Cory Adjetey-Brew’s first goal in senior football was the difference at the interval, before Ricky Aguiar’s unstoppable volley and Jose Marquez’s late header either side of a Will Harris goal secured the three points for the travelling Rebels.
Keeping relatively the same team in tact from the midweek victory over Hornchurch, Adam Hinshelwood opted to make a pair of changes in the forward line with Dom Hutchinson and Jordan Young taking the place of Ashley Nathaniel-George and Razzaq Coleman De-Graft.
The squad was full of positives, with Joe Cook and Bailey Smith selected in the 18-player roster after recovering from injuries.
With the home crowd expecting a reaction from their players following consecutive league defeats, the opening exchanges were fairly even and largely uneventful.
After Jayden Moore had handled the ball believing he was fouled, a Hartlepool free-kick yielded a corner, which culminated with the only notable highlight of the first 20 minutes. Skipper Reiss McNally recycled a set-piece and clipped a delivery onto Harris’ head, with the striker’s header smartly parried behind by an alert Taylor Seymour.
Midway through the first period, Worthing registered their first shot on target, with the majority of the play taking place in central areas. Charlie Waller’s weak-footed effort rolled harmlessly into Fisher’s grasp after a teasing Jack Wadham corner, moments after Cole Deeming’s attempt from distance was straight at Seymour.
The Rebels continued to grow into proceedings and brave defending from Pools full-back Jay Benn was required to block Harry Ransom’s towering header from travelling goalwards, with Jordan Young’s gorgeous cross crafting the chance.
Quick thinking from Reds captain Joel Colbran then presented Charley Kendall with a glorious opportunity to break his goalscoring duck for his new side. With shades of Ramell Carter’s goal against Wealdstone earlier on in the campaign, Kendall beat the goalkeeper to possession, but his lofted execution hit the midriff of Fisher. A let-off for Hartlepool, but a short-lived one that.
Ten minutes before the break, Queens Park Rangers loanee Cory Adjetey-Brew netted his first goal for the Reds to send the travelling support into raptures.
Another direct move saw Jayden Moore’s long-range pass collected by Aguiar, who also produced a searching pass into the box. Bypassing Kendall, a flat-footed home defence could only stop and stare as Adjetey-Brew calmly met the ball with his head to divert a finish into the bottom corner to give his side the advantage at Victoria Road.
In the immediate aftermath of falling behind, Hartlepool manager Lee Clark made a reactive substitution, with Liam Gibson being replaced by Charlie Penman.
There was still time left in the half for Charlie Waller to almost score an audacious second. Spotting Fisher slightly off his line, the 21-year-old took aim from 45 yards out, with the effort travelling inches over the crossbar.
Worthing made a change of their own at the interval, as Razzaq Coleman De-Graft was introduced in place of Dom Hutchinson, who had been yellow carded late on in the first period.
The turning point of the contest occurred moments before the hour mark, with a tale of ruthlessness and fine margins resulting in the visitors doubling their lead.
Down one end, Harris turned adeptly before digging out a clever effort that had the beating of Seymour, ricocheted off the underside of the crossbar and bounced on the right side of the goal-line from a Worthing perspective.
Breaking down the other end, Coleman De-Graft’s surged towards the area and saw his shot blocked by Cameron John. The loose ball fell invitingly to Aguiar, who turned from provider into scorer by lashing a thunderous volley past a helpless Fisher to net his third of the season and his second of the week.
Turning defence into attack in a matter of seconds, Worthing had took their chance and gained control of the encounter.
The home crowd was turning toxic and the Hartlepool players desperately tried to get a foothold back into the contest. A pair of alterations from Lee Clark made a slight difference to the momentum of the clash, with the Pools dictating the tempo and their opponents comfortable with retaining their structure.
77 minutes on the clock, United were gifted an avenue back into the match after a defensive error in the backline. Shortly after being brought into the fold, Sam Packham’s backpass was too powerful for Seymour to control, with the goalkeeper’s heavy touch presenting Harris with possession. A player who scored 22 goals in the fifth tier last year, the hosts’ number 10 made no mistake, as he rolled into the untended net.
With the crowd now behind them instead of against the team, the Pools pushed for parity. Harris curled over from 25 yards, but the Rebels weathered the storm and started to combine in forward areas once more.
Aguiar’s volley from an acute angle didn’t test Fisher, before Packham’s shot was pushed into Coleman De-Graft’s path, but a moment of hesitation allowed the defence to repel the effort from inside the box.
In the second of five additional minutes, a third National League goal of the season for Jose Marquez ensured the full complement of points would be heading back to West Sussex.
Once more, the energetic Adjetey-Brew covering every blade of grass found himself on the right side of the field and fashioned a weak-footed cross straight onto the head of Marquez. The striker deftly nodded into the top corner, with the entire stadium just stopping and staring as the ball rippled the net.
That made the Worthing lead an unassailable one and the referee’s whistle kick started a chorus of boos from the home faithful. A portion of the stadium was jubilant as they watched their players pick up the maximum six points from a successful week.
A full week’s rest is the reward for Worthing, as they have time to prepare for the visit of FC Halifax Town.
Originally published by Worthing FC ↗