A Morgan Williams header seven minutes in to second half stoppage time earned Yeovil Town a late win at Worthing.
The Glovers looked like they had been pegged back by a 86th minute penalty from the home side which cancelled out an early Matt Worthington goal in the first half.
The result moves us three points clear at the top of the National League South with second-placed Taunton Town and third-placed Bath City both losing.
Here is Dave’s match report from the terraces at Woodside Road….
First half
The opening opening exchanges were dominated by the home side, seemingly more familiar with the surface, but they created nothing more than a bit of catching practice for Joe Day in the Yeovil goal.
And with the first meaningful attack of the game, the visitors went ahead. Will Dawes won possession in midfield and fed Rhys Murphy down the left, his shot (cross?) went across the face of goal where Matt WORTHINGTON was on the spot to tap it home. Worthy at Worthing – it was meant to be!
Worthing’s first danger came after 15 minutes as Nick Wheeler caused problems down the right side, but flashing one across the face of Day’s goal was as good as it got.
A minute later strong running by Murphy down the left saw him try to find Jordan Young, but his pass had too much on it. Then, with 20 minutes gone, Jake Wannell’s header across goal tried to find Murphy at the back post but the frontman could not quite get on it.
The possession stats for the opening half-hour would have comfortably been in the home side’s favour, whilst Yeovil seemed happy to watch them play it about without creating an effort of any note.
A long range smash over the bar by Aguiar following a corner generated by a good block from Morgan Williams to deny Ollie Pearce a shot on goal.
Before the game, Yeovil boss Mark Cooper had spoken of the risks taken at the back by Worthing and Murphy was obviously listening. He nipped in to rob the ball off a Rebels’ defender who proceeded to embrace him strongly inside the box, leaving the Glovers’ frontman on the floor. Surprisingly (not) the referee adjudged the wrestling move not to be a foul.
A minute before the end of normal time, good play down the right involving Worthington and Young led to the captain firing an effort in which was diverted in to the side netting.
Worthing had a great chance to go in level at the break after some sustained pressure on the Yeovil penalty area. The ball broke to Joan Luque who smashed his effort the wrong side of the post.
Half time: Worthing 0 Yeovil Town 1
Second half
A Jake Wannell header over the bar, a booking for Worthing’s Aguiar…..and that was about it for the opening ten minutes of the second half.
Then Matt Worthington got involved. Having battled well on the edge of the box to win possession his shot from 18 yards was turned on to the post by Worthing keeper Rocco Rees.
On the hour mark, Frank Nouble cut in from the right and unleashed a shot which fizzed wide before Young did the same after good link-up play with Murphy.
What few chances there are in this game, the majority of them are falling the way of Yeovil.
The game fell a bit flat with neither side really doing much to threaten. Both sides made changes with Jordan Stevens replacing Murphy on 68 minutes. Bit of electric pace to spark a change?
The substitute was involved in a great chance which fell to Young on 75 minutes. Stevens kept a ball which looked to have gone alive and played it in to Nouble managed to get it to Young who lifted his effort over.
Three minutes later, Stevens was in the thick of it again. His effort after a scramble on the box was blocked by the legs of Rees. We could really do with a second to put this one to bed.
On 79 minutes, Aguiar proved the above assessment correct when he fizzed another shot from the edge of the box just past the post. Eek.
I hate being right but seven minutes after writing this Worthing drew level. A ball in to the box saw Wannell, who had been excellent all game, clash with Joel Colbran and referee Dean Skipper pointed to the spot. After what seemed like an age, Ollie PEARCE slotted home.
It looked as if that was going to be that with referee Skipper living up to expectations of National League officials – booking substitute Zac Bell for taking less than ten seconds on a throw in but allowing the clogging of Young and Smith to go unpunished.
But, in a move which will disappoint him, the day was not about the referee thanks to WILLIAMS. A free-kick whipped in from the right side found the defender rising highest to silence the highest pitched home end I have heard in 30 years watching football.
There was still time for (super) Joe Day to be called in to action again, turning Aguiar’s free-kick from the edge of the box around the post with the last kick of the game.
It was controlled, it wasn’t pretty at times, we looked like we had paid the price of not taking our chances – but that’s what you need to win titles.
Full time: Worthing 1 Yeovil Town 2
Match Details
Venue: Woodside Road
Saturday 20th October, 3pm kick-off
Pitch: <REDACTED>
Conditions: Having rained for 24 hours solid before the match, barely a drop fell all game.
Attendance: 1874
Scorers: Matt Worthington 8 (1-0),
Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Alex Whittle 45, Matt Worthington 56,
Worthing: Ricky Aguiar 51, Bailey Smith 69
Referee: Dean Skipper
Yeovil Town (4-4-2)
Substitutes: Jordan Stevens (for Rhys Murphy, 68), Zac Bell (for Will Dawes, 84), Jordan Maguire-Drew (for Michael Smith, 93)
Substitutes (not used): Will Buse, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton
Worthing: Rocco Rees, Kane Wills, Joel Colbran, Joseph Rye, Jake Robinson (for Bailey Smith), Ollie Pearce, Nicky Wheeler, Odei (Luque), Aguiar, Cashman.
Substitutes (not used): Starkey, Woodhouse, Vincent