Worthing FC boss hails ‘big night at the office’ as dramatic come-from-behind victory maintains lead at the top

Trailing to Alfie Lewis’ 39th minute goal, Danny Cashman struck twice in the final 13 minutes to preserve the Reds’ lead at the summit.

Worthing lead second-placed Truro City by a point with a game in hand.

Agutter said: “I didn’t like football for a long period of that game! How we were losing that game, I was dumbfounded to be honest.

“It’s one of those games where, if you take the lead, I think that’s potentially quite a big scoreline.

“It’s definitely a lot closer to the Chesham game at the weekend in terms of scoreline than the usual 2-1 that we seem to get in most games.

“For their goal, I don’t think their lad’s going to hit a better strike than that in the rest of his career. As soon as he’s hit it, he’s hit it on the half-volley from 50 yards out and you think, that’s in.

“But credit to the lads, they kept going, kept doing the right thing, the subs came on and were very good.

“It was a deserved three points. It was a really hard-fought three points. It was a big night at the office.”

Agutter admitted he didn’t think the Reds would find the back of the net at Parkside, but paid tribute to his players for their perseverance in front of goal.

He added: “I must admit, I wasn’t sure whether the goal was going to come. We did everything but score. You just think, well, it’s going to be one of those nights - but credit to the lads, we just kept knocking on the door.

“We’ve had about 85 per cent possession, and we probably put the balls in the opposition’s box at a record high this year. I’d be shocked if we haven’t had 50 touches in their box.

“I thought we were really good, and we deserved to take all three points, but, again, I had a feeling that it [a goal] wasn’t going to come.

“Danny Cashman produced a wonderful bit of individual skill to get the equaliser, and then a really well-worked set-piece to get the winner.”

Monday night’s victory followed a ‘really good team performance across the board’ as Worthing went top of the National League South with a convincing 3-0 home win over Chesham United on Saturday.

The Reds led at half-time thanks to Joel Colbran’s 16th minute effort, before quickfire second half goals from Liam Nash and Temi Babalola secured the three points.

The win saw Worthing leapfrog Dorking Wanderers into top spot after the Wands were held to a 2-2 draw at home by mid-table Chelmsford City.

Agutter said: “It was a big win and a really important three points against, like we said in the build-up, a team that in the reverse fixture rolled us over pretty comfortably.

“On that day, they outfought us. They were deserved winners in the return fixture so for us to have played in the manner that we did, and get a really important three points was incredibly important.

“In the period of 15, 20 minutes after half-time, I thought we were very, very good.

“I’m slightly disappointed we haven’t gone after more, or added more, to the 3-0 scoreline, because I think there were more goals in the game for us. It wasn’t a reflection of Chesham, more of how good we were. That would be the one disappointment.

“But all-in-all, it was a really good day against one of the toughest opponents we’ve faced this year. I thought it was a really good team performance across the board. I can’t really praise the lads enough.”

Worthing host Hemel Hempstead this Saturday.