CHANCES MUST BE TAKEN

Cheshunt arrived standing seventh in the league and as joint top-scorers in the division yet they appeared pedestrian, attacking only in short bursts and ineffectively.

Two Worthing corners in the first five minutes was an accurate barometer of play, and Andy Alexander's opener after 11 minutes '” dinking past Ambers' keeper Russell Ling after Paul Rogers' through ball '” was of no surprise.

Rebels failure to increase their lead during a totally dominant first half was later to prove costly.

Mark Knee came close after 40 minutes with an excellent drive from wide that was tipped away well by Ling, before an excellent run and cutback from Sam Rents caught Sam Francis off balance and he fell without making contact.

Probably Worthing's best chance for a second in the whole game fell to Rents five minutes into the second half. A good cross from Francis seemed destined for Rents' perfectly timed run, but with the open goal beckoning the young winger somehow failed to connect from five yards.

A minute later, Cheshunt equalised. A long ball over the top caught Andy Lutwyche flat-footed and his attempted recovery took him illegally through the back of Leon Archer inside the box. Ryan Harris blasted the penalty home.

Shellstruck, it took Rebels a good 15 minutes to regain their composure. Meanwhile, half-chances for Darrell Cox and Archer were safely dealt with by keeper Mark Ormerod.

The introductions of Phil Ruggles and Roy Pook gave Cheshunt something to think about, Ruggles in particular coming near with an 81st-minute header that hit the post.

But Worthing's pursuit of victory left them open at the back and Dean Harding should have scored into an empty net after Ormerod had fantastically saved from Cox.

WORTHING: Ormerod; Holmes, Pullan, Lutwyche, Knee; Nabil, Rogers, Hawthorne, Rents; Francis, Alexander. Subs: Ruggles (Alexander 64), Pook (Francis 67), Pulling (Nabil 77), Ekoku, Grice. Att: 400.

REBELS and Brighton & Hove Albion met in a quickly arranged friendly on Thursday at Woodside for the benefit of players returning from injury. Albion, who had no game at the weekend, won 2-0 with a goal in either half, from Chris McPhee and Jake Robinson.