by Ian Lamont

Ryman One South

Whyteleafe 1

Worthing 4

"Can we play you every week?" had been the cruel refrain from Whyteleafe fans as they had watched Merstham fall apart on Tuesday last week.

Five days after that 5-2 victory, Worthing fans resisted the temptation to sing that popular conquerors chorus as they beat Leafe 4-1 last Saturday.

"I told the lads before the game that if they scored two goals we wouldn't get back," reflected Leafe boss Stuart Massey afterwards.

"I did say I was looking forward to this game, but football always kicks you in the teeth."

"For 15 minutes everything they touched went in. Even at half-time, I felt if we got a goal quickly they were not world beaters and there was a chance. We hit the post three times."

The key action happened in the first half – and not just all the goals.

Daryl Coleman was given a booking for a second bad tackle early on, with Massey feeling the referee took an instant dislike to him.

In the latter stages of the half, the midfielder twice hobbled away from heavy challenges and Massey delayed going to the changing rooms at half-time to talk to the referee in full view of the crowd.

"I don't think the referee was particularly bad, he just seemed to victimise one of our players.

"I learnt my lesson a year ago about not getting involved with referees. I'm not even saying the bookings he gave weren't warranted.

"But he seemed to take an instant dislike to Daryl Coleman. He booked him the first opportunity he got and then didn't give him anything."

Coleman's crunching tackle on Ben Johnson after six minutes – bringing the yellow card – was his second such challenge of the match.

But it was certainly true that the midfielder was hard done by. Twice later in the half he received similar treatment from an opponent and did not even gain free kicks.

In a feisty opening, Chris O'Flaherty strong challenge into Matt Simpson did not even bring a booking, even though it was aggressive enough to see the centre-back substituted and taken to hospital with a fractured cheek bone. Referee Ian Bentley did not even speak to the left winger until Johnson was helped off the pitch some minutes after the challenge.

Fourth-placed Worthing took the lead on 23 minutes. Leafe keeper Rob O'Hara made two fine saves, the second at full stretch to tip out Jamie Brotherton's shot for a corner.

When it came across, Evan Archibald headed in. The referee indicated a goal, then blew his whistle to halt the celebrations, raced to his assistant referee who had his flag up, rejected his advice and awarded the goal, deeming that the Worthing player close to the post had not touched the ball nor interfered with play.

The second goal came two minutes later when Ellis Conroy, returning at right-back after three months out injured, chested a cross from the right at the near post into his own net.

Danny Oakins, playing up front, berated his defenders, meanwhile Brotherton, who had been hobbling for a while, was substituted.

The enforced changes hardly disrupted Worthing. Brett Paton wasted a good chance before, with Conroy off the pitch changing his blooded shirt after coming off worse in a tackle, the same player turned the ball into the net on 39 minutes.

Ben Williamson made it four, completing a good team move, before Oakins stabbed the ball over the line in first-half injury time as O'Flaherty's deflected shot spun slowly towards the line.

There was still time for O'Flaherty to hit the post before the half was out. A goal then would have made all the difference.

In the second half, O'Flaherty spurned a good chance, Oakins hit the post from the resultant corner and Darren Watson blasted against the keeper's legs. Ryan Royston's free-kick came off the wall and looped onto the bar – and that was all before the hour mark.

Had all those chances gone in, Leafe could have won the game in a tamer, pacier second half. Equally, however, Worthing could have been out of sight had Archibald been able to capitalise on at least three promising crosses.

Whyteleafe: O'Hara, Conroy (McCann 57), Fleming, Royston, R Coleman, J Smith, D Coleman (Platel 78), Goodchild, O'Flaherty, Oakins, D Watson (Holmes-Lewis 78). Unused subs: Dilley.