Next Match – Worthing – Home

City are at home again on Thursday afternoon when they welcome Worthing to Twerton Park for the first ever meeting between the two clubs. Whilst their visitors from Sussex were victors on Boxing Day, Jerry Gill’s team will be keen to put the disappointment of the Chippenham result behind them.

Following their promotion from the Isthmian League, The Reds have made a confident start to what is the highest level they have played at and have maintained a position in the top nine throughout the first half of the season.

Unbeaten in their first ten matches, they have recently slipped to eighth and were on a poor run at the time of their scheduled visit to Twerton on 12 November. However, they have won just twice since then including a stunning 5-1 victory at Havant, but three days later they were outplayed by Ebbsfleet in a 6-0 home defeat.

Those two results underline what Worthing have in common with ourselves – a superior away record compared to the one at home and theirs is currently one of the best in the division. A tight defence has only conceded eight goals away from Woodside Road and as well as the above triumph at Havant, there have been wins at Welling, Weymouth, Dartford, St Albans and Dulwich.

This confidence on the road coupled with a modest home record was also evident in the FA Cup as victory first time out at Slough was followed by elimination when Eastbourne Borough travelled along the south coast. However, the formbook went out of the window in the Trophy when a home win over Weymouth was followed by defeat at Maidstone.

Last season Worthing were worthy winners of the Isthmian Premier League, winning the title by ten points, scoring a century of goals, and almost reaching the 100-point mark. And they strengthened their squad over the summer with the signing of several players who have experience at this level. Playoff winner Kane Wills moved back to Worthing from Dorking Wanderers, Nodirbek Bobomurodov arrived from Hungerford Town and Charlie Towning from Eastbourne Borough. But most familiar to City supporters will be Dan Bowry, who had a successful loan spell at Twerton a few seasons ago and joined The Reds from King’s Lynn.

Tickets can be bought in advance of the match from the City’s website.