Game 1: Selsey 1.8 Worthing (Friendly) 13.07.19
Decided to head to Selsey as it meant I could pick up Alan en-route for our first pre-season game. The entrance to the ground wasn’t obvious and it took a bit of driving around to find that it was next to the local Co-op supermarket. The carpark was full by the time we arrived so we found a space in a nearby road and walked over to the ground, arriving a few minutes before kickoff. Admission was £5 but included a free drink at the bar. The ground looked busy and Selsey’s Twitter confirmed later that over 200 people were in attendance.
It didn’t take too long for the first goal of 2019-20. Worthing’s right back played a casual backpass to the keeper without checking who was around him and the ball was picked up by a Selsey striker who ran in on goal and carefully hit the ball past the keeper. Worthing were soon back on level terms, equalising three minutes later with a long range shot from the left side flying over the keeper and in. Two minutes later they almost took the lead when the keeper parried a shot and a Selsey player reacted first to clear it away. Worthing soon had the ball back in the box and one of their players took it round the keeper to score. After 20 minutes it was 3.1 to the visitors with a wicked curving shot giving the keeper no chance. After the goal there was short water break due to the hot weather but this didn’t stop Worthing’s momentum and they added a fourth goal with a well struck low shot from their number 11 for his hat-trick.
For the second half Worthing changed their entire eleven but it wasn’t until late on in the half that they added to the scoreline as Selsey started to tire. The Selsey keeper made a couple of good saves and at one point was helped when the goalposts moved. Worthing scored two goals in two minutes when players dribbled through the defence and shot past the keeper. Late on they added a seventh when a player took the ball along the goal line, composed himself and then beat the keeper at the near post with a shot. In the last minute a carefully weighted clearance allowed the same Worthing player to accelerate past the covering defenders. He placed a low shot past the keeper for his hat-trick and the final goal of the afternoon.
nonleaguephotos 