Racine gives verdict on Worthing clinching play-off spot – and says there’s more to come from his team

Wins at Yeovil – where they stopped the hosts from clinching the title – and Dartford – have confirmed the Rebels will finish in the top seven and take part in the promotion knockouts.

But they can still force their way to a second or third-place finish that would put them straight into a play-off semi-final and avoid them having to play in an extra game.

Yeovil 1 Worthing 3 in pictures by Mike Gunn.

Mike Gunn’s photos from Dartford 1 Worthing 2.

Ollie Pearce got two and Brad Dolaghan one to secure a stunning 3-1 win at Yeovil, while Dolaghan and Kane Wills netted in Tuesday night’s 2-1 win at Dartford.

Interim boss Aarran Racine said: “It’s nice – I won’t say nice to have that pressure off because we want to win every game – but it’s nice that it’s secured and we can look forward to who and where we’re going to play.”

Racine feels performances are improving at just the right time, with this week’s wins making it four victories on the spin after a four-game winless sequence.

He said of the win at Yeovil: “It was a great result. We defended really but were a bit scrappy in possession. That’s been us the past few games but it’s all about results, and the way we’ve defended, we’ve earned the result, regardless of how we’ve played.

"In the past few games we’ve managed to defend much better as a team in terms of supporting each other, but on top of that, as individuals – winning individual battles against our opposite numbers.

"Ollie Wright saving the penalty was a big moment in the game, and prior to that he pulled off a really great save, which probably changed it. But in terms of work-rate, endeavour and showing their defensive responsibilities, I think everyone was spot on.

"In these past few games we’ve managed to defend better when we’re under the cosh. That’s the pleasing thing – it’s just about getting the balance between when you do retain possession,being really good on the ball so you can control the game like we normally do."

Racine said playing away to a side like Yeovil was great experience for Worthing’s younger players and would stand them in good stead for other stuff challenges ahead.

Dolaghan scored one of the goals – on top of the two he scored to see off Hampton & Richmond five days earlier.

“It will send his confidence through the roof, but knowing Brad he won’t get complacent, and he’ll probably be hungrier than ever just to keep playing."

Racine said Pearce’s late third goal, which secured the win, was reward for the teams defensive work that had gone before.

He said: "I think the teams above us have a slightly easier run-in than us, but it’s important to put the pressure on them right up to the last game.

“There’s still room for improvement, so even though results look good, in terms of performances there is still more to come, which is exciting.”

Racine was also delighted with the win at Dartford, saying: “I think we played better than in the past few performances. There’s still room for improvement but we played better in terms of possession and again we defended really well.

"We were a bit gutted to conceded the penalty but apart from that we nullified them and created a few chances."

Racine said coming back from 1-0 down at half-time showed how much belief there was in the squad. "Previously when I first started taking charge they might not have had that belief to get back into games after conceding a goal. It’s brilliant that they can do that.

"Football’s not as easy as it looks – sometimes you go behind. Early on when I was in charge we had a bit of bad luck and here maybe we rode our luck a bit. But we were better in possession and I had belief we were going to create chances and fortunately the goals came – with a bit of luck, maybe, but so be it.”

Racine praised the impact Fin Chadwick had made since coming into the first XI.