REBELS CRABBLE FIRST WIN

Crabbling, whatever that is, obviously suits Rebels and their effectiveness at Dover suggests they could even prove useful and successful in the locality being, say, illegal immigrant sniffers.

Phil Ruggles opened his account since joining from Leatherhead, from Chris Dicker's inswinging free kick in the seventh minute. Rebels keeper Mark Ormerod denied Billy Bone and Matt Carruthers when Dover got back into the game but on the hour another Rebels newcomer, Sam Rents, notched his first senior goal from Shaun Grice's pass. James Rogers replied for Dover on 77 minutes but the rest was principally Rebels.

WORTHING: Ormerod (on loan from Dorchester); Payne, Holmes, Pullan, Dicker; Francis, Rogers, Grice, Elouhmani; Ruggles, Knee. Subs: Rents (Eloumani 50), Ekoku (Dicker 65), Pulling, Lutwyche, Ducille, Packham. Att: 586.

Worthing manager Alan Pook's half-time tactical switches earned the Rebels their second point of the season at Woodside Road on Saturday by turning a 2-0 half-time deficit into a deserved 2-2 draw.

Pook's change in formation and personnel worked wonders after the break with both substitutes Shaun Grice and Mark Knee greatly contributing to a much-improved second-half performance. Rebels' fightback started when Grice converted a 66th minute penalty, following Brahim Elouhmani's free kick, which was handled in the area.

It all looked so bleak after a first half with Worthing under heavy pressure for long periods. Debutant keeper Mark Ormerod was in early action as the ex-Brighton stopper parried stinging efforts from a lively visitors' frontline.

Worthing's defence was at sixes and sevens for much of the half and it was no surprise when Chelmsford took the lead. Andy Douglas slid in from close range for a 23rd-minute opener, then Gary Ansell headed home from Sammy Cooper's inswinging corner on the hour.

Rebels were a completely different side after the break, with Chris Dicker, Elouhmani and Knee hitting the woodwork. Chelmsford keeper Paul Nicholls was also called into action producing wonderful stops from Phil Ruggles' rifled effort and Sam Francis' point-blank header.

The game took an ugly turn after 2-0 when City's Russell Penn received his marching orders for two bookable offences following a 10-man brawl. Worthing continued in the ascendancy and got their just desserts with four minutes to go when Elouhmani's inswinging corner was headed home by the impressive Sam Francis.

Afterwards happy boss Alan Pook said: "We still haven't had everyone available yet and we should get a lot stronger in the weeks to come. Full credit to the lads today, though, for coming back. With a bit more luck we could have had all three points at the end."

WORTHING: Ormerod, Payne, Pullan, Lamont, Holmes, Pulling, Rents, Rogers, Elouhmani, Francis, Ruggles. Subs: Dicker (Lamont inj, 28), Grice (Rents 45), Knee (Pulling 45), Ducille, Alexander. Att: 401.