FOOTBALL: Rebels need two wins to reach play-offs

Rebels drew 3-3 at relegation-fighting Whitstable on Tuesday evening, having led 2-0 and 3-1, but results went their way, with none of the other sides in the top seven winning either.

Worthing boss Simon Colbran was disappointed his side failed to take all three points but is now targeting a strong finish to the season.

His side travel to Metropolitan Police on Saturday and Ashford Town on Wednesday, before they finish their season with a home match against fellow play-off hopefuls Fleet on April 24.

Colbran said: "Two wins will guarantee the play-offs but we want to win all three to try to get third place and home advantage.

"The most important thing, though, is to just make sure we are in them. It would be an advantage to be at home but our supporters are so good that they'll make any away tie feel like we're at home anyway.

"In our remaining games, we need to get some clean sheets again as we've been giving away too many silly goals."

At Whitstable, Rebels keeper Alan Mansfield made an early save from Ian Pullman before Worthing's David Pitt and Ben Williamson both went close.

Rebels then took control with two goals in the space of four minutes and were 2-0 ahead after just 20 minutes. Whitstable's Gary Sayer headed into his own goal, although Stuart Axten was claiming it, and Chamal Fenelon then struck home a powerful shot from 20 yards.

Williamson headed over a Pitt corner before Whitstable got a goal back on 40 minutes. Glen Woodburn was adjudged to have handled in the penalty area and Pullman scored from the spot.

Rebels restored their two-goal lead two minutes later when Sayer, under pressure from Paul Kennett, turned the ball into his own net for the second time, from Pitt's corner.

Pitt then went close to a fourth for Worthing early in the second half but his shot was hooked off the line by Clint Gooding.

Pullman got a goal back 10 minutes into the second half after a fumble by Mansfield but Rebels still had chances to regain their two-goal advantage.

Fenelon shot just wide and Pitt's free kick was saved by Whitstable keeper Kevin Fewell before Whitstable levelled with eight minutes left when Dan Wisker headed home from six yards.

Colbran said: "It was really disappointing not to win. It was a game we could easily have scored five or six in as we had so many chances.

"But we didn't defend properly. When you go away against the side second from bottom and score three goals, you can't come back with anything less than three points.

"It's not good enough, simple as that, and we've got to learn from it.

"We need to shut up shop. Even at 3-2 up, we kept attacking. It doesn't matter how many goals we win by '“ we've just got to make sure we get all three points."

Left-back Jamie Groves (calf) and Ryan Woodford (back) could return from injury for Rebels' match at Metropolitan Police.

WORTHING: Mansfield; Denton, Axten, Woodburn, Farmer; Pitt, Kennett, Patton, Johnson; Fenelon, Williamson. Subs: Brotherton (Pitt 76), Archibald (Williamson 80), Clarke (Farmer 90), Akehurst, McMenemy. Att: 112.

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