Worthing suffer derby defeat against arch-rivals Bognor

Second-half strikes from Portsmouth loanee Dan Smith and substitute Mason Walsh saw Adam Hinshelwood's side suffer a 2-0 home loss.

Smith got the opener eight minutes after the restart before Walsh curled home to put the game past Worthing after being introduced four minutes from time.

Hinshelwood's troops could have no complaints, with the visitors much better in the derby.

Substitute Callum Kealy did have an effort cleared on the line when Worthing trailed 1-0 - and it could have been a different story had that gone in.

However the home side could not find a way back in, leaving them with just one win in their previous seven matches in all competitions.

Worthing made one change from the team that were beaten by Haringey Borough last time out as Joe Clarke came in for Darren Budd.

It was Bognor who made the brighter start, coming close on a couple of occasions inside the opening five minutes.

Midfielder Doug Tuck cleverly dummied Harvey Whyte's pull back, with Theo Widdrington seeing his strike flash just wide from the edge of the area after two minutes.

Worthing remained under some early pressure. This time Pompey loanee Dan Smith's deflected effort was parried by Kleton Perntreou, although the goalkeeper gathered the loose ball three minutes later.

The hosts offered very little going forward in the opening half-hour but did nearly take the lead on 27 minutes.

Joe Clarke's deflected shot fell kindly to the feet of ex-Rocks forward Ollie Pearce, only for his goalbound attempt from six yards to be superbly blocked by full-back Ed Sanders.

Rocks were quick out of the traps after the restart, with Worthing goalkeeper Perntreou keeping the scores level.

The Albanian-born stopper superbly saved Widdrington's 25-yard thunderbolt, before keeping Lethbridge's fierce drive out with his feet inside the opening five minutes after the break.

But Bognor did finally have the breakthrough on 53 minutes.

Perntreou could only parry a Lethbridge attempt and Pompey loan man Smith was on hand to slot home the rebound.

Worthing were so nearly level 25 minutes from time. Crane slipped in Reece Meekums but Dan Lincoln was equal to his effort. Substitute Callum Kealy poked the loose ball towards goal, only for the ball to be cleared on the line.

Rocks were threatening on the counter-attack. Perntreou was equal to Muitt's drive, then Smith's attempt on the rebound flashed across the face of goal two minutes later.

Substitute Walsh then doubled Bognor's lead four minutes from time.

Goalkeeper Perntreou did brilliantly to keep out Widdrington's deflected drive but Walsh picked up the ball, cutting inside and curling into the far corner.

WORTHING: Perntreou; Parsons, Barker, Colbran, Crane; Aguiar, Clarke; Ajiboye, Meekums, Starkey; Pearce. Subtitutes: Rents, Rance, Pattenden (Meekums, 82), Ovenden, Kealy (Pearce, 60).