Hinshelwood delighted after wide range of players help Worthing win three in four days

Adam Hinshelwood says he is delighted with his squad options after seeing more than 30 different players carry Worthing to three pre-season wins in four days.
Adam Hinshelwood at the Haywards Heath game / Picture: Stephen GoodgerAdam Hinshelwood at the Haywards Heath game / Picture: Stephen Goodger
Adam Hinshelwood at the Haywards Heath game / Picture: Stephen Goodger

The Mackerel Men beat Haywards Heath 3-1 on Saturday, Pagham 6-4 to win the Dave Kew Cup on Sunday andLancing 4-1 on Tuesday night.

Hinshelwood watched a mixture of last season’s regulars, club youngsters and trialists across the 270 minutes of action and felt all three games were extremely useful.

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First up Haywards Heath were defeated at Culver Road, with Tom Chalaye, Mo Diallo and Tom Gilbert on target.

Worthing in possession against Haywards Heath / Picture: Stephen GoodgerWorthing in possession against Haywards Heath / Picture: Stephen Goodger
Worthing in possession against Haywards Heath / Picture: Stephen Goodger

Less than 24 hours later an almost entirely different squad went to Pagham and beat the hosts 6-4 in the inaugural Dave Kew final, in which Ollie Pearce and Kieron Pamment both scored two.

Worthing were back at Culver Road on Tuesday night to face Lancing and their 4-1 win came courtesy of two goals apiece by Pearce and Chalaye.

Young Brighton keeper Roco Rees, who faced Haywards Heath, is back at Woodside Road and set to sign on loan for the season from the Seagulls – a replacement for keeper Carl Rushworth, who excelled on a similar deal last term.

Worthing on the ball v Haywards Heath / Picture: Stephen GoodgerWorthing on the ball v Haywards Heath / Picture: Stephen Goodger
Worthing on the ball v Haywards Heath / Picture: Stephen Goodger
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Forward Mo Diallo, who has played for a number of Sussex sides, is among those on trial and trying to earn a deal.

Hinshelwood said: “We’re still missing a few with little injuries but were able to use a wide variety of players in the games. It’s been positive.

“We’ve had a good look at a lot of players in a short space of time.”

On the sidelines at present are Dayshonne Golding, Alex Parsons and Alfie Young, all with minor knee problems. Hinshelwood hopes all three will be fit for the season’s start.

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The club have not yet signed any of the trialists and Hinshelwood insisted: “We’ve got a good squad already and will only sign new players who improve what we have.”

Hinshelwood said it was pleasing to see a variety of players scoring – they managed 13 between them in the three games.

And he said he was not unduly worried about conceding four in the second half at Pagham, where the team’s flow was disrupted by a glut of substitutions – with the manager admitting they may have ended up with too many inexperienced players on the pitch at one time.

There were a good number of Worthing fans present at the Pagham and Lancing games and Hinshelwood was delighted to see them.

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“It was really nice – it’s been so weird playing with no fans and not being able to use dressing rooms.

“Hopefully we’re gradually getting back to normality and having fans there is a big part of that.”

Worthing visit Portsmouth side Baffins on Saturday and Chichester City next Tuesday.

The side’s new bid for promotion from the Isthmian premier division is due to begin on Saturday, September 19, which will be followed by an FA Cup first qualifying round tie on Tuesday 22 or Wednesday 23.