Worthing back on track at Dulwich – and aiming to build on it with home double

The Reds drew 1-1 at home to Taunton on Saturday to end their recent losing run – then won 1-0 at Dulwich Hamlet in midweek, their first National League South win in six weeks.

Now they aim to build on this week’s points haul with back-to-back home games – with Slough visiting Woodside Road on Saturday and Tonbridge in town next Tuesday.

Hinshelwood said the win at Dulwich showed the team’s willingness to work hard for one another. And he said it showed ‘fine details’ of the team’s performance could make all the difference between winning and losing.

New recruit Ibby Akanbi scored Worthing’s goals in both games and is starting to look like he could be a handful for opposition defences. The ex-Dulwich man, who also missed a penalty against Taunton, has plenty of experience at this level.

Hinshelwood said: “We rode our luck at times at Dulwich but we worked harder and it was a grittier performance from us.

"We had to withstand quite a lot of pressure but the improvements in certain areas of our game that we’d called for were there. We showed real togetherness against a good footballing side.

"Against Taunton we were disappointed not to get the win. We should have been well ahead after 20 minutes. Ibby scored but also missed a penalty and another good chance, then they put away a cross just before half-time.

"There was a bit of nervousness it was going to go the same way as the recent games in which we’ve been ahead and lost, but we played well second half. I must pay tribute to our fans – they sang from start to finish on Saturday. They stay with us through thick and thin.”

Hinshelwood said Akanbi had made a great start to his Worthing career. “He gives us more of a presence up front. He’s a big strong player.”

Javaun Splatt will miss three games after a late red at Dulwich.

And Hinshelwood is waiting for Cam Tutt, Lewis White and Joel Colbran to return from injury.