Worthing got the win they needed to seal their title as league champions and promotion to the National League but with Fleet unable to take a share of the points, the play-offs ended out of reach for the visitors.

After three failed play-off campaigns in succession, Worthing finally take their place in the top division but the Fleet needed other results to go their way in the end to be involved in play-offs themselves – and those results didn’t happen.

There was only one change for the visitors as Ben Chapman swapped places with Finlay Barnes to start and it was a good opening spell from Josh Wright’s side. Plenty of pressing and early possession allowed the visitors to pile on the pressure and take the game to Worthing. Chapman looked a threat on his return while great play from Charlie Seaman allowed Gene Kennedy to try his luck with a shot from just beyond the box but that effort was over the target.

Matt Hall pulled off a fine save to deny Razzaq Coleman-De Graft from an acute angle but Worthing hadn’t really got going and Seaman then curled an effort towards goal but that snuck past the post in the closest chance of the opening period.

Neat play in midfield from Jake Hessenthaler then played Chapman in on goal. He teed up a pass to Kwesi Appiah who attempted an overhead kick that curled wide.

Another chance to go in front for the Fleet came when a corner was whipped into the area. A goalmouth scramble saw Appiah take the final shot which was blocked on the line. Seaman tried to catch goalkeeper Taylor Seymour off guard with a lob but the Worthing stopper gathered that effort.

On 38 minutes, Worthing almost gifted the Fleet a goal when Seymour played a poor pass that was intercepted by Hessenthaler who fed Chapman but the Worthing keeper made the stop with his chest.

That miss proved costly as Worthing began to press in the Fleet final third in the last five minutes of the half. Joe Cook’s pass to Coleman-De Graft came back to him and he was able to strike it home.

Looking to get that crucial goal after the break, the Fleet tried to push on early with chances created, the best of them landing for Appiah whose shot was saved by Seymour.

But Worthing went further ahead on 53 minutes. Coleman-De Graft started the move wide to Joel Colbran and took the return pass as he galloped through towards goal before smashing a shot into the top of the Fleet goal from distance.

The visitors threw on several attacking substitutes but Worthing were able to keep possession and look for gaps at the back. Brad Dolaghan’s run down the left flank was stopped in its tracks while Coleman De-Graft should have buried a chance for number three but he hit the post from close range.

Chapman tried his luck from 25 yards as Fleet pressed for a goal that would have made for a nervy final few minutes for the hosts but in the end it was the Rebels who were crowned champions and Fleet narrowly missed out on a play-off position on goal difference.

EUFC: Hall; Passley (Olagunju 76), Dallison, Nelson (Barnes 67); Seaman, Coker; Hessenthaler, Kennedy (Coley 57), Chapman, Edser (Samuel 57); Appiah (Peake 67). Subs not used: Cosgrave, Sandford
WFC: Seymour; Colbran, Cook, Ransom, Beard; Packham, Young (Odei 79), Coleman De-Graft (Nadesan 79), Jenks; Makowski (Moulton 63), Dolaghan (Morton 87). Subs not used: Jeffries, Cox, Smith
Attendance: 4,002 (605 away)
Images courtesy of EUFC, Ed Miller, Tom Harris