Worthing (1) 3 Bugiel 28,71 (2 pens) Newton 81
Tonbridge (0) 0
Attendance: 752
Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.00
Mileage: 116/5,304
New Ground: 300
Mr McWhirter would have sought me out, sadly for all the wrong reasons. How many can claim, indeed would want to, that on successive days the two clubs they support both ended their respective matches with nine men? As a supplementary record it is not often that a match is settled by three penalties, all given to the same team.
The vocal element of the Worthing support had the referee’s number singing “the referee’s a Rebel”.
For Steve McKimm it was an afternoon where most things that could go wrong went wrong, including seeing red himself following a touchline fracas. Nonetheless, he had every reason to proclaim his pride in the nine men in Angels’ shirts that stayed on the pitch.
The game started brightly with both sides having opportunities in the opening 10 minutes. Nick Wheeler and Jack Parter both put in crosses that put the Rebels’ goalkeeper, Jack Fagan under pressure and Anthony Di Bernardo needed to be at his very best to deny Aaron Hopkinson.
Omar Bugiel, possibly playing his last game for Worthing before a rumoured move into the Football League, was proving a bulldozer of the old fashioned centre forward nature and was obviously going to be a significant threat.
The bumper festive crowd of 752 looked set to be treated to an afternoon of high entertainment instead the referee, Danny Austin, took centre stage.
After 25 minutes Bugiel was sent clear but, bearing down on goal, he took a heavy touch and the ball was seemingly heading into the welcoming hands of Di Bernardo. However, the Worthing man went down under pressure from Ugo Udogi and Mr Austin decided that, not only was it a foul challenge deserving of a penalty but that the Tonbridge defender should see red for the crime.
Bugiel stepped up to the spot, he sent the ball right, Di Bernardo went left and Worthing were in front.
Tonbridge responded with a header from Mitchell Nelson but their situation was about to go from bad to worse. After 37 minutes they were reduced to nine men with the dismissal of Wheeler. The Angels’ winger had taken a heavy tackle from Hopkinson and responded by allegedly kicking out at the Worthing man. My view was blocked by the dugouts and I was only able to see the aftermath in which a Worthing substitute, Brannon O’Neill became embroiled in an altercation with McKimm that ended with both seeing red.
Tonbridge did well to get to the break to reorganise with the score remaining at the single goal deficit. They sacrificed Nathan Elder in favour of an extra body in midfield with Damian Scannell. They managed to stifle their hosts and even proved threatening on the break with Alex Akrofi proving a livewire outlet and from a corner George Beaven headed marginally wide.
But, after 72 minutes, Luke Blewden brought down Zak Newton and Bugiel repeated his first half spot kick to give the hosts a 2-0 lead. On this occasion, it appeared that Mr Austin had made the correct decision, but Blewden later claimed he had not touched the Worthing man.
Ten minutes later, Austin awarded Worthing another penalty, this time Newton being brought down by Tom Parkinson. Newton had delivered the ball, was not even on the pitch when the referee’s whistle blew. It was a decision that mystified everybody.
Bugiel stepped up to complete a hat-trick on his farewell appearance but this time Di Bernardo guessed right and parried his shot but, in keeping with the Angels’ afternoon the rebound fell to Newton who had reacted the quickest.
On another day, I would be writing that my first visit to Woodside Road was a pleasant experience. It is a nice set-up with a 3G pitch and friendly people, but this visit will not be forgotten for all the wrong reasons.
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