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Ryman League Division One South
WORTHING (1) 2 (Ekoku, Carr)
LEATHERHEAD (0) 0
Attendance 557
Compare and contrast today’s side with the one that took the pitch up at Fetcham Grove earlier in the season to grind out a vital 1-0 last minute victory back in September. The team of Standen, Hill-Davies-Beech-Dicker, Carrington-Rogers-Grice-Lopez-Geddes, Francis looks a strong one. But the Worthing side of 2004 despatched this Leatherhead side far more convincingly and the major difference on Saturday was Nko Ekoku in a red shirt and not a green one.
And our away game at Leatherhead (although I stand to be corrected) was also amazingly, the last time we played the same starting XI in two successive games. This season’s “rotation” is a sharp contrast to the “stagnation” of the previous one.
We were without the injured Lopez and Francis and the rehabilitating Johnson, Davies, Pook and Freeman (who were playing for Withdean). Surprisingly we had only four on the bench and although our starting XI was the same, Carr replaced Freeman as a substitute. Interestingly, ex-Worthing “favourite” Steve Sargent appeared in the Leatherhead starting XI as former boss Barry Lloyd watched almost anonymously from the crowd.
It really was a dire game with few chances at each end, the Rebels enjoying most of the possession but unable to create too many clear cut chances. Most of our good play came through the determination of Shaun Grice and Paul Rogers feeding the unpredictable Ekoku. It was Nko that gave is the lead as a Mark Pulling throw was flicked on at the near post by a Leatherhead defender to leave him with the easiest of tap-ins.
Sean Edwards replaced Mark Pulling at the interval and occupied right midfield for the second half. Possibly, the direst 30 minutes of football followed as both sides struggled to adapt to the blustery conditions although I’m not complaining, as so often last season we were dire and losing as opposed to dire and winning this afternoon. It seemed we were holding back, perhaps with Tuesday in mind, as Lutwyche and Carr replaced the lively Knee and Grice with the clock running down. With five minutes to go, the clinching second goal was scored as a flap by the Tanners ‘keeper resulted in Nko heading against the bar. The ball rebounded kindly to Carr who headed home from a yard to open his Rebels account this season.
The final whistle sounded and as news of Windsor losing (again) filtered through it seemed good news. Many of us were surprised that Lewes beat Horsham and had returned to the top of the table, as we all thought Horsham could nick a point in their derby game. It was not to be and it makes Tuesday’s game a vital one. Surely the victors will be favourite for the title? Or will we cancel each other out, draw and let in Windsor and Hampton? Whatever happens, this is the most exciting finish I have ever known to a season and there is still everything to play for. Let’s crank up the volume again Tuesday night in the battle for Sussex supremacy.
TEAM – Will Packham 6, Owen Hill 7, Chris Dicker 7, Des Guile 7, Clay Lamont 7, Stewart Holmes 6, Shaun Grice 7 (sub Andy Lutwyche 6), Paul Rogers 7, Mark Pulling 6 (sub Sean Edwards 7), Nko Ekoku 8, Mark Knee 7 (sub Ashley Carr 6) SUB NOT USED Ben Carrington (NB – Where was Ted?)
MY MAN OF THE MATCH – Nko Ekoku, who is finally showing the form that his price tag justifies. Love him or hate him, his unorthodox style makes things happen in the absence of Sam.
7th Feb 2004