WORTHING 2 BOREHAM WOOD 1

Whoever plays the post-match tunes in the changing room came up with a good choice after a momentous win for Worthing.

Promised Land belted out from the inner sanctum after Rebels overcame a major obstacle in their quest to reach the fifth tier.

“No idea – that’s above me, that is,” joked Worthing boss Chris Agutter about the musical selections.

The fact Joe Smooth’s late 1980s house classic was being played as he started interviews was no doubt coincidental and accidental.

But there is clearly a hunger in Woodside Road to secure the place in the promised land, or National League, they had within their grasp in the play-off final last season.

An impressive all-round display capped by moments of magic from on-loan winger Ruben Carvalho represented a significant step towards that end.

Yeovil ran away with Vanarama National League south last season but there is no dominant force this time and Rebels lead the way for the first time.

Goals from Joel Colbran and Carvalho against a Boreham Wood side who led early and were not helped by a crazy red card for defender Chris Bush on 31 minutes put Rebels on to 55 points.

Five teams – including Eastbourne Borough - have 52, although they have not all played the same number of games.

Worthing can expect to be reeled in this Saturday while they are playing Rochdale in the FA Trophy.

But the way they passed this test is great grounds for optimism for the coming weeks.

Agutter said: “It’s an interesting one because people will look at the one-man advantage and that might overshadow some of the very good football we were playing at 11 v 11.

“We were in a great rhythm, we were causing problems, and that is probably why the lad (Bush) made the decision he did.

“He was stretched and he was uncomfortable.

“Equally, when you go down to ten men with a one-goal lead, I have seen it plenty of times where you don’t get the equaliser or the winner so credit to the players for the patience and quality to get over the line in a massive game against a very good side.

“It’s a fine line. We wanted to be patient but we didn’t want to be passive.

“I thought we got the balance right in the second half and it led to two very important goals.”

Kwesi Appiah gave Boreham Wood, top of the table at kick-off, an early lead after some hesitant defending at a corner.

The host had got on top by the time Bush was shown red for needlessly barging Mo Faal into the barrier with the ball already out play.

Worthing played with a strong wind behind them in the first half but seemed to enjoy the conditions more in the second.

Odei Martin Sorondo, sent on at the break, helped give them more structure, but Carvalho was the headline-grabber.

His pinpoint cross was headed home by Joel Colbran on 58 minutes and, 20 minutes later, he committed defenders before his explosive finish found a gap between goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore and his poorly-protected near post.

There were great celebrations both then and at full-time. The redeveloped Sussex Transport Community Stadium looked superb under lights although a crowd of almost 1,600 would have been bigger on a Saturday.

Agutter will keep feet on the ground and be well aware there is long, long way to go.

But the signs are promising.