May 7, 2023
Today’s promotion play-off semi-final saw the meeting of the sides that finished 3rd and 4th in regular season table in National League One South, separated only by goal difference. In a remarkable first season in National League One South, Worthing had scored 92 goals but incredibly had conceded 72 ( 13 of them against Champions Ebbsfleet ), which would probably be some sort of record for a promoted side should they prevail through the play-offs.
Worthing beat Braintree 2-1 at home in first play-off round in front of a crowd of 2,678 to earn the right to visit Oxford City. The winners of today’s encounter knew they would be at home to St Albans in the play-off final after the Saints won a penalty shoot-out at Dartford after a 1-1 draw after extra-time.
The honours were shared in the two meetings between the two sides, with Worthing winning 1-0 in a midweek floodlight match in November in a match where Oxford City struck the woodwork 4 times, but The Hoops triumphed 3-0 in the return in February in front of a crowd of 800.
Today’s match was all-ticket for visiting fans and their allocation of 450, 15% of the ground capacity, quickly sold out. An additional 100 tickets were then also made available and they were also snapped up in a short space of time. Tickets at the gate would be available on the day to home supporters subject to availability, with prices being £14 online and £15 on the gate ( £9 for concessions ).
For perhaps only the second time ever there would be segregation of away fans for a match at Court Place Farm, with the FA Cup Tie replay against Tranmere being the only other match in recent memory.
Parking at Court Place Farm is normally free, but due to the large crowd expected a charge of £5 was being applied, although spaces could be reserved on-line. An overflow car park at Marston school was also in operation.
Worthing are known as The Rebels, which must have been confusing when they played Slough Town, who have the same nickname !
I have been to Worthing’s Woodside Road on one occasion, to watch a Sussex Senior Cup tie replay against Crawley in February 1977. The first match had finished in a bad tempered 1-1 draw at Town Mead, and the replay was no better, as Worthing edged to a scrappy 1-0 win. I remember Worthing centre-back Ricky Sopp being particularly annoying, but over the two matches he had a grip over Wayne Peacock, Crawley’s goal machine that season who was signed not long after by Portsmouth.
In those days replays in the Senior Cup were played the following Saturday rather than mid-week under lights and with Worthing playing in the Isthmian League and Crawley in the Southern League, meetings between the two clubs were rare.
This was only my second ever Crawley away game and I paid to travel on the team coach together with a mate from school. Waiting to return back to Crawley on the coach after the game, I was surprised to see many players from both sides having a laugh and drink together in the bar, after having spent two matches trying to kick lumps out of each other and arguing on the pitch. How naïve I was back then !
Worthing’s top scorer was ex-Bognor Regis striker Ollie Pearce on 24 goals, the third highest in the league. Australian Callum Kealy had scored 12 times but joined Havant & Waterlooville in February. Midfielder Davide Rodari is on loan from Crawley Town, Mo Dabre is on loan from Swindon and Liam Vincent is on loan from Portsmouth. Midfielder Jack Paxman was injured in the win over Braintree and so missed today’s game. Worthing’s manager is ex-Brighton defender Adam Hinshelwood. Worthing went into the match in good form, with 5 wins in their last 6 games.
Although Oxford City lost their last game of the season against 10-man Bath City they had also been in good form, with recent results including a 5-1 win at Dover, and a 3-1 home win over Chelmsford City. Klaidi Lolos and Josh Parker topped their scoring charts with 16 goals each, but the strength of their side laid in their long serving mid-field trio of Reece Fleet, Josh Ashby and Zac McEachran with their play being well suited to the artificial surface at Court Place Farm, and McEachran in particular having had an outstanding season.
The Hoops were in the play-offs last season, overcoming Eastbourne Borough in the first round before been eliminated by eventually winners Dorking Wanderers. It was felt that playing an extra match had taken a lot out of the squad and effected their performance at Dorking, so it would remain to be seen if Worthing would be similarly affected today.
Bet365 made Oxford City 21/20 favourites, with Worthing at 21/10 and the draw at 13/5. After constant rain on Coronation Saturday, the weather at the 15.30 kick-off time was sunny and 19 degrees. It was quite warm, and having forgotten to bring a hat and not being under cover, I was worried I might get sunburnt !
The game was being streamed live on the National League TV website for a fee of £9.50, and BBC Radio Oxford were providing live commentary.
My prepaid parking entitled me to a space on the netball courts next to club car park and at the turnstile there was a long queue at the turnstile for prepaid tickets, and no-one at the turnstile for pay on the day. Once inside, a pop-up bar was present for the day, but looked to be only selling beers, and there were long queues at the two tea bars, and for the bar inside the clubhouse.
The Worthing fans were housed in one quarter of the covered terrace behind the far goal, about half of the main stand, and the standing area between the two. Before the game they were in good voice !
Worthing were in all red whilst Oxford City were in their normal blue and white hoops. In addition to the injured Paxman, The Rebels had been forced to make one other change to the starting XI against Braintree as keeper Harrison Male was also injured, so Secka came into the side. Oxford City made one change to the side that started at Bath last week, with Miccio replacing Davies on the left side of defence.
The visitors made a lively start and had a good chance to take the lead with just over a minute played. Colbran’s long ball put Pearce clear inside the City area but keeper Haigh narrowed the angle and blocked the shot with his chest.
With the crowd still taking that all in, The Hoops should have scored two minutes later. Striker Josh Parker was being fouled near the half-way line by Racine, but with the referee playing a good advantage he was able to make a pass to put Potter clear. Keeper Secka raced off his line but Potter easily went round him, but with an open goal he took a heavy touch and the ball rolled off for a goal-kick. An incredible miss !
The home side slowly started to take control of the game. Parker just failed to get on the end of a low cross from Miccio, Ashby shot well over and a superb threaded ball by McEachran looked to have put Williams-Bushell on goal, but a strong tackle by Rye stopped the danger.
McEachran made a strong run towards the Worthing penalty area only to be scythed down by Racine, but Parker put the free-kick well over the bar. As Worthing attempted to play the goal-kick out from the back, Sacka dwelt too long on the ball enabling Parker to charge down his clearance, and although the loose ball went to Potter, the first-time effort on goal was straight at the keeper, who gratefully saved.
Parker then won a header on half-way to put Williams-Bushell away down the right-wing but the referee halted play due to a head injury to left-back Vincent.
On 18 minutes it was Oxford City keeper Haigh’s turn to take a poor first touch inside his area but when Akanbi attempted to make a tackle, the keeper was too strong and kept possession. Worthing’s Colbran then attempted a cross-cum-shot from the right, but it took a deflection and was easily gathered by keeper Haigh.
When City had a free-kick near half-way after 20 minutes, Rodari hauled down Carroll just outside the area, but Ashby’s free-kick was driven into the wall and the follow-up from McEachran was blocked.
The opening goal finally arrived in the 25th minute. A flowing move involving Williams-Bushell, Potter and Ashby found McEachran who prodded the ball into the far corner with keeper Sacka flat-footed.
City were rampant, and a raking cross-field pass from Fleet reached Williams-Bushell, who laid the ball back to Burley, and his low cross was met by Potter at the far post but the effort went a couple of feet wide. Racine had to make a superb sliding tackle to prevent Parker breaking clear, then Coyle delivered a superb cross from the left-wing but Williams-Bushell was adjudged to have fouled the covering Worthing defender.
With City on top, there wasn’t much noise coming from the Worthing corner, and when Rodari pushed Burley over near the corner flag, the cry for one wag in the City section was “Unlucky Grealish” in reference to the Crawley Town loanee’s hairstyle.
With 4 minutes to play to half-time, Fleet sent another dangerous cross from the left, but again a foul was awarded against Williams-Bushell as he tried to get to the ball.
The home side doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time. A love chip by Parker found McEachran who went on a typical mazy run, beating two defenders, but was forced out wide. He was able to turn and cross from the left to the back post where Williams-Bushell was able to head back cross goal for the unmarked Potter to atone for his earlier miss, and hammer left-footed into the net from just inside the 6 yard box.
At half-time Oxford City full deserved their two-goal lead. After a short, lively opening, The Rebels had offered little and spent most of the half chasing shadows and Fleet, Ashby and McEachran weaved their webs with their intricate passing and dangerous runs.
Worthing made a change at the second half, as Dabre came on for Beresford, and they seemed to change their formation with Wills dropping back to a more central defensive role, Rye moving to left-back and Vincent moving to left side of midfield.
Two minutes into the half Burley was too strong for Rodari but as the Hoops defender moved into the penalty area, Rodari was able to recover and make the saving tackle. Worthing responded with a strong run down the right wing by Pearce but his cross was too long and went off for a throw-in.
As The Rebels enjoyed a good spell, Meekums’ superb cross-field ball was controlled by Akanbi who cut inside but the shot was weak and at keeper Haigh. Another good move saw Meekums’ ball across the face of the goal cleared by Burley, then another Meekums’ pass behind the City defence led to another corner for Worthing.
With 65 minutes gone, Worthing made a double substitution, surprisingly taking off their top scorer when needed to score twice, but their manager probably decided he had nothing to lose by having a gamble. However, the visitors were still unable to manufacture any clear-cut chances, the best being a free-kick from Starkey which was met by Racine, but the header was a comfortably save for Haigh.
With 17 minutes left on the clock, City decided to take off McEachan after a man-of-the-match performance, perhaps thinking the game was already won, and with one-eye on preserving him for next week’s final. City fans were no doubt hoping that there wouldn’t be a repeat of Sir Alf Ramsey taking off Bobby Charlton in the 1970 World Cup Quarter-final against West Germany. However, there was no Franz Beckenbauer in the Worthing side to take advantage of this change, and the home cruised to victory in the closing stages.
Colbran had a long range shot blocked and Meekums attempt from the rebound was easily saved. Akanbi pushed over Burley and looked to run clear but when the referee awarded the free-kick against the Worthing striker he was not happy. The only other piece of goal mouth action from Worthing came just over 6 minutes from time but after a free-kick was flicked on, Rye couldn’t make a decent contact and the ball rolled harmlessly off for a goal-kick.
The last chance fell to the home side. After Starkey slipped, Iaciofano ran towards goal but his goal-bound attempt was blocked.
Worthing were better in the second half, but rarely looked like getting back into the game, and Oxford City comfortably moved forward to a home final against St Albans, a side they did the double over in the league, in a game which will be shown live on BT Sport. Worthing still have a chance to finish their fine season with some silverware, as they take on Bognor Regis in the Sussex Senior Cup Final, in a match being played at Brighton and Hove Albion’s Amex Stadium.
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrLaSQpF-8k
Oxford City : Haigh – Burley ( Davies ), Carroll, Miccio – Williams-Bushell, Fleet, Ashby, McEachran ( Humphrey-Ewers ), Coyle – Potter, Parker ( Iaciofano )
Worthing : Secka – Colbran, Rye, Racine, Vincent – Rodari, Wills ( Parson ), Beresford ( Dabre ), Meekums – Akanbi, Pearce ( Starkey )
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