Aguiar’s finish capped off a finely crafted opener for the Rebels inside ten minutes, a foundation from which the hosts were able to sustain despite a second half resurgence from the Urchins.
Adam Hinshelwood made a trio of alterations to the starting lineup that began Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Barrow. Dom Hutchinson and Jordan Young dropped down to the bench, while Jose Marquez missed out on the squad through injury.
In their place, Charley Kendall made his first league start for the club, while Harry Ransom and Ashley Nathaniel-George both featured from the off.
Last November’s trip to Woodside Road for Daryl McMahon’s side culminated in a five-star showing from the Reds, and it did not take long this time around for the Urchins to find themselves behind once more on the West Sussex coast.
Having picked up possession in front of the home dugout, Cory Adjetey-Brew drove towards halfway before arching a pass beyond the Hornchurch backline. Impeccable control of the pass by Kendall allowed him to fashion space for a low delivery from the left side of the area, with Aguiar arriving on time to side-foot home from close range.
The early opener proved to be the catalyst for continued Worthing pressure through the opening half hour of proceedings, with the best chance for the hosts to double their half time advantage coming in the 24th minute.
A delayed run through the right channel by Joel Colbran was eventually picked out by Razzaq Coleman De-Graft, sending the Worthing skipper charging towards the byline. Having reached the edge of play, Colbran fizzed the ball across the face of goal, however Nathaniel-George was unable to keep his effort under the crossbar from just inside the six-yard box.
Josh Walker’s half-time introduction breathed new life into the visiting attack, the forward coming up with the first effort for either side following the interval. Receiving the ball on the left side of the box, the substitute shifted inside before hitting a low drive into the palms of Taylor Seymour in the Reds’ net.
A stagnant opening quarter of an hour slowly leant the balance of momentum towards the East Londoners, with Seymour coming up with a vital save to preserve the home side’s lead on the stroke of an hour.
An initial free-kick attempt by Jack Powell rebounded back to the midfielder having struck the wall, allowing him to deliver into a crowded box. On the end of the cross was Ryan Inniss, whose downward header had to be turned over the bar by an alert Seymour.
The Sussex Cat was called upon again three minutes later, when a ball worked out to Henry Sandat on the right flank prompted the run of Walker across the six-yard box. Sandat fired a low cross into the path of Walker, whose goalward flick needed turning round the post by the Rebels’ stopper.
Despite having little joy in attacking the away goal in the period following Hornchurch’s wave of pressure, Hinshelwood’s side took comfort in frustrating the visitors throughout the remainder of the second half.
The insertion of Ransom into the defensive unit provided a strong vocal presence for the hosts, alongside his dominance in aerial duels.
A return to winning ways for the Reds, who will now look ahead to this weekend’s trip to the North
East to face Hartlepool United.
Originally published by Worthing FC ↗