48 photos as Worthing fall at the final hurdle in bid to reach the National League Premier

By Steve Bone

Published 6th May 2024, 20:53 GMT

In the end it was not to be – but you can’t say Worthing didn’t give everything in their bid to win promotion to the top division of English non-league football.

After Adam Hinshelwood left for York City and Aarran Racine took over as interim manager, their promotion bid – strong all season – looked like it might falter then. But after a run of three straight defeats in March, they went on a superb winning run which took them straight into the play-off semi-finals after they finished third.

Maidstone were beaten in the semi-final at Woodside Road – then today, eight days, the ground was packed to the absolute limit again as Braintree came to town for a showdown for the final promotion spot.

It was 1-0, 1-1, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, then 3-3 at the end of the 90 minutes – breathless stuff. It felt like the ultimate prize in non-league would be settled by penalties, but it as Braintree who found a winner in the second period of extra-time. Cruel on Worthing, who last season bowed out in the play-off semis.

So they went one better this year – now can they go another step further and make it up next year? That feels a long way off at the moment but players, officials, staff and fans can all look back on 2023-24 with great pride.

Here is how an incredible play-off final panned out – and on this page and the ones linked, you can see Mike Gunn’s pictures from the match. Mike has been with Worthing every step of the way this season and we are hugely grateful to him and the club for being able to tell the story of the games as seen through his lens.

Don’t miss the Worthing Herald on Thursday for reaction to the final.