Dave Read brings us a second viewpoint from the Good Friday clash between the two Sussex National League South title contenders:
National League South
Going into the game, Worthing were sitting in second place, level on points with leaders Truro City and two points ahead of local neighbours Eastbourne Borough who were in third spot. The top of the National League South table is insane with the top six clubs all still having a chance of winning the league!
Onto the match itself and it was a cagey start as you’d imagine from such an important match. Yahaya Bamba made a great run into the penalty area for the hosts and cut the ball back into the six yard box but unfortunately behind the two onrushing forwards and Worthing cleared. At the other end Jack Spong hit a free kick from 25 yards out which beat the wall but Joe Wright in the Boro goal managed to parry away.
In the 25th minute we had a controversial moment, a long ball forward was headed away by Aarran Racine under a challenge from George Alexander and was adjudged to have used an elbow in the incident and was shown the red card. The resulting free kick was deflected by the wall and had keeper Lucas Covolan scurrying across as it drifted just wide of the post.
In the 35th minute the ten men went ahead. A ball through the middle found the run of Mo Faal, he was crowded out on the edge of the box with Danny Cashman just managing to knock the ball to Temi Babalola. He passed into the D where Glen Rea took a touch and then curled the ball past Wright and into the bottom right corner. 0-1
H-T: Eastbourne Borough 0 Worthing 1
The second half began with the hosts having most of the possession with Worthing playing on the break. It looked like Boro were keeping David Sesay wide on the right in an effort to stretch the visitors ten men. The first chance came to Worthing, the impressive Danny Cashman picking up the ball in midfield and advancing towards the edge of the box before playing a lovely one-two with Faal, playing a dangerous ball into the six yard box. It was cleared by Alexander but only to Faal whose snapshot sailed over the bar. The visitors had another break minutes later, Faal running from midfield, finding Cashman who swept the ball out to Babalola on the left side of the box. He took a touch, cut inside and fired a shot on target that Wright easily gathered.
In the 55th minute the visitors gave away a cheap free kick on the left, around 35 yards from goal. Jack Clarke curled a teasing left foot cross into the far post area where second half substitute Alfie Pavey beat two defenders to the ball to nod home the leveller. 1-1
Cashman and Babalola again combined on the left for Worthing on a quick break with the latter rolling the ball to Liam Nash on the edge of the box only for his effort to fly high over the bar. Back came Boro, first Clarke fired wide after a corner was headed clear, then the same player did well to win the ball back on halfway and slide a pass on towards Jason Adigun. His touch to knock the ball past the defender picked out the run of Jayden Davis in the box but he chose to shoot tamely at Covolan which infuriated Pavey as he was free had Davis looked up.
Odusanya then sprayed a lovely pass out to Sesay wide right, he hung a high cross into the edge of the six yard box where Pavey beat his man to head goalwards only to see Covolan beat the ball away. Sesay was again the provider swinging another dangerous cross into the box minutes later but some great defending from Sam Beard cleared the danger.
Late in the game Sesay again escaped down the right and this time chose to shoot with his first time effort parried away by Covolan. Worthing hit back with a Nash cross into the box which was headed clear but a nice touch by substitute Tommy Willard gave himself a half chance which Wright got down well to save low to his right.
The last chance of the game came from an inswinging corner from the hosts which caused a melee in the six yard box before finally being scrambled clear.
F-T: Eastbourne Borough 1 Worthing 1
The point for the ten men of Worthing was enough to take them to the top of the National League South table with Truro losing and Eastbourne Borough drop to fifth but still very much in the mix.