Worthing 7
Concord Rangers 0
Concord Rangers fell to their heaviest defeat of the season as a trio of braces from Ollie Pearce, Ibby Akanbi and Davide Rodari as well as a Charlie Campbell own goal saw Worthing cruise to a 7-0 victory over the struggling Beach Boys.
Following a well observed minutes silence Concord came out of the blocks brightly and went close to opening the scoring after just a couple of minutes when a long range Alex Hernandez strike forced England C international Harrison Male into a diving save.
Worthing responded well and after seven minutes they found themselves denied by the frame of the goal. A deep cross from Portsmouth loanee Liam Vincent picked out Akanbi at the far post and the former Dulwich Hamlet attacker poked an effort against the post and Rodari put the rebound wide of the target.
Ten minutes later the woodwork again came to Concord's rescue this time to keep out Pearce however this proved to be irrelevant as Worthing's top scorer was adjudged to have been offside.
The visitors were holding strong however just before the half hour mark Rangers resistance was broken and the Rebels broke the deadlock. A loose Ben Steward header was pounced upon by Akanbi. He then found Pearce in space in the penalty area and he coolly converted into the bottom corner for his second goal against Concord this season.
This wouldn't be Pearce's only goal of the afternoon as seven minutes later the 27 year old found himself on the scoresheet once again - this time from the penalty spot. Pearce was tripped over in the box which resulted in referee Matthew Norton pointing to the spot. The man who won it took it and Pearce swept the spot kick home for his 22nd goal of the campaign. However Worthing celebrations were short lived and the goal was chalked off due to encroachment from a Rebels players.
As a result Pearce had to retake this penalty and the same outcome was reached with the former Bognor Regis man sending Mitchell Beeney the wrong way. This was Pearce's sixth goal in four games as he keeps up his red-hot form in front of goal.
Five minutes before half time Adam Hinshelwood's side looked to have put the game to bed as the Mackerel Men made it 3-0. Akanbi and Rodari linked up with a neat one-two before the former curled a brilliant dipping strike over the dive of Beeney and into the far corner; confirming that this would be the ninth time that Worthing have managed to score three or more goals in a game on home turf this season.
The second period began how the first had ended with Worthing dominating proceedings and two minutes after the restart the hosts added to their lead. Another one-two, this time between Akanbi and Pearce, resulted in Akanbi being released in behind and he slotted the ball past Beeney from close range for his second goal of the afternoon.
Four minutes later things went from bad to worse for the Beach Boys as Worthing went 5-0 up. A freekick from the left hand side picked out Rodari at the far post and the Crawley Town loanee beat Beeney with a side footed volley for his second goal in as many games.
Shortly after this Worthing got themselves a sixth goal through an unfortunate own goal from Charlie Campbell. A Joel Colbran cross was whipped in with venom and the ball deflected in off the Norwich City loanee's leg and into the back of the net.
With ten minutes left on the clock the division's second highest scorers netted their seventh goal of the afternoon and their 82nd of the campaign. Rodari burst forward and drove home an effort that snuck beneath Beeney's dive and into the far corner. This was the Swiss strikers seventh goal in Worthing colours since arriving at Woodside Road in January.
Five minutes later both Rodari and Akanbi went close to bagging hattricks. First to be denied was the former who saw his attempt from a Colbran delivery brilliantly kept out by Beeney and the rebound from Akanbi had to be headed off the line by Ricky Modeste.
Akanbi would go close to grabbing the match ball twice more before the game's conclusion having one effort saved by Beeney and another hit the foot of the post.
This heavy defeat, a sixth loss in a row for Concord, leaves the Beach Boys at the foot of the table - now 11 points from safety following Dulwich Hamlet's win over Cheshunt.
Back to back wins for the first time since February for Worthing hoists them back into the playoff places at the expense of Farnborough. A 7-0 score line also meant the Rebels kept their 11th clean sheet in the Vanarama National League South this season - this was also their first clean sheet in seven games.
Rob Small's men return to action on Eater Monday as 6th placed St Albans City make the trip to the Aspect Arena following their 2-0 defeat at home to Braintree Town on Good Friday.
ATT: 1,356
Worthing: Male, Colbran, Vincent, Wills (Barker 49'), Racine, Rodari, Paxman, Pearce (Chambers 49'), Rye, Akanbi, Myles-Meekums (Lee 69')
Goals: Pearce 28', 35(p)', Akanbi 39', 47', Rodari 51', 80', Campbell O.G. 57'
Concord Rangers: Beeney, Popo (Campbell 46'), Thomas, Hernandez, Bettamer, Kyei, Steward, Wallace, Hudson, Munns (Day 62'), Modeste
By Nathan Williams
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