Worthing fight back to take point from Bath City in live TNT Sports debut

The match, televised on TNT Sports, saw two fantastic goals from the player of the game Cashman cancelling out two sloppy goals from City.

The point leaves Worthing sixth in the table with work to do in their final six games to make sure they qualify for a decent play-off spot.

The game’s opening goal came in the 30th minute when Bath’s now joint top scorer Scott Wilson bundled in a corner as Worthing failed to clear a rebound after Roco Rees had denied the initial header. The Rebels almost instantly replied from the kick-off as winger Joe Felix whipped in a cross which Cashman nodded just wide.

Seven minutes later, Worthing found the leveller through a superb finish from Cashman following a brilliant team move involving himself, Pearce and Felix. A finely timed pass played in Felix who pulled it back to Pearce, who laid off playmaker Cashman – who whipped in from the edge of the area.

While the rebels dominated plenty of the play, the frustration slowly crept in from the 2119 in attendance as the pattern of play seemed to be Joel Colbran to Joe Rye and then back to keeper Rees who would send a long ball, playing into the hands of the Romans’ defence.

This tension was then ramped up as 20 minutes into the second half defender Jordan Dyer crashed in a header following another corner from the visitors. Worthing’s Achilles heel for much of the season has been defending set pieces and despite being the league’s highest scorers they have the fourth leakiest defence, conceding 65 goals in the league.

With Worthing facing a fourth defeat in a row, the energy seemed to die down from the home faithful until 11 minutes from time star man Cashman fired in an even better second, volleying in from the edge of the area after teeing himself up. The goal acted as a release for much of the annoyance in the air and seemed to give the Sussex-based side the ascendancy.

The play seemed to have an urgency about it for the final ten minutes that was slightly lacking in the previous 34 minutes of the second half, but Bath were able to show a sturdy resilience to nullify any attacking threat whilst, like with most of Worthing’s opponents, not offering much on the break.

On the stroke of the 90th minute came the moment for the Mackerel Men and a chance for the lively Cashman to complete his hat-trick as substitute Dylan Fage sent in a superb cross but the number 28 flicked his header wide from a few yards out.

Worthing will look to build on this as they Travel to Havant & Waterlooville next Friday.