Worthing suffer home defeat to Bishop's Stortford

Sam Robbins put Stortford 1-0 up in the second half before Nicholas Brown doubled the Blues’ lead. Sam Rents’ late free-kick almost sparked a fightback, but it was too little, too late for the Reds.

Darren Budd, Ricky Aguiar, and Reece Meekums, fresh from signing a one-month loan extension, returned to the starting 11 after Worthing suffered two injuries and a red card last weekend at Bedford.

Things started off slowly at Woodside Road, the first shot coming in the 13th minute when Stortford’s Luke Callander had a shot palmed away by Kleton Perntreou.

Neither side had any clear-cut chances in the opening stages, the wind thwarting the Worthing front line as much as the Blues defence.

Perntreou pulled off a spectacular unorthodox save on 28 minutes, kneeing an Alfie Mason volley over the bar while lying down.

Minutes later Rents planted a free-kick onto the head of WIll Miles but the defender could only head over.

The horrible conditions persevered - one Stortford player’s throw-in attempt ended up past the Worthing byline.

But Worthing came close just before the break, Meekums’ backheel flick was just pated away by Calum Kitscha.

An energised Reds side came out strongly in the second half, first Alex Parsons, then Aguiar had shots saved before the first minute was over.

But despite the constant trickery of Meekums, the Reds front line couldn't find that killer final pass.

Stortford made Worthing pay for that, captain Robbins heading home from a corner in the 65th minute.

After Jazz Rance and league debutant Luca Cocoracchio came on the Reds came close to equalising, Callum Kealy hitting the post before a Stortford defender beat Parsons to the rebound.

Stortford doubled their lead on 79 minutes when a misplaced pass from Aguiar allowed Nicholas Brown to run through and score.

Rents’ pitch-perfect free-kick went in off the crossbar to pull one back but the visitors held on for all three points.

Worthing: Perntreou, Parsons, Rents, Budd (Cocoracchio), Crane, Miles, Meekums, Clarke, Kealy, Aguiar, Starkey (Rance). Subs: Ovenden, Pattenden, Skerry. Att: 846