Captain Joel Colbran gave the Rebels a slender half-time advantage, with a combination of Teddy Jenks and Ollie Godziemski coming off the bench to seal all three points on a chilly Tuesday evening at Woodside Road.
Looking to bounce back following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat away at Hornchurch, Adam Hinshelwood made four changes to the Worthing eleven that started in East London. Taylor Seymour made his first league start in goal in place of Josh Jeffries, while Ben Jackson, Sam Packham and Toby Byron also came into the hosts’ starting side.
Chesham joint-managers, James Duncan and Michael Murray, also made four alterations following the Generals’ 1-1 draw away at Dorking Wanderers at the weekend, with in- form striker Mitchell Weiss dropped to the bench.
It was one of the four Rebels changes that produced the first effort of the game with less than four
minutes on the clock.
A clever flick on by Remiero Moulton allowed Teddy Jenks to drive into space over the halfway line. Jenks picked out the run of Toby Byron down the left flank, whose effort across goal on his stronger left side landed wide of Chesham ‘keeper Ben Goode’s post.
Worthing were presented an unconventional sight on goal in the 14 th minute, when Goode handled a back-pass from inside his own penalty area, gifting the home side an indirect free-kick from only a couple of yards outside the six-yard box.
The free-kick was rolled into the path of George Cox, whose effort was charged down by a blockade of Generals defenders.
Chesham left-back Alex Lafleur was the architect of the visitors’ first real venture on goal with just over 20 minutes on the clock, whipping a dangerous low cross across the face of Seymour’s goal-mouth from the left wing, with wide-man Alfie Williams unable to apply the finish at the back post.
Worthing began turning Chesham pressure into attacks of their own just shy of the half hour mark, with Moulton going close for the Rebels after a counter-attack eventually found the on-loan Watford man in space on the left side of the box.
The teenager opened up his body before curling an effort towards the far post, with Goode relieved to see it sail just wide of the upright.
Hinshelwood’s men would be rewarded for their attacking exploits with just under ten minutes of normal time remaining in the first half.
Colbran gave the home side the advantage in the 36th minute, arriving at the back post to fire home following a pinpoint, sweeping delivery from Packham.
The hosts’ advantage was almost doubled in spectacular fashion in first half stoppage time, with Cox
striking the bar from distance with a volleyed effort after Razzaq Coleman De-Graft’s effort was blocked and cleared into the path of the former Fortuna Sittard wing-back.
The Rebels’ first foray into the final third following the restart was similar to that of the first half, with Byron this time testing the goalkeeper after his overlapping run was picked out by Packham, who had no time to react as Goode’s save ricocheted off the midfielder and out of play for a goal-kick.
The home backline were almost caught napping with just over an hour played, as Connor Stevens clipped a ball towards the back post from the left side.
Having stolen a yard ahead of Byron, Generals right-back Josh Addae was unable to make any connection with his attempt on goal.
Byron was once again the focal point of a Worthing attack in the 68th minute, with the former
versatile left-sided player sending another strike just wide after good work from Coleman De- Graft to pick out Byron’s marauding run on the break.
Chesham had two great opportunities to peg back level in as many minutes as play entered the final ten minutes of the second period, with Williams and Addae both failing to convert from promising positions.
Not long after Williams was kept out on the spin by a good low save from Seymour, the Generals right winger put the ball on a plate for an unmarked Addae to take the shot on first time, however the full-back blazed over the bar from close-range.
Having survived two major chances for the visitors, the Rebels managed to consolidate their lead
with a second goal in the 85th minute courtesy of substitute Godziemski.
A brave decision by Seymour to come far out of his box to deal with a loose ball proved fruitful for the hosts, as tireless work from Jenks to track down and control Seymour’s clearance allowed the Brighton academy product the chance to play the ball across goal from the byline, with Godziemski
on hand to tap in from the goal-line.
Worthing saw off what remained of Chesham’s attacking threat late on to pick up a third successive home win. A man of the match performance from Seymour in goal, who came up with a number of important stops on his way to a clean sheet – a first for the Reds since Boxing Day.
