An excellent all-round performance saw the Clarets take all three points home from West Sussex.
First half goals from Yearn and James were enough to give City a 2-1 lead into the break. A second half goal, in a well-executed piece of team play, from Blackwell sunk high-flying Worthing to their first defeat in their last eight games.
The Clarets fashioned a fantastic opportunity to take the lead, after just 6 minutes. The Clarets won the ball high up the field with Yila he found Yearn on the overlap who fired a low ball across the box with Jackson running in. He was followed all the way with the ball squirming past Jackson and the defender to Blackwell following in at the back, but his effort was blocked which allowed the visitors to regroup and clear.
The clearance from the Claret chance was turned straight into an attack for the hosts. They came forward in numbers as they looked to create an opening. The ball was worked over to their left-hand side with Beresford who created a yard of space and fired over from just outside the area.
The hosts would again fashion themselves a great opportunity to take the lead in the tenth minute. They threw numbers forward in a counter after the Clarets had committed bodies forward for an attack which saw the hosts have the upper hand in a 4v2 counterattack. The ball again was worked out to the left-hand side to Beresford who ran the attack wide down the wing but was unable to get the ball in the box as the Clarets regrouped before winning the ball back and clearing.
Worthing would have the best chance of the opening exchanges as White rattled a header off of Ejeheri’s post. Dabre was away down the right-hand side for the hosts, and he fired a delightful ball across which found White who headed just out of the reach of Ejeheri. Yila got to the rebound first and was able to clear.
Kai Yearn opened the scoring after 21 minutes for the Clarets. Trotter played a ball forward that was nodded on by Vaz, it caught the Worthing defence napping as Yearn was released in on goal with not a player in red near him. He carried the ball into the box and calmly slotted past Male to wrap up some excellent attacking play.
Cameron James doubled the Clarets lead with a goal of the season contender, just minutes after Yearn opened the scoring and it all came from a Worthing offside. Ejeheri took the freekick about 20 yards into the Clarets half his floated ball was won in the air by Yila who headed down into the path of Cameron James who controlled the ball on his chest taking the ball wide in the Worthing penalty area before unleashing a half-volley straight into the top corner over the head of the stranded Male in the Worthing net.
The Clarets looked to build another attack with Vaz being picked out on the far touchline. Vaz moved the ball onto Trotter on the overlap Trotter wide picked up from Vaz and picked out Yearn in the box whose shot was saved and held well by Male.
Worthing got a goal back after 35 minutes after the Clarets failed to clear their lines. James failed to head the ball away from danger and the ball was clipped back into the box. Ejeheri caught in two minds went to punch clear, challenged by White, with the Worthing winger beating the Clarets number 13 to the ball. Kealy followed in beating Winfield to the ball to tap in from close range.
The Clarets pushed again in an effort to restore their two-goal advantage in the 40th minute with Trotter making inroads on the right wing firing a ball across to Blackwell who under pressure couldn’t get a shot away to test Male.
As the minutes ticked away at the end of the first half, Worthing had some fantastic opportunities to level up proceedings into the interval at The Crucial Environmental Stadium. Meekums fashioned the first on the 41st minute. He twisted and turned through the Chelmsford backline before cutting inside and striking wide from inside the area. The visitors came again just 2 minutes later creating an excellent chance from a corner. A cross worked into the box by Dabre picked out a Worthing man in the box who knocked the ball towards goal with a combination of Winfield and James clearing the effort off the line.
Meekums created an opportunity in stoppage time as the hosts looked to go into the break on terms. The winger picked the ball up and flicked the ball over Winfield and looked to run towards goal. Under pressure from Ochieng and Winfield Meekums struck at goal forcing Ejeheri into a strong save down low to his left.
HALF TIME: WORTHING FC 1-2 CHELMSFORD CITY FC
The Clarets started the second period the better side as they went in search of a third goal. In the 50th minute, Jackson pressed the Worthing left-back high on the far side and won possession. He played the ball off to Blackwell who ran at the Worthing defence and created some space for the strike. Blackwell hit it well but flashed his effort just past the post. Just minutes later Yila found himself in space and able to run down the right. He swung in a deep cross over the heads of everyone in the box but finds Vaz making the late run into the back post, but he couldn’t direct his effort on target.
The chances continued to flow for the Clarets as they looked to extend their advantage in the game. Blackwell found James on an overlap who burst into the box, the Clarets number 2 looked to cut a driven cross with that effort was blocked. James got back in shape and follows up his own cross. James played it back out to Blackwell who picked out 54 Blackwell to James runs into the box looks to cross, blocked, recycled to Blackwell. His cross found Jackson who headed his effort off the defender and out for a corner. Some promising play from City.
Tom Blackwell grabbed the Clarets’ third, capitalising on the City dominance at the start of the second period. Jackson led the high press with Blackwell, Yearn and Yila in support. The latter robbed the defender of the ball high up the pitch as the hosts tried to play the ball out of danger. He burst into the box and squared the ball to Blackwell who tapped home into a near enough empty net from close range.
The hosts fashioned their first real chance of the half on the 65-minute mark. A corner was swung into the box, and it was the Worthing skipper who rose the highest to meet the cross. His flicked header flashed across the face of goal and just wide of the far post. Skipper Racine was involved again from a corner just three minutes later as a deep delivery was met by Racine and his cushioned volley back across the face onto the head of Cocoracchio who headed over.
Ejeheri kept the Clarets advantage with a point-blank diving save two minutes later, the linesman’s flag raised to signal an offside, but Ejeheri didn’t know that and made a simply outstanding save. Ejeheri was called into action again as he tipped over Splatt’s effort from close range as the visitors continued to ask questions.
Into the last five minutes of the game, the hosts had a chance to halve the deficit as a deep cross from Shabbar was met by Cocoracchio who flashed his header over the bar. It was a cross aimed to the bodies in the box as the game rolled into stoppage time with another cross met by a Worthing head, this time Splatt, who headed over the crossbar.
That would be the last chance of the game as the Clarets ran out 3-1 winners in an action-packed game in West Sussex. Three goals, lots of chances created and a debut for loanee Esan off the bench reflects lots of positive takeaways from the game. The Clarets dominated for large periods of the game and capitalised on the chances that fell their way. An excellent team performance with moments of individual brilliance across the pitch, a great way for Simpson’s side to keep building on performances in recent games.
FULL TIME: WORTHING FC 1-3 CHELMSFORD CITY FC
Attendance 1202
CCFC: Ejeheri, James, Trotter, Winfield, Yearn, Jackson (Lodovica 65’), Blackwell (Esan 84’), Ochieng, Vaz, Terry, Yila (Barnum-Bobb 75’)
Unused Subs: Marsden, Dunne
Cautions: Barnum-Bobb (87’), Lodovica (90+4’)
Goals: Yearn 21’, James 24’, Blackwell 59’
Worthing FC: Male (GK), Colbran, Cocoracchio, Racine (C), Beresford, Wills, Chambers, Dabre, White (Shubbar 70’), Meekums (Splatt 70’), Kealy (Pearce 70’)
Unused Subs: Rye, McLeod
Cautions: Colbran (8’), Racine (90+4)
Goals: Kealy 35’
Report by Josh Verroken
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