Goals from Joel Colbran and Joe Cook got the visitors off to a fine start in the first half, however the hosts clawed back level before the break through Louis Dennis and Jordan Young.

The former added another just after half time, condemning the Rebels to their first league defeat in eight games in the Enterprise National League South.

Adam Hinshelwood named an unchanged starting eleven from the side that won 2-1 away at Slough Town last weekend. Torquay boss, Paul Wotton also made no changes to his side following the Gulls’
7-0 win over Eastbourne Borough on Saturday afternoon.

The travelling Rebels made a fast start on the Devon coast forcing Torquay into a number of early mistakes, one of which would lead to the opening goal for Worthing in the 17 th minute courtesy of our skipper Colbran.

A turnover by the hosts in their own half allowed Toby Byron the chance to step over the halfway line, with the centre half playing a well-weighted pass in behind which Dolaghan was able to reach.

Having held up the ball well, Dolaghan set the ball into the path of Colbran, who cut in from the right side of the box before curling a left footed effort into James Hamon’s right hand corner.

Worthing continued to dominate proceedings following the opener, and would go on to double their advantage in the 17th minute courtesy of Cook.

Good work from Dolaghan to win a corner with an effort from outside the box would be rewarded, with Cook heading home after the corner was eventually worked into the area.

The second goal seemed to ignite a response from the hosts, who had been on the back foot for the vast majority of the opening 20 minutes. The visitors had Josh Jeffries to thank for a couple of saves, notably keeping out a curling effort from Matt Jay as Worthing struggled to clear their lines.

Despite keeping out an initial flurry of Torquay efforts, the home side would halve the deficit in the 24th minute courtesy of Dennis, who finished low into Jeffries’ bottom right corner after being found in space on the right side of the penalty area.

With the momentum having shifted firmly in the hosts’ favour, Torquay edged closer to levelling the score as Jeffries once again denied Jay, this time showcasing his reflexes to tip wide a curling effort from range.

Moments later, the Rebels had Colbran to thank as the Worthing captain headed Dennis’ looping attempt off the goal-line at the half hour mark.

The chaotic nature of the first half showed no signs of relenting, as Young would go on to restore parity for the hosts in the 31st minute. A failed Worthing attack allowed Torquay the opportunity to get the ball forward quickly, and having latched onto a long ball into the right channel, Young cut inside on his left foot before bending a strike into the far corner of the net.

Worthing had an excellent chance to restore their lead in the 37 th minute, when Razzaq Coleman De Graft was kept out one-on-one by the legs of Hamon after an incisive pass from Jack Spong set the winger through on goal.

The game refused to slow down following the half-time interval, and it the hosts who managed to turn the game on its head by going ahead in the 54th minute through Dennis’ second goal of the
evening.

An effort by Coleman De-Graft at the edge of the Torquay box was blocked, and with Spong unable to recover the ball the hosts were allowed to break. The ball eventually reached Young on the right side of our penalty area, who lifted the ball across the box for an unmarked Dennis to finish back across goal.

Five minutes after going behind for the first time, Hinshelwood’s Reds almost got themselves back level largely thanks to the marauding play of Coleman De-Graft. The former Hornchurch man picked up the ball just short of the halfway line, before weaving his way past a number of Torquay challenges on his way toward the final third.

The winger played the ball into the path of Dolaghan who had only the ‘keeper to beat, however the striker sent his effort wide of the mark.

It took until beyond the hour mark for the game to finally catch its breath, with both sides visibly reeling from the relentless tempo seen through the opening 70 minutes of play.

The introductions of Nathan Odokonyero and Ollie Godziemski looked to reinvigorate Worthing’s attacking output.

On the stroke of 90 minutes, Godziemski let off a strike amid a cluster of home shirts at the edge ofthe box, with Odokonyero stretching but unable to reach the deflected ball as it trickled back to the goalkeeper just inside the six-yard box.

Four minutes into eleven added at the end of the 90, Teddy Jenks had a great opportunity to get Worthing back on level terms after a short corner routine found Jenks in space from 14 yards, however the midfielder could not keep his first time strike on target.

In a dramatic ending to proceedings, a last-gasp Worthing free kick from the right flank was clipped into the box, with Jenks’ initial blocked effort falling to the head of Rebels ‘keeper Jeffries who had joined the attack.

However, Jeffries’ headed attempt was kept out by the diving Hamon to seal the comeback for the hosts.

Worthing are back in action on Saturday as we welcome league leaders Hornchurch to the Sussex
Transport Community Stadium.