Salisbury 0-2 Worthing (National League South)
It was the FA Cup draw on Monday night, my favourite time of the year is always the third-round draw, watching Dion Dublin pulling out his balls live on the BBC, Mark Hughes doing the same, having a good old rummage around his sack as the beautiful Kelly Somers shouts out random team names at will.
Early wows and woos as Arsenal are drawn against Manchester United, cheers in Tamworth as the fifth-tier part-timers draw Tottenham Hotspur at home, and shouts of ‘who are they’ from a certain age bracket, as little old Accrington Stanley are provided with a trip of a lifetime at Anfield.
Does football get much better? In simple terms, the excitement of plucking out a few balls and seeing who ‘your team’ gets is the pinnacle of the English game, they’ve tried for many years to degrade the age-old competition, but it still has legs, and with a remarkable draw that pits plenty of David with Goliath, it just whets the appetite for a superb weekend in early Jan.
Tonight, I’m in Salisbury, the fixtures computer hasn’t been kind to me on the mileage but it’ll at least offer me the chance to see Worthing play for the first time, I watched some clips of their 3-0 win against Weston Super Mare on Saturday and they impressed me, a front two of Babalola and Faal, two big black guys with strength and power, backed by a tiny little playmaker in Danny Cashman, all three scored, they remind me of the old Wimbledon and how they used to be a force to be reckoned with, Josh Fashanu up top with Carlton Fairweather, in behind Terry Gibson, they even have a wide man in Nick Wheeler who could be compared to heyday Dennis Wise, whilst the bold headed Kane Wills sits in front of the back four tackling not quite like Vinnie Jones in midfield, but the simplicity and solidity of the side has me thinking, why aren’t they higher than they are?
Worthing are full time, a place outside the playoffs, they finished third last season and are expected to be challenging for promotion to the National League. Salisbury who I saw earlier in the season are just above the drop zone after promotion in the summer, they picked up a win themselves on Saturday, a 5-0 win over Hemel Hempstead who are in freefall. I don’t know what’s happened to them. But they have lost their last nine league and cup games and are without a win in fifteen.
A little bit about Worthing, 22 times Sussex Senior Cup winners, but outside their own county they have only four silverware pieces of note, two Isthmian League Division Two titles (82 & 93), one Division One success in 1983 and in 2021/22 the Premier Division which saw them promoted for the first time to the National League South.
Prior to that, the club had played in the Isthmian League since 1977, but a turn of fortunes coincided with a former players pain, George Dowell had a career ending injury that left him paralysed from the waste down and in 2015 he used his compensation money to acquire Worthing Football Club, and turn them into the force they are today. A quite heart-warming story of a man who turned his negative into a huge positive for the whole community.
Under Dowell’s ownership, Worthing improved their facilities at Woodside Road, which includes a brand new 3g pitch and upgraded club bar, to immediate promotion from the Isthmian League South, to winning the league above in 2022 and having a third and fourth place finish at step six of the football pyramid during the last two seasons.
It’s the first ever meeting of the two clubs, since Salisbury were formed in 2015, but Salisbury City did previously play against the Rebels at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium, last back in 2005, when the whites won 2-1 during an Isthmian League clash.
The Venue
I’m heading out early afternoon down the M1 and A40 where the sun is blinding my eyes out west. As dusk hits I’m heading past Oxford down the A34 and by the time I’m on the A303 at Andover it’s pitch black, almost missing my turn down the Allington Track as I take the bendy country roads to Old Sarum and the Ray Mac.
I’ve parked up on Partridge Way, just before the residents placed road signs stating ‘no football parking’ I’m at the top of the road, out of trouble, as I walk down through the housing estate and into the car park of the stadium, the Berry Stand, green corrugated, dimly lit, the floodlights yet to be turned on full.
I’m through main reception and grab a cup of tea and lion bar in the upstairs bar which overlooks the pitch, windows out onto the surface from an elevated position, I’m half fancying watching from up here in the warmth but doubt I’ll be allowed, as I take my brew onto the concourse in the press area, which is high up, cold, on half way, looking directly down onto the pitch where a tractor is trudging up and down the byline.
Underneath my feet is a seated stand with dugouts, the tunnel directly below, to the left a terraced area with roof, to the right an open end where the twenty or so away fans are at, segregated tonight they are making a noise ‘shit ground no beer’ they sing, opposite a couple of low roofed seated areas but largely standing, not many in attendance, most in the stand I’m in, or to my left behind the goal.
The Game
I’m excited to see the deadly duo of Faal and Babalola in attack tonight, but a last minute change to the Worthing team sees Muhammadu Faal drop out due to injury, replaced by young Harrison Smith.
That change doesn’t seem to hinder the away sides attack, they immediately start on the front foot and go close in the opening ten minutes when a cross is parried onto the bar before bouncing down and being slashed wide via a deflection by Colbran.
The right back gets forward well and he causes problems with an overload down the Salisbury left, the home side don’t seem ‘at it’ as the visitors dictate the play, they win a corner and as the ball is pumped into the box from a partially cleared set play, Franklin sticks his arms up to protect his face and the Referee is given little option to award a penalty after the leather sphere clatters into the defenders hands, the penalty dispatched by Danny Cashman and Worthing are one up.
There’s a couple of sniffs from Salisbury but the first half is largely one way traffic, the Worthing midfield first to everything, they keep the ball well and in Danny Cashman and Nick Wheeler have two diminutive players with technical ability, Babalola and Smith proving handfuls up top.
The Score
Salisbury make a couple of subs at the break but within five minutes they self-implode to what looks like inevitable defeat, Ragguette has a throw in front of us near half way, he drops it short back to Sommerton under pressure, he passes it short to goalkeeper Lincoln under pressure, he blasts it straight to striker Babalola, who sets up Smith for an easy finish.
That goal sums up the evening for the home side, who you feel have only themselves to blame, Worthing are good, all over the park good, but they have been gifted two goals.
Babalola should round things off when he rounds the keeper but shoots wide, he has another chance which he smashes into the crowd behind the goal, the bright video scoreboard comically baring the words ‘ouch’ across it, has me smile.
Late on Jaden Perez curls a Salisbury free kick onto the top of the crossbar, but it’s the closest they would come, a long second best against a very good team, I expect Worthing to be pushing for the title, now three points below leaders Truro all be it in fifth place in a really tight division.
The Stars
You can name a number of Worthing players who impress, a diamond style formation there full backs were top notch, Sam Beard at left back, shaven headed and defensively solid, Joel Colbran at right back, eager to get forward with good delivery, in midfield the bald headed Kane Wills was tremendous, keeping it simple from deep, always lending a hand to muck in, whilst Wheeler shown delightful touches on the left, number eight Spong was also delicate on the right, Cashman has all the ability in the world as a number ten, he beat himself up on a couple of occasions after giving the ball away, you can see he needs an arm around his shoulder, he needs to feel loved, but he’s a proper player when it comes to unlocking doors in the final third, a real talent who makes things happen. Not that you'll get much defending from him.
In attack, Temi Babalola is a real handful, physical, good feet, will not just get you a goal, but can create too, you think Manager Chris Agutter has it quite easy, working with good players making his job quite simple, ‘just go out and play’.
For Salisbury, large disappointment, not many on the night showing much quality on or off the ball? I liked the commitment of George Franklin at right back, Ronan Silva didn’t do bad in midfield, but for any stand out performances, I’ll be clutching to say I was as much as impressed.
The Verdict
The National League South is anybody’s right now and it will take a team going on a run of nine or ten wins to take it on themselves, to take it away from everybody else. Can Worthing do that? I certainly think so? I’ll be shocked if I don’t see them at least in the playoffs come May.
Salisbury are hovering above the drop zone but they’ll have easier games than Worthing to play, still five points their cushion, they should have enough, and after promotion last term, survival at the earliest opportunity, should be their aim.
The Teams
Salisbury: Dan Lincoln, George Franklin (Tom Leggett 60), Jordan Ragguette, Josh Sommerton, Callum Watts, Craig Fasanmade, Noah Coppin, Ronan Silva, Ryan Penny (Jaden Perez 46), Canice Carroll (Luke Wilkinson 86), Cameron Coxe (Owen Dore 46).
Worthing: Chris Haigh, Joel Colbran, Sam Packham, Alfie Young, Sam Beard, Kane Wills, Jack Spong, Nick Wheeler (Jack Bates 90), Danny Cashman, Temi Babalola (Ollie Starkey 86), Harrison Smith (Glen Rea 70).
7:45pm Kick Off. Tuesday 3rd December 2024, Raymond McEnhill Stadium, Salisbury (att 565).
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