Picture special as Worthing FC go top in front of record crowd - and boss says: We want to be better

Not only did a Teddy Jenks double and another Brad Dolaghan goal seal a 3-2 win over their National South promotion rivals, it sent Adam Hinshelwood’s team into first place – after previous leaders Hornchurch lost to Maidstone – and it was played in front of the club’s biggest ever crowd, 3,735.

There was no room to spare in the ground and a breathless first half finished 2-2 after Marc White’s side twice pegged back the Rebels, but Jenks’ second goal proved the winner and not even the late sending-off of Joe Cook could thwart Worthing.

See Jay Wrighte’s match gallery, on this page and those linked.

Here’s what Hinshelwood had to say after the win…

“The players were unbelievable in the second half.

"We didn’t play with enough courage and bravery in the first half and a couple of our passes were loose. But we have to compliment Dorking for the way they came and pressed. Marc (White) has an unbelievable side, full of quality, they’re on good form as well and we knew they’d come and press us high.

"When we did win the ball back in our half we sometimes played it to the wrong side.

"At half-time we were nice and calm but I wanted us to show more quality and composure when we did win the ball back.

"The response second half was phenomenal. If you don’t take your chances and kill the game off completely you leave yourselves a bit vulnerable and that was nearly the case at the end.

"I think we fully deserved the three points in the end.

"They (Dorking) have got a really good strike force and their midfield put us under pressure.

"We had to suffer at times but I was really pleased with the character and the endeavour the players showed."

Hinshelwood said Reds keeper Josh Jeffries was ‘phenomenal’ in the second half after recovering from a mistake for one of Dorking’s goals.

He said double scorer Jenks had showed he was a player for big occasions while Razz Coleman De-Graft had caused his full-back plenty of problems.

"It’s a really good squad of players and we have different attributes within that squad. And they’re all coming to the party and working hard for the team.

"We caused ourselves some problems but responded well and full credit to the players.”

Joe Cook was sent off for a foul when the Worthing defence was caught out by a long ball in stoppage time and Hinshelwood said it was disappointing they’d now miss him while he was banned.

"We’re top halfway through the season so well done to us all, we’re getting there – but it’s halfway and I only want all of us to get better. There’s more to come from us, we’re not going to rest on our laurels and think we’ve cracked it or that we’re the finished article.

"We want to get better, we want to improve, we want the players to have that mindset as well and I’m sure they will. We’ll learn a lot from this game and we want to be better in the second half of the season.”