Worthing losing leads – and Hinshelwood says huge difference between leagues is clear
Adam Hinshelwood feels Worthing’s first month in the National League has shown everyone at the club the ‘huge difference’ between their division and the one below.
Worthing are – generally speaking – playing well. But they have only six points from their first five games, despite having led in every one.
Friday night brought a cruel 3-2 loss at Tamworth. They led 2-1 at one stage but after Jack Wadham and Dom Hutchinson were sent off, Tamworth won 3-2 – nabbing a 98th minute winner when Joe Cook was also off the field, injured.
Monday brought a 3-2 loss at home to Boreham Wood after they’d led 1-0 with an hour gone.
Next up for the 15th-placed team is a trip to AFC Fylde on Saturday.
After Tamworth, Hinshelwood said: “For long spells when it was 11 v 11 I thought we were unbelievable. We were disappointed not to come in at half-time more than 1-0 up.
"We competed well and put bodies on the line and defended our box. For large spells we were in complete control.
"We’ve been very, very good in four games and got six points. But we want to be a team that plays well but gets three points – that’s what we’ve got to learn.
"It’s a tough place to come at 11 v 11, then you lose one, lose two and have a player off injured. I’ve never known anything like it.
"We’re disappointed but if we go on performing like we are, we are going to be a tough team to play against. We can’t keep playing well and coming off with no points.”
There was more disappointment with Monday’s defeat and Hinshelwood said: “We’re having a right go, we’re so close – but we don’t want to be the team that’s doing well for a half – we’ve got to find a way to win.
"When they (opponents) have momentum they are scoring – when we have momentum we’re not scoring enough goals. We’ve got to be better in both boxes – there’s a load for us to work on.”
Hinshelwood felt the first six games in the National League had shown everyone at the club there was a ‘huge difference’ between it and the league below.
“You get punished for mistakes – there’s much better quality,” he said.
"Mentally you can’t switch off and I think that’s our Achilles heel at the moment.”
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JENKS IS BIG LOSS
Worthing have suffered a setback with the loss of influential midfielder Teddy Jenks, who has moved to Carlisle United.
Jenks, 24, made 45 appearances across all competitions and scoring 16 times after arriving at Worthing a year ago.
The former Brighton academy talent made his debut for the Reds in an FA Cup tie with Jersey Bulls and scored his first Reds goal against Forest Green two rounds later.
Jenks improved as the season grew on, cropping up with several important moments on team’s way to the National South title.
March was a prolific month for the 24-year-old, with two goals in the win over AFC Totton and a headed equaliser against Enfield Town helping him collect the National South Player of the Month award.
Jenks made the attacking midfield position his own as Worthing won promotion to the fifth tier.
He has had a strong start to the National League campaign, including scoring a header in the home loss to Forest Green and supplying two assists in Friday’s trip to Tamworth – but now he is Brunton Park-bound.
Worthing said: “Everyone at Worthing FC wishes Ted every success in his next venture and wishes to express our gratitude for his efforts.”