WORTHING (1) 3 Green (2) 44,49 Funnell 47

UXBRIDGE (0) 1 Tunnell 67

Three goals in five minutes either side of half time consigned Uxbridge to defeat at Woodside Road. The Reds league form has come somewhat off the rails recently and after an excellent start of two straight, which took them to the top of Division One, they have now lost four games in succession and plummeted down the table as a consequence. The performance at Worthing though, despite the score line, was ironically one of their best so far and for the opening forty minutes Uxbridge were not only the more creative of the two sides but also the better. Nicky Ryder volleyed over on twelve minutes after Mark Gill had headed on a Phil Granville long throw. Then Gill’s shot was deflected wide and Stuart Bamford header over from a Dean Clark corner before Lee Tunnell lobbed narrowly over as the Reds constantly probed the defence of the inform south coast club. Just after the half hour Gavin Bamford’s cross from the right sailed across the six-yard box, with Ryder diving head first at it and only an inch away from connecting to score a certain goal. Paul Mills and Clark exchanged passes shortly afterwards and Mills’ shot was well held by Richard Waters in the Worthing goal. The home sides only real penetration of the Reds defence came via a few dangerous crosses but a minute before half time they took the lead. The impressive Gary Green picked up the ball in midfield, rode a number of tackles and got a kind bounce before unleashing a fine shot from the edge of the area to put Worthing ahead. Two minutes after the interval Simon Funnell lobbed Sean Dawson to make it two and then two minutes later a tremendous move of one touch passing involving Marc Rice, Funnell and Green resulted in the latter scoring his second. From looking like the side most likely to win the game Uxbridge had suddenly seen it slip completely from their grasp. To the Reds credit they continued in much the same vein after the three-goal onslaught. Stuart Bamford had a great chance from six yards via a Clark corner but delayed too long and the ball was cleared then a few minutes later Ryder set Lee Tunnell up and his shot was parried by Waters and cleared off the line by Paul Kennett.. Uxbridge were finally rewarded for their persistence midway through the second half when Tunnell fired in from ten yards, after getting in the way of a Mills shot. A minute later they were almost right back in the match when Tunnell crossed for Gill but the Uxbridge captain’s shot was well saved by Waters. At the other end Green had shot wide and substitute Andy Alexander hit a twenty five yard effort which wasn’t far off target and in the seventieth minute Rice’s header from an Alexander cross was only inches over. Ryder forced another save from Waters shortly afterwards and then shot over from six yards in the dying minutes whilst Dawson saved well from Funnell to keep the score down to three. In the end the Uxbridge comeback didn’t materialise but it wasn’t for the want of trying and the Reds were left with nothing to show for a performance which nine times out of ten would have resulted in at least a point.

WORTHING: Waters, Smith, Mintram, Burt, Cox (Alexander 16 (Carrington 70)), O’Sullivan, Kennett, Green, Rice, Funnell (Townsend 83), Brackley

UXBRIDGE: Dawson, Mills, S.Bamford, Granville (Shipperley 88), Weedon, G.Bamford, Clark, Gill (Jordan 69), Ryder, Walters, Tunnell.

Sub not used: J.Cleary

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