Worthing 0 Hornchurch 0
Hornchurch goalkeeper Mason Terry gave a little fist pump and had a spring in his step as the final whistle blew on Worthing’s return home.
He did not exactly punch the air but that clenched fist next to his body helped tell the story.
“Celebrating the 0-0?” one of the locals called out rather pointedly from behind the goal before some of those packed on to that terrace sportingly applauded the keeper’s efforts – and he clapped them in return.
Terry, a bright prospect on loan from West Ham under-21s, made at last three fine saves as Rebels were held to a draw.
It was their first home game since last season’s play-off final and was played before a crowd limited to 1,500 in capacity with the north side of the Sussex Transport Community Stadium closed off.
A new covered terrace is under construction all the way along that touchline and appears to be progressing well.
That is why Rebels played their first six games on the road, taking a creditable haul of 11 points.
The reconstruction is also ongoing on the pitch, where the summer activity included the departures of Ollie Pearce and Joe Felix as well as a change of head coach.
Their football here was patient, controlled and often attractive and, while they did not exactly bombard Terry’s goal, they had enough chances to win.
Worthing boss Chris Agutter, taking charge at home for the first time, probably did not see the keeper’s reaction at full-time but he would not have been surprised by it.
Agutter said: “We had three or four chances and, for the quality of players we have here, we should take them.
“It happens. They have sat in there as a low block and are difficult to break down.
“We are disappointed we have only drawn the game but it is important to take the emotion out of it.
“If we take two of those good chances and we win the game 2-0, it is a pretty decent home performance.”
Worthing will probably have to get used to teams sitting back and testing their precision and patience.
Agutter said: “Borehamwood are really the only team who have come after us.
“It is credit to Worthing as a club really that teams are just happy to pick up a point and it’s up to us to break them down.
“It’s difficult but the challenge in these games is to get the first goal.
“As soon as you get that, it shifts and forces the opposition to change their approach.
“We didn’t get that, which is disappointing.”
Danny Cashman saw a curler pushed away in the first half but the better save came just before the break when Terry tipped a low drive from Tommy Willard away from his bottom corner.
After the interval, Terry used his foot to keep out an angled effort by the busy Jack Spong, plunged into this bottom corner when it looked like Willard might catch him out and, very late on, blocked at close-range from Sam Packham.
In something of a throwback to last season, the only two moments of danger for Worthing came from set-pieces.
Angelo Balanta saw one free header well saved by Chris Haigh and sent another over the bar when he might have done better, both in the second half.
Other than that, Worthing’s control meant a welcome first clean sheet of the season was not under threat but there were times when it felt like their possession needed another gear.
Agutter said: “I think maybe a change of tempo at times.
“But I am not going to pull it apart.
“I think their goalkeeper was probably their best player.
“We created enough to win the game.
“That’s the challenge when you don’t win - not to be too emotional.
“Look at the performance. If we play that game ten times, I think we probably win it seven or eight.
“That is often a gauge of where you are at.”
Agutter was unhappy with the aerial clash which saw Harrison Smith exit with his head bandaged, soon after going on as substitute, but said there was no serious damage to his striker.
He added: “It wasn’t a great challenge.”
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