WORTHING FC (Woodside Road)

ISTHMIAN PREMIER LEAGUE, WORTHING 3-3 METROPOLITAN POLICE, ATTENDANCE: 855

After Everton's trip to Brighton and Hove Albion was moved to the Sunday in order to be part of the Premier League Live event in Bengaluru (India) where it was shown on big screens but, , bizarrely,  was not shown on UK television, I found myself on the South Coast and looking for a suitable game to make a perfect weekend. A trip to  Woodside Road certainly fitted the bill!

The journey down the various motorways was uneventful, for a change, and therefore was parked up early enough to be able to spend an hour pre-match in the fabulous Brooksteed Alehouse, which is less than a 5 minute walk from the ground.

                                   

This was Worthing's first game of the season back at Woodside after playing their opening five 'home' games at Bognor Regis Town. In 2015, with investment from new owner George Dowell, the club installed a 3G pitch but had issues with the surface, culminating in the postponement of a first team fixture with Billericay Town in January 2017 due to flooding.

The continual flooding then caused movement in the stone base underneath the surface which resulted in the pitch becoming uneven. FIFA stepped in to help after the pitch failed to pass the governing bodies' tests in the summer and, after remedial work was carried out, the club finally received the green light to return home earlier this week.

Woodside Road, currently known as the Bibby Financial Services Stadium under a sponsorship deal, has been home to Worthing since the early part of the 20th century. The club was formed as Worthing Association Football Club in 1886 and in 1896 the club became founding members of the West Sussex Football League. When the club resigned from the West Sussex League over a rule change, the club nickname of 'The Rebels' was born.

In May 1900 the club absorbed local rivals Worthing Athletic and a year later moved to Woodside Road, then known as the Sports Ground. In 1937 the Sports Ground closed and the site's northern portion which was developed into the football stadium. The southern portion of the Sports Ground became home to Worthing Pavilion Bowls Club.

The club joined the Isthmian League in 1977 and have remained members since, going up and down between the various divisions. The club are currently in the Premier Division after achieving promotion via the play offs in 2016. However this current season has been one of struggle as the club are rooted to the foot of the table without a win to their name. The hope is a return home will bring about a change in fortune.

The home side didn't get off to the brightest of starts and within seven minutes they were a goal behind when Lloyd Macklin fired home to give the Metropolitan Police the lead. The Rebels deservedly equalised after 27 minutes when Kieron Pammant shot home from inside the area. Worthing were now in the ascendancy and were unlucky not to go in the half time break in front.

The second half continued where the first half ended with Worthing pressing forward and around the hour mark Zack Newton gave them a deserved lead. There were chances to finish off the Met but they weren't taken and the homesters nearly paid the price.

In the 86th minute Macklin equalised from the penalty spot, after the referee spotted a handball in the area. Then the Met Police forward blasted home a superb strike in the 89th minute to make it 3-2, and complete his hat-trick. The Worthing supporter I was stood next to on the terrace looked absolutely crestfallen and he remarked when your luck is out, it is certainly out.

However his look of dejection soon turned to joy as five minutes into stoppage time Worthing themselves were awarded a penalty for handball and Pammant converted from 12 yards to snatch a deserved point. So Worthing's search for that elusive first league victory of the season goes on, but from what I saw today it won't be long in coming.