn’t hold onto the cross. There were protests from Bath City. A nervous pause. Anxiety released with a point to the centre circle as the Reds held on for all three points.

Does that place the Reds back into the driving seat? Time will tell, but following on from the disappointment seven days prior, there could have been no stronger response. And in many ways this season has felt like being at the helm of a racing car: every twist and turn, feeling every jolt of the bends. It’s had it all and there’s still more to come. Only now is that chequered flag starting to come into view.