TT PREVIEW

Steve Harris – @steveharris84

MATCH DETAILS

Match details: Worthing FC versus Torquay United

Competition: National League South

Venue: Sussex Transport Community Stadium (Woodside Road)

Date: Tuesday, 24th February 2026

Kick-off: 7.45pm

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Torquay: 2
Draw: 1
Worthing: 3

CURRENT FORM (LAST 6)

Torquay: (3W – 1D – 2L):

W 2-1 Enfield Town A

W 2-1 Hornchurch A

W 3-2 Dover Athletic A

L 0-1 Chippenham Town A

D 1-1 Maidenhead United H

L 2-4 Eastbourne Borough A

Worthing (1W – 2D – 3L):

L 2-3 Bath City A

L 0-1 Hampton and Richmond Borough A

D 1-1 Weston Super Mare H

D 1-1 Dover Athletic A

L 0-1 Hemel Hempstead Town A

W 4-1 Slough Town H

TOP GOAL-SCORERS

Torquay: Jordan Young (15)

Worthing: Brad Dolaghan (20)

WORTHING FACT FILE

Year founded: 1886

Nickname: The Rebels

Last season’s league finish: 4th in National League South

Notable honours:

Isthmian League:

Premier League winners: 20021-22

MANAGER – ADAM HINSHELWOOD

Adam Hinshelwood recently returned to Worthing for a third spell following his dismissal as York City manager in the early part of the season.

His second stint with the Rebels had ended in March 2024, when he was appointed as York City manager. He led the Minstermen to second place in the National League in 2024-25, but an indifferent start to the current 2025-26 campaign saw him dismissed.

As a player, he made his name with Brighton and Hove Albion, Aldershot Town and Wycombe Wanderers before he was forced to retire through injury in 2010.

He is currently in his second spell in charge of Worthing, having first managed the club between 2013 and 2015, and later returned to the club in 2017, following a spell as an academy coach at Brighton.

Hinshelwood also has a number of family connections with the Gulls, as his cousin, Danny Hinshelwood, joined the Gulls on loan from Portsmouth in the 1996-97 season and his brother, Paul Hinshelwood, played for United during the 2007-08 campaign.

PLAYER PROFILE – JACK SPONG

A Brighton and Hove Albion academy graduate, Jack Spong made his professional debut for Brighton & Hove Albion, on 25 September 2019 in a 3–1 defeat at home against Aston Villa in the EFL Cup.

In January 2023, Spong joined Crawley Town on loan for the remainder of the 2022-23 season. He made his first league appearance of his professional career on his Crawley Town debut, coming on as a 89th minute substitute in the 1–0 away loss at Leyton Orient.

After his release by Brighton, Spong signed for Scottish Championship side Queen’s Park. He left the club by mutual consent in January 2024. A month later, on 26 February 2024, Spong joined Worthing and made his debut on 4 March against Chelmsford City in a 1-0 away win. A month later, he scored his first goal for Worthing in a 4-2 away win against St Albans City.

PLAYER STATS:
Position: Midfielder
DOB: 04/02/02
Height: 1.78m
Previous Club: Queen’s Park
NLS Stats 25/26: Appearances: 29, Goals 7, Assists 2, Yellow/Red Cards 3/0

OLD BOYS

Torquay United: None

Worthing: None

LAST MEETING

Last meeting: Tuesday, 25th November 2025 – Torquay United 3 Worthing 2

Torquay United made it four wins out of four as they came from behind to beat high flying Worthing at Plainmoor.

Joel Colbran and Joe Cook had put Worthing 2-0 up after 17 minutes at Plainmoor, and many of the Gulls’ faithful would have begun to fear the worst. However, United soon rallied as Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Dan Hayfield and Dylan Morgan all went close prior to Louis Dennis following up his hat-trick against Eastbourne to make it 2-1 after 25 minutes.

United then equalised through leading scorer Jordan Young equalised six minutes later, when he latched onto a through ball from Sonny Blu Lo-Everton before cutting inside onto his left foot and fired past Worthing keeper Josh Jefferies.

In the second half, the Gulls edged ahead on 55 minutes when Young’s cross with his weaker right foot picked out Dennis, who took a touch before completing his brace – and his fifth in two games.

As the game wore on, United showed another side of their game as goalkeeper James Hamon made an important double save deep in injury time, which was in double figures, as the Gulls made it four wins out of four in the league. The result also ended Worthing’s nine game winning run.

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS

Torquay United (4-2-3-1): James Hamon; Jordan Thomas, Ed Palmer, Sam Dreyer, Jay Foulston; Dan Hayfield, Matt Worthington; Dylan Morgan, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Jordan Young; Louis Dennis

Worthing: (3-4-3): Josh Jefferies; Joel Colbran, Joe Cook, Harry Ransom; George Cox, Jack Spong, Jack Young, Teddy Jenks; Razzaq Coleman De Graft, Brad Dolaghan, Remiero Moulton