Worthing FC boss pleased to see team back in the old routine

Worthing on the attack as Three Bridges are beaten / Picture: Mike Gunn

While it’s only a small first step towards being ready for the challenge of National League South, the boss is pleased with the shape his players are in as pre-season begins – and the way the squad itself is starting to mould.

A goal in each half from star summer signing Jake Robinson and Frankie Perry saw off Isthmian south east visitors Three Bridges in front of a great-sized crowd for a friendly, 458.

Here's Mike Gunn's picture gallery from the win over Three Bridges.

Worthing's 22-23 National South fixtures - analysis and full list.

Worthing used a mixture of first teamers, youngsters and trialists with plenty of half-time changes and Hinshelwood said it was a very useful first run-out.

Further matches follow tomorrow, when Worthing face Brighton U23s in a behind-closed-doors match at the Seagulls’ Lancing training ground, and on Saturday, when they have a 3pm at Hinshelwood’s old club Selsey of the SCFL.

The manager said of Tuesday’s clash: “You can do as much running and preparation as you want but nothing matches being out there playing a match.

"We didn’t want to go too heavy in the first game, having had only a couple of training sessions, but the main thing was getting 45 minutes into the legs of a lot of players.

"We’ve not done too much work yet on shape and how we want to play, but we played some good stuff.

"It was nice for Jake to get his first goal in his first match. Already in training he’s showing the sort of quality he will bring.”

Hinshelwood expects a good number of trialists to have the rule run over them in the next two or three weeks as he finalises his squad for the club’s first season at step two. “I’m not envisaging wholesale changes,” he added.

Hinshelwood will have the job of trimming numbers nearer the start of the campaign but is happy to many of last season’s key men, plus his new recruits, already tied down.

The Rebels have signed striker Robinson, defender Adam El Abd, midfielder Kane Wills and winger Lewis White, while the likes of Ollie Pearce, Callum Kealy and Aarran Racine are also on board.