Our clash at home to Worthing last Saturday resulted in a well-deserved point as both sides scored a goal apiece at the Bob Lucas Stadium.

 

We had been trailing since the 15th minute, courtesy of Danny Cashman’s wonder strike.

From then on, both goalkeepers remained busy.

However, with 20 minutes of regular time left, Charlie Rowan fired a 25-yard free-kick towards Haigh, whose spillage allowed the ball to cross the line.

Considering our luck with results and injuries so far this campaign, one could argue a change in fortunes was well due.

After our shaky start to the season, we now remain unbeaten for three games in all competitions.

We also sit 19th in the National League South Table, as our ascent up the division continues.

 

Our line-up was unchanged from our FA-Cup victory in Sholing, a positive sign of our squad finally taking shape.

Will Buse was our Man Of The Match that afternoon, as chosen by our sponsors Sperrin Law, and his heroics were already on display within three minutes when Tommy Willard forced him into a low-save.

However, just eight minutes later saw us strike back in almost the perfect way.

A corner from Jordan Maguire-Drew met the head of the similarly-named Jordon Thompson, whose effort smacked against the right post.

With both sides edging close in the opening quarter, it suggested that a goal would soon come.

It did.

Approx. 20 yards from goal, Cashman lambasted a thunderous strike into the far-right corner to give The Rebels the lead.

The forward had impressively spun Tom Bearwish in the process as he bought himself space to accurately fire towards Will’s goal.

But, our setback appeared to do us little harm, as Jordan sent a dangerous ball to our skipper down the right channel 10 minutes later.

Though Tom was beaten to the ball by Haigh, the Worthing goalkeeper caught the ball outside the box in the process, earning himself a booking.

Jordan took the subsequent free-kick, although he sent his effort wide.

By now, with just over half-an-hour played, it would be time for The Rebels to attack our death star once again.

Mo Faal impressively cut in from the left, before powerfully striking at goal, the ball swerving in the process.

Faal’s effort looked set to double his side’s lead; Will, instead, had other ideas, somehow pushing the ball behind.

Will had no time to rest as he remained in fine form, this time when Cashman attempted another ambitious effort out of the box.

Once again, though, our shot-stopper tipped an accurate shot behind.

With two super stops in as many minutes, we certainly had our keeper to thank for keeping us in the game.

Will’s heroics allowed us to continue our quest to draw us level, and Josh McQuoid almost achieved exactly that with five minutes left of the first half.

Whether it was a cross or a shot, only Josh will know, but what we did see was the ball delicately hit the crossbar. 

Following the referee’s whistle at the end of the half, the exciting end-to-end action implied the game could still go either way.

 

 

After the break, Faal managed to curl the ball towards goal, although, unlike in the first half, his shot this time was low-driven and less dangerous.

Our first chance came after 54 minutes, Jordan again was at the centre of our chances, as he fired a dangerous corner into the head of Charlie, whose attempted header was intercepted by a resolute Worthing defence.

But, as was the case in the first half, Will came to the rescue once again.

Willard had initially seen his shot bravely blocked on the line by Leo Hamblin, before the ball deflected into Faal’s path.

From close-range, the Worthing forward looked certain to double his side’s lead.

However, Will once more proved his nemesis, valiantly throwing himself in front of the powerful strike.

With just under an hour played, time was ticking for us to find a leveller.

Thankfully, just after the hour-mark, it would be Haigh’s turn to the rescue.

Andreas Robinson, perhaps similar to the opposition earlier in the game, fired a dipping strike towards Haigh’s goal, only for him to see it turned behind.

But, with 70 minutes now played, luck would be on our side a little more with our next chance.

Charlie’s bending free-kick looked to land safely into Haigh’s hands, until the Worthing goalkeeper somehow spilled the ball out of his hands and into the net.

With the lifeline that we were handed, the scoreline was now a goal apiece with 20 minutes left to play.

The game then petered out for the next 15 minutes, until it was now in its final moments.

Substitute Brooklyn Genesini, known for his dangerous deliveries, found fellow-sub Jake Scrimshaw with a fast-paced cross, only for Jake to fire over the bar from close-range.

In Jake’s defence, he was stretching at a difficult angle.

It wouldn’t be long, though, before another opportunity came our way.

Ezio Touray was intercepted in the box, before the ball fell into Brooklyn’s path.

From just a few yards out, Haigh held firm, tipping his powerful strike over the bar.

With the final whistle announcing a draw between the sides, it was certainly a game where both teams had their chances.

Our next match takes place on Saturday in Winchester [15.00 BST], where our opportunity to reach the FA Cup First Round proper awaits…