Brad Dolaghan scored a brace taking his tally to eighteen for the campaign, the first of which gave the Reds a 1-0 lead at the half.

A red card for Hornchurch defender Makai Welch gave the Urchins an uphill battle in the second half, as goals from Razzaq Coleman De-Graft, Toby Byron, Dolaghan and Nathan Odokonyero made it five consecutive league wins at Woodside Road.

Following Tuesday night’s 3-2 loss away at Torquay United, Adam Hinshelwood made one change to
the side that started in Devon, with Matt Burgess coming in for George Cox.

In the opposite dugout, Daryl McMahon made two changes following the Urchins’ 1-1 draw at home to AFC Totton last weekend; Angelo Balanta, who scored the only goal for Hornchurch in the last meeting between the two sides, was brought into the team alongside Henry Sandat.

In a tentative opening fifteen minutes of play, it was the hosts who produced the first couple of efforts on goal.

A counter-attack down the right flank allowed Razzaq Coleman De-Graft the chance to ask early questions of the Hornchurch backline, turning down Joel Colbran’s overlapping run before cutting inside and hitting a deflected strike into the side netting.

The subsequent corner was headed out as far as Jack Spong, who could not keep his effort on target from outside the box.

Two minutes later, Hornchurch made their first venture into the Worthing box after an untimely giveaway from Teddy Jenks presented Balanta the opportunity to cut back from the byline.

However, the Rebels defence were able to clear their lines before the ball reached the waiting Sandat at the penalty spot.

Having been responsible for the Reds’ first look at the away goal, Coleman De-Graft continued to create havoc for the Urchins’ defensive setup, and went on to orchestrate the move that put his former side behind just shy of the half hour mark.

A long ball into the right channel was plucked out of the sky by the former Hornchurch man, who shimmied past his defender before firing a right-footed cross into the area for Dolaghan to head home from just outside the six-yard box.

The visitors quickly looked to get back on level terms, and could have done so when a defence-splitting pass from midfield looked to set Sandat through on goal, yet excellent defensive recovery from Colbran meant the Rebels’ skipper was able to make a sliding challenge to snuff out any effort at source just inside the box.

Just over five minutes after going in front, Hinshelwood’s Reds had a brilliant chance to double their
advantage. Patient play from Dolaghan on the left side of the area allowed the striker to pick out the run of Jenks in a central position, however the midfielder was denied by a firm stop from Hornchurch ‘keeper Arthur Nasta.

A significant opening created by the hosts, with the travelling side indebted to their goalkeeper for keeping the deficit at one amidst a period of home dominance in the final third.

Jenks and Coleman De-Graft both had chances to add to our tally just before the break, the former curling a first-time effort over the bar before the latter drilled a low strike just wide of Nasta’ left-hand post having done well to work space for the shot.

Seven minutes after the restart, a lovely feint and turn by Jenks on the halfway line allowed Worthing to break forward. The former Brighton academy man shifted the ball left to Dolaghan, whose left-footed strike on the angle sailed over the crossbar.

The Rebels were handed a major boost to their chances in the 54th minute, when Hornchurch defender Makai Welch received a straight red card for a foul on Jenks as he looked to break ahead of the scrambling visitors backline on the counter.

From the resulting free-kick, another moment of set-piece magic from Coleman De-Graft, who added to his free-kick catalogue from this season by whipping the ball into Nasta’s bottom left corner to make it 2-0.

A poignant moment took place in the 67th minute, as a warm ovation from the Woodside Road faithful welcomed Nicky Wheeler onto the pitch in what was his final appearance in a Worthing shirt before calling time on his football career.

Looking to make full use of their man advantage, the home side continued to push forward, and would find a third goal of the afternoon in the 71st minute when Byron arrived at the back post to powerfully head in Sam Packham’s in-swinging corner from the left side.

Ten minutes later, Byron would turn provider as the Reds added a fourth goal courtesy of Dolaghan’s second of the game.

Byron, working hard to find space for a delivery, eventually delivered from the left into the feet of Dolaghan, who shifted the ball onto his left side before driving a strike low across goal past the reach of Nasta.

With the game drawing to a close, one of five late substitutions added to the hosts’ tally for the evening, as Odokonyero bundled home from close range following a goalmouth scramble to round off the scoring on a fine afternoon for Hinshelwood’s side.

The Rebels are back on the road next weekend as we travel to Kent to take on Ebbsfleet United.