Worthing came out on top as they continued their excellent form of winning 10 of their last 11 games.
The visitors had the first chance with former Fleet striker Nathan Odokonyero on the attack and he dispatched a shot but was caught in an offside position as his effort ran wide.
Worthing couldn’t take advantage of Johnathan Macaulay’s misplaced pass out from his box with the goalkeeper recovering to push away Brad Dolaghan’s shot at goal.
The Fleet had started well in the opening minutes but didn’t get a proper chance until just before the 20-minute mark when Ben Chapman and Aaron Cosgrave forced Josh Jeffries into action as he pulled off an excellent double save. Gene Kennedy, who returned to the squad today, then fired a shot towards goal and Cosgrave arrived for the rebound but he couldn’t slot that home.
Charlie Seaman whipped a ball into the area from a free-kick but that delivery was too deep.
Teddy Jenks was looking for a penalty after a tackle in the box but Worthing took the lead from a set piece on 26 minutes as a corner was played out to Razaaq Coleman De-Graft whose delivery dropped behind the Fleet defence. It fell into the path of leading goalscorer Brad Dolaghan at the far post who managed to roll the ball over the line.
Toby Edser fired a shot from distance in an attempt to mirror his opener at Farnborough but that effort went wide.
The closest chance of the match for the Fleet came moments before half-time. A good move forward led to a scramble of chances in the area that forced Jeffries into action from Coker’s effort. Josh Passley was situated at the far post to head the ball down, but the Worthing keeper palmed that one away.
It took a while for the second-half to get going but Fleet forced Worthing deeper much more so than in the first period. Chapman pulled the trigger from range but his low effort was wide of the mark.
Jeffries was called into action again when Edser’s shot outside the area rolled through several bodies towards the keeper.
Coker and Coley came close but once again the Worthing defence stood strong to maintain their lead.
A strong penalty shout arrived for the Fleet when Seaman was brought down in the area by Toby Byron but the referee waved away all appeals.
Worthing regrouped when their goalkeeper took a time-out to allow tactical changes to be made and they saw the game out to the end of normal time when a penalty did arrive but it came at the other end in favour of the visitors. Ollie Godziemski went down in the area as Macaulay came out to challenge him and Coleman De-Graft buried the kick.
With six minutes of added time, a late consolation goal came the Fleet’s way when substitute Dom Samuel kept his balance to hit a shot from 20 yards out past Jeffries.
EUFC: Macaulay, Passley, Coker (Peake 77), Dallison, Olagunju, Seaman, Kennedy (Moncur 63), Edser, Chapman (Manktelow 84), Coley (Samuel 77), Cosgrave (Appiah 60). Subs: Ehmer, Hall
WFC: Jeffries, Colbran, Cook, Ransom, Byron, Packham, Burgess (Frimpong 79), Coleman De-Graft, Jenks (King 63), Odokonyero (Odei 63), Dolaghan (Godziemski 79). Subs: Smith, Short
Photos: ©EUFC/Dave Plumb, Tom Harris
