Worthing’s awayday joy goes on – but boss has a warning

Worthing's players and fans celebrate Lewis White's late winner at St Albans | Picture: Mike Gunn

The National South away wins keep coming for Worthing FC – but boss Adam Hinshelwood says they can’t keep relying on other sides to miss chances.

A 1-0 success at St Albans on Saturday – courtesy of a superb late Lewis White strike and an even later Harrison Male penalty save – was their fourth win in four away league matches.

But Hinshelwood said his team needed to make faster starts to games, or the run would end.

St Albans v Worthing in pictures by Mike Gunn.

Now third-placed Worthing turn their focus to looking for their first home National South win. Having started with three Woodside Road draws, they host Tonbridge on Saturday and Cheshunt next Tuesday.

The squad, without long-term knee injury victim Jake Robinson, has been boosted by the arrival of two former Whitehawk strikers, Javaun Splatt and Dan Thompson.

Hinshelwood was pleased with the result at St Albans but said: “St Albans had two really good chances in the first 20 minutes and it was similar to Weymouth and Dartford.

"We can’t keep giving teams so many early chances, or one of them will make us pay. We can’t rely on teams missing chances or Harrison Male keeping us in games.

"We tweaked it for the second half and told the players to be braver playing forward passes and being ready to receive the ball when under pressure – and that’s exactly what happened when Kane (Wills) played it to Lewis before he scored. It was an unbelievable strike. Then a bit of lack of concentration cost us a penalty, but Harrison made a great save. He’s done that a few times for us from penalties.”

Hinshelwood said he’d continue to drum into players the need to improve in all areas – and be prepared to show that courage on the ball in the upcoming home games if they wanted to chalk up that first home win.

The manager said he was pleased to recruit Splatt and Thompson. “Both give us something different up front and will relieve the pressure on the others with Jake out long-term.”

Meanwhile the draw for the FA Cup second qualifying round has handed Worthing a trip to fellow National South side Slough Town. The Rebels v Rebels clash takes place on Saturday week.