A first-half goal from Brad Dolaghan alongside two second-half strikes from Teddy Jenks and Joel Colbran would seal a comfortable win for Adam Hinshelwood’s team.

The first attempt from either side came from the Rebels after four minutes. Alan Julian’s side struggled to clear their lines with multiple attempts and the ball looped towards George Cox who from 15 yards out, volleyed the ball wide of the right-hand post.

Just two minutes later, Jack Spong was left wondering how he didn’t take the lead. Colbran found Razzaq Coleman De-Graft’s feet after a Cox switch of play. De-Graft took on his man and got to the by-line, before possession ricocheted to Spong. However, his shot was excellently blocked on the line by Charlie Sayers.

Continual Worthing pressure followed with Teddy Jenks from 25 yards shooting over the bar and Cox having a header comfortably saved by James Holden. Joe Cook then had a cross on the right wickedly deflected out for a corner, merely missing the frame of the goal.

From that corner, the Rebels took the lead. In quite a bizarre period of play, Colbran’s corner beat goalkeeper Holden, before a defender seemingly handled the ball on the line. Dolaghan would gather the loose ball and fire home past the multiple Hampton & Richmond players on the line to score his eighth of the season.

The visitors would come close to equalising after 33 minutes. After Rohan Silva was fouled outside the penalty area, Jude Mason would have his free-kick sail just wide of the left post.

More Worthing pressure would follow, with Joe Cook stinging the hands of Holden, before Jenks fired over the bar from a well-worked corner and Cox’s pass to Dolaghan for a sure goal would be cut out by the retreating Rohan Ince.

It would be a sluggish start to the second half with neither team testing their opposition goalkeepers. Dolaghan would put a shot into the side netting three minutes into the second half from an acute angle

A minute before the hour mark Worthing doubled their lead. Jenks would follow Harry Thomas closely toward his own goal, with the defender sensing the pressure of Jenks. His pass towards the goalkeeper fell well short of its intended target and Jenks would pass the ball into the back of the goal to give the hosts a cushion.

With 74 minutes on the clock the visitors would come close to finding their way back in the contest on two occasions. Firstly, Silva would test Josh Jeffries after driving with the ball into the penalty area and checking back onto his left foot and forcing a strong stop from the Southampton loanee. From the save the ball would roll towards the oncoming Kader who looked sure to score but Jeffries would somehow pick himself
up and deny the forward with a heroic dive to his left.

Just a minute later, Kader’s worst enemy would deny him yet again, this time from range.

Three points were wrapped up after 80 minutes as Worthing netted a third.  Jenks held up the ball, switching it towards Colbran with the latter playing a one-two with Coleman De-Graft, before blasting the ball into the bottom left corner via a slight defleciton.

Substitute Tom King caused the defenders trouble on his debut, on the 89th minute the forward would hound the Hampton defenders yet again, driving down the left wing and putting a cross in. Jenks was there waiting and despite controlling the delivery his subsequent effort spun wide.

Referee Craig Barnett would bring the game to end with Hinshelwood’s 100% league record extended. Four successive victories elevated the Reds into the play-off places.

Match Report by Max Cochran