FOOTBALL: Worthing hope for festive cheer

Rebels' home game with Leatherhead on Saturday, when they were hoping for a large crowd, was postponed owing to a snow-covered pitch, so they are still waiting to bounce back from their 3-1 defeat in their last match at Croydon Athletic.

All of the other matches in Worthing's division were also postponed on Saturday, so second-placed Rebels still trail leaders Folkestone, who have a game in hand, by four points.

Worthing boss Simon Colbran knows both the clashes with Burgess Hill (Boxing Day) and Horsham YMCA (Tuesday) will be tough, and said: "Obviously, local derbies are always going to be battles and the players are going to have to make sure that they are really up for it.

"I know both managers and they'll get their sides fired up."

On the games, Colbran said: "Burgess Hill are a decent side and this is their third season in the Ryman League now, so they know what it's all about.

"They have experienced players in their team and it will be a difficult game.

"It's a shame Kenno (Paul Kennett) is suspended. He's club captain and is the type of player you want in these games. But we've been playing without him recently and have done well.

"If Kenno wasn't suspended, it would have been the first time since I've been here that I've had a full-strength squad to choose from.

Hopefully, everyone will come through it and we'll have a full-strength squad against Horsham YMCA.

"That will also be a hard game but our home record is the best in the league.

"That's what I always look at. If you have a good home record, you've always got a chance.

"Anyone who comes here, we always want to make sure that they know they've been in a hard game.

"When I came here, I wanted to make our home ground a fortress. We don't want teams to enjoy coming to play here, especially as a lot of football is physcological.

"It took a little bit of time for us to gel but it can sometimes takes teams half a season, or a whole season, to gel.

"We changed the style of play and the players have adapted quickly and well."

Worthing have won nine successive home league games, since they lost their first home match of the season, 1-0 at home to Walton Casuals.

Midfielder John Piercy, who Rebels had hoped to sign, has now re-joined second-from-bottom Eastbourne Town.

Colbran said: "It's quite laughable really if they want to pay one player a lot of money, and not pay the rest much, just to get one over on me.

"Obviously, I wanted John. He took our forms to sign for us but never got them back to us.

"If players want to go to play for money, that's totally up to them.

"I don't want that kind of player here. I only want players who want to fight for Worthing and who want to play here."

Colbran revealed the club have got a couple of central midfielders on trial, as Karl Akehurst could miss the rest of the season with his broken ankle.

He said: "We'll have a look at them but we've still got Brett Patton, who has been excellent, and Matt Simpson can play in there, and we've also got Terry Gacias, so I'm not panicking."

Worthing striker Ben Williamson, who has scored seven goals this season, heads to Glenn Hoddle's Academy in Gibraltar for his trial on January 8.

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