Worthing desperate to resume title bid - but when can they restart?

Mo Diallo scores against Bowers and Pitsea - but when will Worthing's next league game arrive? Picture: Marcus Hoare

But as of this evening, they do not know WHEN that league resumption would happen.

Isthmian clubs have voted on whether to get matches under way again from next weekend, which was the plan when the latest month-long lockdown was announced, or whether to delay the restart.

Last week’s placing of Kent into the tougher Covid tier three, with Sussex in tier two, caused complications for the league’s restart.

And restrictions on clubs even in tier two opening their bars and clubhouses added to potential problems.

The result of the Isthmian vote should be known on Thursday and manager Adam Hinshelwood said his team were very keen to restart – but he could understand why some clubs might think it was too soon,

The latest break in action came with Worthing topping the Isthmian premier division, the same position they were in when last season was scrapped.

The Woodside Road boss told us: “We’re desperate to get up and running but I can understand others’ position and you have to give them due respect.

“Other leagues both above us and below us in the structure are getting going, as are some of the cup competitions, so it will be frustrating if we have to wait longer.”

Hinshelwood’s other fear is that post-Christmas, the country could see another coronavirus spike which would result in football grinding to yet another halt.

That would surely leave league officials struggling to fit fixtures in and get campaigns finished.

Even if the league restart is held up, Worthing will be making the most of opportunities to train and play friendlies.

“It will be great to get the squad back together tonight and then be able to train together as we were before,” Hinshelwood added.

He plans to use his full squad, including many youngsters, by fielding different line-ups in two friendlies in the coming week.

They go to Pagham on Saturday and Basildon on Monday, with other friendlies likely on Saturday 12 and Tuesday 15 ahead of the hoped-for new set of league games.