Worthing boss: At least we're top in new lockdown

Fans will be keen for Worthing to return to action - and, eventually, return to Woodside Road

Worthing head into the month-long sporting freeze on the back of a disappointing week which has seen them exit the FA Trophy and Sussex Senior Cup.

The new lockdown brings new uncertainty for a club who lost out when 2019-20 was declared null and void at a point where they were set to win the Isthmian premier title. But Hinshelwood said they just had to wait, keep the players fit and ready to return – and hope they could resume new promotion in December.

Worthing lost their FA Trophy tie at Leiston on penalties after a 4-4 draw, then went out of the county cup in a 2-1 loss at Three Bridges, despite taking the lead with less than ten minutes left.

Hinshelwood said: “At Leiston it was poor preparation by us. We got there after 2.30pm which meant players getting changed and having the team talk on the bus. It’s down to us, not an excuse, though we did come back into the game and at 3-3 had the momentum only to conceded again. Then it was penalties, and two forwards who have been playing ever so well didn’t convert.

“At Three Bridges it certainly wasn’t a case of us taking it lightly. We have a prestigious past in the senior cup and wanted to do well in it. But Ollie Pearce's goal was the only bit of quality from our forwards all night.”

Hinshelwood said such defeats were inevitable from time to time with a young squad who were still learning about football at this level.

The boss said he’d love to be tackling the next game head-on but no-one could do anything about the new shutdown.

“It’s frustrating,” he said. “Although we’d lost a bit of momentum in losing two games, I’d 100 per cent rather be playing on. For me the games can’t come quick enough.

“We don’t know when it will start again but we’ll keep the players ticking over and judge it a week at a time.

"One good thing is that we’re going into it clear at the top of the league, and it could be that by the time we’re back, our pitch at Woodside Road may be closer to being available. That will be great as we have done an awful lot of travelling recently.”