1. A wake up call for United.
If United’s 2-2 opening draw against Dover Athletic didn’t serve as a big enough wake up call for Gary Johnson’s about the strength of the National League South in the 2023-24 campaign, then Saturday’s defeat to Worthing certainly should.
To their credit, Worthing showed themselves to be comfortable in possession, they were accomplished at playing the ball out from the back and they broke forward at speed.
With a former Brighton and Hove Albion defender Adam Hinshelwood as manager, the Rebels produced a brand of football, which probably could be described a lite version of the brand of football that the Seagulls produce in the Premier League.
2. Trio return to haunt the Gulls.
The Worthing side on Saturday included three players who have featured for the Gulls in recent years in the form of centre back and captain Aran Racine, midfielders and Joe Felix and Ricky Aguiar.
Skipper Racine made one appearance for United in the 2016-17 season on loan from Forest Green Rovers, but his stay was cut short due an ACL injury sustained on his debut against Gateshead on January 28, 2017. Felix joined the Gulls midway through the 2021-22 season and was released at the end of the campaign and Aguiar joined on loan from Swindon Town, who he joined the Rebels on a season long loan. Indeed, Aguiar opened the scoring the visitors on 31 minutes.
All three went home happy with all three points.
3. Mark Halstead on song.
The fact that United goalkeeper Mark Halstead was voted as man of the match in spite of his side's poor showing spoke volumes of the Gulls' display.
In the second half, Halstead was called upon to deny a long range from Aguiar, which he parried away. A minute later, he made a routine save to prevent Worthing striker Greg Luer from finding the target and Luer went close again on 65 minutes, to be denied by a one-handed save from Halstead.
Then in the 77th minute, Worthing sub Joao Luque found himself through on goal, with only Halstead to beat, but Halstead's reflexes came to the rescue for United.
4. Tom Lapslie and Kevin Dawson big misses in midfield.
The absence of midfield duo Tom Lapslie and Kevin Dawson was keenly felt by the Gulls as they struggled to get a foothold in the game. Towards the end of last season, Dawson, following his arrival on loan from Gloucester City, and Lapslie both made their presence felt towards the end of the campaign as they constantly pressed their opponents and made sure that they knew that they were in a game.
Sadly, in their absence, that was decidedly lacking.
5. Abigail Byrne.
Saturday also saw Abigail Byrne became the first female official to take charge of a match at Plainmoor. Over the years, there have been several female assistant referees running the line at United home games, including Wendy Toms, who became female linesmen to run the line in a Football League match when she did so when United faced Carlisle in the 1994-95 season, Sian Massey-Ellis and Stacey Pearson, but no female referee until Byrne took charge on Saturday.
