Late strikes send Rebels to defeat

Rebels were in control of the contest for large parts but late strikes from Sam MacVicar and Hakeem Adelakun sent them to a league loss.

A difficult ending for Worthing became worse in injury-time when Brannon O’Neill was shown a second yellow card and they finished the game with ten men.

Rebels joint boss Jon Meeney felt poor game management cost his side.

He said: “We were the better team for 85 minutes and looked worthy of at least a point.

“It was a near perfect away performance from us but those final few minutes let us down. I have learned a lot about the team from that last five minutes.

“It’s a real shame that we did not take a point at least but we need to learn from this. That would have been a great result at a physically strong side in Three Bridges but those late goals let us down.

“Frustrations boiled over a little late on and then we lost Brannon as well.

“We just need to make sure our game management improves over the course of the season.”

The first half saw little goalmouth action, with Rebels’ Lloyd Dawes having the best chance but he saw his volley superbly tipped over by Kieron Thorp and it was 0-0 at the break.

Three Bridges improved in the second half and created a couple of chances.

First, Matt Piper was forced to scoop over the bar after Jack Fagan failed to collect a cross, while the latter did well to keep out a MacVicar header.

Worthing’s best opportunity fell to Callum Overton with 20 minutes to go. He latched on to a Harvey Sparks cross but saw his half-volley rise just over the bar.

With the game looking as though it would be heading for a draw, Bridges struck late on.

MacVicar was played in by substitute John Lansdale and the forward rounded Fagan before slotting home.

Rebels went in search of a late leveller but a poor throw from Fagan fell to Adelakun and he curled home a second.

O’Neill was then shown a second yellow card with less than a minute left to add to Worthing’s frustrations.

WORTHING: Fagan; Hendon, Heath, Hurley, Metcalf; Overton, Axell, O’Neill, Sparks; Dawes, Pope. Subs: Piper (Hurley), Buckland, Morey, Newton, Barnes.

Rebels entertain Thamesmead in the FA Cup on Saturday, before they host Dorking Wanderers in the league on Tuesday.

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