'Reaction win' delights Worthing FC boss – as Coventry, Brighton and Wycombe signings settle in

The manager felt they were unlucky to lose so heavily in Essex but knew they needed to bounce back quickly – and they did just that in winning 2-0 at home to Welling on Tuesday night.

Ollie Pearce – from the spot – and Ricky Aguiar scored in the last 20 minutes to put the Reds second in the table, with the team boosted by three new additions in the past week, Danny Cashman, Bailey Smith and Luca Woodhouse.

Worthing beat Welling – the match in pictures by Mike Gunn.

Hinshelwood said: “Braintree was a strange one. We played okay in the first half yet were 3-0 down at the break. A few decisions went against us but we have to learn from games like that.

"Welling made it hard for us but we were patient and got our rewards.

"I was delighted with the lads’ response. We weren’t despondent or feeling sorry for ourselves.”

Former Brighton youngster Cashman, who had a brief trial at Worthing before signing for Coventry in 2021, has boosted Hinshelwood’s attacking options – as has young Brighton winger Bailey Smith.

Striker Jake Robinson got his first run-out for more than a year at Braintree but Worthing are considering arranging a short-term loan for him to boost his match sharpness.

Worthing host Hemel on Saturday – then go to Eastbourne Borough in the FA Cup a week later. Hinshelwood said: “It’s the 12th year in a row our first FA Cup round has been against a team from our league.”

As for the rwo new faces, Cashman has signed following the mutual termination of his contract with Coventry City. The 22-year-old was a highly rated at Brighton & Hove Albion as a youngster having joined the club aged 12 but was released in the summer of 2021 alongside Reds ‘keeper Roco Rees.

He proceeded to appear in a Red shirt in pre-season, scoring in wins against Tonbridge Angels and Welling United. Any hopes of a permanent stay were dashed when he penned a deal with the Sky Blues shortly after. He was immediately sent out on loan to Rochdale for the entirety of the 2021/22 season.

He scored his first senior goal in the EFL Cup win over Shrewsbury in late August and went onto make 29 appearances in total for the League Two side.

Further loan spells at Walsall and Altricham followed last season and despite having 12 months left on a three-year deal he mutually agreed with Mark Robins side to cancel his contract last week.

Hinshelwood said: “We obviously saw a glimpse of what he could bring to us in pre-season a couple of years ago but I’m delighted he’s here for the longer term this time. It wasn’t something we were planning for but when the opportunity arose we had to look at it”.

Smith arrives on a deal that will see him spend the rest of the calendar year at the club. Smith, who mainly operates as a wide forward, scored 7 times in 22 appearances for Albion’s under-18’s last season, for whom he was teammates with Reds boss Adam Hinshelwood’s son, Jack.

Originally from Worthing, he’s already represented the Reds at under-14’s prior to be picked up by the Seagulls. He also excelled in athletics growing up, winning an ESAA gold medal in the 200m aged 14, recording a time of 22.56s, the fastest in the UK for his age group at the time.

Hinshelwood said: “Bailey is a Worthing lad and will bring a lot of pace and power to our front line”. “He gives us options is in attack because he can play wide but also down the middle – he’ll add some real competition for places, which is what we’re striving for – I’m excited to work with him.”

The Rebels have also agreed the loan signing of Luca Woodhouse from Wycombe Wanderers. Woodhouse, who can operate in both defence and midfield, predominantly on the left, secured a development squad contract with the League One outfit in August 2022 after impressing Wanderers in training and practise matches.

A product of the Tonbridge Angels academy he also gained first team experience with Whitstable Town and Hythe Town during his development at Longmead. The 19-year-old spent two months on loan at Slough Town in National League South last season, making 12 appearances.

A former Wanderer himself, Hinshelwood is pleased to have secured another defensive option: “With the injuries to Reuben and Tutty, Luca will provide the squad with a bit of cover in that areas of the pitch, as well as centre half, which we have lacked so far this season”.