Picture slideshow: Worthing won't let up after securing league status - Hinshelwood

Adam Hinshelwood is adamant Worthing Football Club will not fall off the pace after securing their Bostik League Premier Division status for another season on Easter Monday.
Substitute Ben Pope netted in Worthing's Easter Monday win over Merstham. Picture by Stephen GoodgerSubstitute Ben Pope netted in Worthing's Easter Monday win over Merstham. Picture by Stephen Goodger
Substitute Ben Pope netted in Worthing's Easter Monday win over Merstham. Picture by Stephen Goodger

Home debutant George Barker, Harvey Sparks and substitute Ben Pope were on the scoresheet as Worthing sealed a 3-2 win over Merstham at Woodside Road – ensuring they can no longer be relegated this season in the process.

When Hinshelwood returned to Woodside Road in September, Worthing were rock bottom and facing a fight to stay in the division.

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Former Brighton & Hove Albion defender Hinshelwood has turned Worthing’s fortunes around and they are now 15th in the table – 19 points clear of Burgess Hill Town, who are in the only relegation spot.

Substitute Ben Pope netted in Worthing's Easter Monday win over Merstham. Picture by Stephen GoodgerSubstitute Ben Pope netted in Worthing's Easter Monday win over Merstham. Picture by Stephen Goodger
Substitute Ben Pope netted in Worthing's Easter Monday win over Merstham. Picture by Stephen Goodger

Hinshelwood said: “We’ve got an in-house points target that we want to get to and as it stands we’re on our way to getting that. We still have to pick up a lot more points between now and the end of the season to reach it.

“I’ve been lucky to recruit the level of squad that we’ve got so we’ll be pushing to get as many points as we can.”

With four games left to play this season, Worthing are still in with a chance of finishing the campaign in the to top half.

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Hinshelwood’s team closed the gap between them and Merstham – in 12th – to three points with their Easter Monday victory.

Worthing have Needham Market, Enfield Town and Brightlingsea Regent – all teams in little danger of going down or being in the promotion shake-up this season – to play, but first they travel to play-off chasing Hendon on Saturday.

More than 700 supporters were at Woodside Road for the win over Merstham and Hinshelwood believes attendances like that mean Worthing must keep fighting to finish as high as they can this season.

He added: “As a club and with the stature of the fanbase that we’ve got here – having 700 fans turn up on a soggy Bank Holiday Monday – it demands that we put everything into the remainder of the games and we’ll try to finish as high up the table as we possibly can.

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“We’ve got two games at home and two tricky ones away, so there are no givens but like I said we have an eye on a points total that we want to get. We’ll be going all out to try and achieve the target that we’ve set.”

Goalkeeper Lucas Covolan – whose run of 47 consecutive games for Worthing came to an end as he missed the Easter Monday win through illness – is expected to return for Saturday’s trip to Hendon.

Danny Barker, who was taken to hospital after being stretchered off in the win over Merstham, is set for a week or so on the sidelines with a foot injury.

Long-term absentee Ross Edwards is hoping to feature for Worthing before the season is out, while Rhyle Ovenden will not play again this season.

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