Two more Ben Andrews goals took his Rebels count to four of their five scored in their four games so far. He, not singlehandedly, of course, chalked up Worthing's first home league win, on a drab, moist, breezy and cloudy Bank Holiday Monday (August 25) when Ross Treleaven and Jorge Lopes made their A2B Woodside debuts.

Only 264 people forsook the alternative attractions to register on the turnstiles a figure only nine more than on the opening Saturday of the season. But they saw essentially a comfortable Worthing victory that was not underlined with a second goal until the second minute of injury time.

Crows had their moments and would have led after 10 minutes but for new Rebels keeper Alan Mansfield. Chris O'Flaherty and Justin Gregory were being played in exchanged positions and O'Flaherty, this time at left-back, was caught in possession and from Andy Ducille's drive, Mansfield made a flying double-punch away, to his left.

Gregory, this time at left-midfield, proved the excellent deep cross for the conclusive second Worthing goal, but not before O'Flaherty had spent the match making good with deadball kicks from the right corner flag and various free kick positions.

Escapes at both ends

Crows keeper Mark Oldroyd left it late to push around the post Andrews' glancing header from a Gregory cross, then Andy Alexander met an O'Flaherty corner at the far post and defender John Sinclair headed the ball desperately onto the underside of his own crossbar.

That was the 11th minute and six minutes later confident Crows, with eight goals in their first three starts, could have made it nine in four but Gavin Gordon headed wide of a half-open goal with O'Flaherty absent from his post at a Luke Gedling corner.

But then came the first Worthing goal and after that they gained greater control of midfield and until the last 15 minutes of the match created all the chances. Crows put an extra man in midfield but Rebels got their wide men forward and remained on top.

Debuts

On the right was Jorge Lopes, an 18-year-old half-Portuguese last week called up into the Angola national team. As well as pace, he showed an eagerness for the physical side and a hunger for the ball not obvious in regulation English wingers.

Up front, against the team for whom last season he led the County League goalscoring, Ross Treleaven lasted 58 minutes until his lack of match fitness told. He is from Kent but moved to Crowborough 2½ seasons ago. He showed he also has a potentially dangerous, raking long throw-in
and a degree of vision in his passing.

In the 19th minute, the grass moistened by drizzle, Worthing gained a grip on the destiny of the points. Debutmaker Steven Hunt conceded a free-kick on Worthing's right, O'Flaherty swung it in and the bend took it past every defender and forward, bar one.

Andrews, who else, suddenly appeared, unattended, beyond the far post and as the ball skidded towards him, slid down on his knees to guide expertly a lunging header low past the startled Oldroyd.

Lopes headed too high a Scott Kirkwood cross, then had a shot deflected for a corner from an Alexander header forward.

After half-time

In the second half, Andrews slid across goal his second intelligent cross of the entertainment, and next minute headed over from an O'Flaherty cross. O'Flaherty then struck a 35-yarder that Oldroyd hurtled to keep out of the top corner.

Lopes' long pass sent Jamie Brotherton away, he held off David Soutar and Hunt and, from an angle, brought a desperate low save from Oldroyd, who then dived to keep out O'Flaherty's direct 25-yard free kick.

Wayne Clarke and Ducille were off target at the other end, and after Oldroyd reacted to repel a brave Gregory header, Roy Pook gave away the ball and that cost Stuart Axten a booking for his exposed challenge on dangerman Clarke - whose consequent injury forced him out of the game.

Pook was then fortunately in the way when Mansfield and everybody else missed an awkward, waist-high corner and Sinclair fired goalwards at the far post.

Sealing goal

But the last seven minutes were all Rebels. Brotherton bore in from an angle, only to hit the side-netting. Sinclair needed a last-ditch tackle on Kirkwood after being nutmegged into the box. Andrews' goalbound volley at a corner went off Brotherton's back and over the bar.

And after Pook was booked for time-wasting at a defensive free kick, Worthing got it wide to Gregory, a fine cross from near the bye-line, and there was Andrews at the far post, peeling off Hunt and climbing to prod a firm header irretrievably back inside the opposite post.

WORTHING: Mansfield; Pook, Axten, Alexander, O'Flaherty; Lopes, Kirkwood, Kennett, Gregory; Andrews, Treleaven. Subs: Brotherton (Treleaven 58), Skinner (Lopes 79), Akehurst, Elliott, Pulling. Att: 264.

More reportage and quotes in the Herald.

Division 1S: Ashford Tn 4, Whitstable 0; Burgess Hill Town 2, Eastbourne Town 0; Chipstead 3, Leatherhead 3; Cray Wanderers 3, Merstham 0; Croydon Athletic 3, Kingstonian 3; Fleet Town 0, Walton Casuals 4; Walton & Hersham 1, Godalming Town 0; Whyteleafe 2, Corinthian-Casuals 1; Worthing 2, Crowborough Athletic 0.

Premier Div: Canvey Island 4, Billericay 0; Carshalton 1, Horsham 5 (Carey 1, Charman 40, Baitup 48, Eldridge 71, Knee 83); Dover 1, margate 0; Harlow 1, Dartford 2; Hastings Utd 0, Maidstone 4; Hendon 0, Ashhford Tn Middx 3; Heybridge Swifts 0, AFC Hornchurch 0; Ramsgate 2, Tonbridge Angels 3; Staines 1, Harrow 0; Tooting 4, Sutton 2; Wealdstone 1, Boreham Wood 1.


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