Hallsy's Academy Report - Pre Easter Edition

After falling at the last hurdle in National Competition both Worthing College Men and Women's Football sides continue their successful seasons with the Men's 1st XI clinching their ECFA Regional League last Wednesday and the Women's XI learning that after finishing second in their ECFA league they will take on Balby Carr (Doncaster) in the ECFA National League Playoffs to be played before May 11th.

The Men's 1st XI recorded their 11th league victory of the season in their final home game against a very spirited Bromley side. Worthing had suspensions and injuries to deal with, however still had a very strong side to make sure the league title was theirs. Worthing looked fatigued and this hampered their free flowing style of play. The visitors took full advantage of this and took the lead after 10 minutes when a deflected shot sailed over the isolated James Fernandes in the Worthing goal. 0-1. Even though fatigue was definitely settling in Worthing's team spirit and determination got them back into the game with a delightful move. Joe Warner chested the ball to Jordan Clark, whose first time volley cross field found winger Lee Mottershead. Mottershead then took on his full back on the inside and played an exquisite reverse pass to Clark, who had followed the attack and scooped the ball first time over the advancing goalkeeper. 1-1.

At half time the message was to be sensible in possession to ensure that the ball did the work and another piece of quality would win the game and therefore the league. However this was far from the case as Bromley again took the lead. A free kick from just outside the box was expertly dispatched into the "postage stamp" of Fernandes' top corner, which cued extremely excited Bromley celebrations. 1-2.

Many teams would have crumbled and given up a superb league record of not losing one game in the last 12, but not this Worthing side. For every final ball going begging the players never stopped believing and were back in the match with 15 minutes to go. A Ryan Quirke free kick to the back post was met positively by Matt Dodd, who powerfully headed the ball into the roof of the net. 2-2.

Worthing were now pushing for the three points that would clinch the league title and it came with less than 5 minutes on the clock from an unlikely source, central defender Dan Heward. A Mottershead corner to the front post was met by Heward after the space was created for him to run into. 3-2. When the final whistle went a sense of relief engrossed the Worthing squad as well as a feeling of pride and achievement in what has been and excellent season both regionally and nationally.

Quote - Dave Hall - "The boys looked extremely tired, but stuck together and showed an excellent team spirit to work towards their goal of becoming league winners. Glimpses of quality were shown today but this does not tell the whole story. Each to a man have been superb in terms of their attitude, technical and tactical abilities and many will have a bright future in the game if they keep this level of consistency up and those players leaving us I wish them every success in the future."

Worthing - Fernandes; McGill, Boxall, Heward, Setchell; Warner, Clark, Dodd; Quirke, Jenkins D, Mottershead. No subs used.

Onwards & Upwards,

Hallsy