Hallsy's Academy Report - Week 2 Vol 2

After the confident start last week the Worthing College Football Academy 1st and 2nd XI’s were both in action against south of the capital sides in John Ruskin and Kingston respectively.

The 1st XI saw Dan Heward and Lewis Jenkins both making their debuts in a backline joined by Matt Chester and Jack Carey. Skipper James Fernandes returned between the sticks and also Matt Dodd made his first appearance of the season in the heart of the midfield.

The opposition have changed their venue for the new season, however the pitch was not fairing any better with ruts and stones aplenty for the technically efficient Worthing side to deal with. With this combined with the blustery conditions Worthing were going to be up against it as John Ruskin are a physical and athletic outfit with a direct approach.

Coach Dave Hall warned that if mistakes were made they would be punished at the higher level. Unfortunately his words rung true inside the opening ten minutes. The ball was given away in the midfield, which was pounced upon and allowed the lively striker to finish cooly under the advancing Fernandes. 0-1.

Worthing needed to react well and react well they did. When playing the ball on the floor at pace Worthing were too good for their opponents. Dodd, Jordan Clark and Joe Warner began to run the midfield with neat play and at times impressive diagonal passes. For all of their pressure Worthing didn’t really muster any clear cut chances until the equaliser. Ryan Quirke received an overhit cross from Lee Mottershead and then jinked past his marker and expertly slotted the ball under the advancing corner. 1-1.

This goal seemed to turn the game with Worthing’s high tempo, high pressing strategy rattling their opponents into mistake after mistake. Striker Olly Setchell almost gave Worthing the lead before half time whilst John Ruskin appealed for offside, Setchell screwed his shot towards the far post, which Lee Mottershead couldn’t dispatch.

At half time Worthing were confident with the wind at their backs in the second half. However the word was to make sure that their work rate was consistently high for the remaining forty five minutes and not to get complacent.

Worthing in the past have been on the wrong side of some bad luck over the last few years, however this time lady luck was on their side for their second goal. A ball over the top was latched onto by Setchell and he surprised the host goalkeeper by striking the ball early and into the roof of the net. The luck came as Setchell was two or three yards offside. Happy Days. 2-1.

In the first half Worthing played the conditions excellently. With the wind in their faces they kept the ball on the floor and technically out matched their opponents. The second half saw the wind at their backs and to their credit Worthing kept their discipline and continued with the Academy philosophy of pass and move at pace. Dodd, Clark and Warner were now running the show and with the back four of Carey, Heward, Chester and Jenkins keeping John Ruskin at bay Worthing were now in complete control leaving keeper Fernandes redundant.

For all of this domination a third goal was needed to kill the game Clark tried his best to score sooner rather than later, however his strike towards the far post curled the other way. Matt Dodd also wanted a piece of the action, but he was denied firstly by his wayward shooting and secondly from an excellent block from the host keeper. Those two were involved in the third with Dodd chipping a free kick straight onto the head of Clark just in front of the advancing keeper. 3-1.

With the game supposedly safe John Ruskin did manage a mini break only to be thwarted by the impressive Heward and Carey.

Worthing’s impressive start to the season continues with each player playing their part. It is even more impressive that the Academy ethos has rubbed off onto all of the new members of the squad so quickly, which is massive credit to the new lads, but the old guard have more than played their part in this process by making all feel welcome and setting high standards. Worthing’s start will be tested next week when they come up against City College, who were last years league winners. So that will definitely be a test of how far the squad has come in such a short space of time.

Onwards & Upwards,

Hallsy