Worthing 2 Molesey 1: Ben Carrington is ready to put in the hard extra yards which can help keep Worthing among the promotion pacesetters.

The newly converted right wingback made sure one of his 60-yard surges forward reaped full reward last night by turning home Mark Knee's measured low cross for the 49th minute winner.

It was generally encouraging stuff from boss Alan Pook's new-look Rebels against a Molesey outfit tipped to be among the pacesetters in Ryman League division one south this season.

With five players making their home debut there were bound to be some misunderstanding at times, most alarmingly among the three centre backs, but Carrington and company were generally pleased with the night's work.

Carrington said: "It's very promising. We've probably got one of the best squads we have had here in quite a few years. The potential is there to have a good season.

"I'm playing a bit deeper than I'm used to and I am still expected to get in the box as well so it's quite demanding.

"You can't make ten 60-yard runs in a half so you have to chose your moment.

"If that one hadn't gone in they would have been asking 'Where the heck is Ben?' so I'm glad Mark put in a great cross and the ball went in."

Pook believes his current squad is good enough to finish in the top seven and two players short of being potential champions.

He intends to sign at least one of those missing components by the weekend as Rebels bid to add to their four points from the opening two games.

The key to his masterplan is combining established Worthing favourites with the new faces and there were signs last night it was coming together, notably with a cracking first goal on 22 minutes.

Chris Hibberd played a high speed one-two with Sam Francis and drove the ball across goal for Knee to divert home at full stretch.

Knee and Francis are expected to form a potent strike force but Rebels may also have found a decent attacking option in Mark Pulling.

Having done the rounds of the county scene and never quite fulfilled the midfield potential he showed when Mark Dunk introduced him to senior football at Horsham almost a decade ago, Pulling has now been given a role just behind the front two and appears to be relishing it.

He was involved in much of Rebels' best attacking work in the first half, notably a volley which dipped just over and a 60-yard pass which led to Francis shooting inches wide.

Paul Rogers went close a couple of times and Knee headed just over but there were also a handful of defensive lapses from the home side, as well as a lack of marking when Ross Pickett headed the visitors level on 38 minutes.

Carrington's far post strike restored the lead and they should have killed the game off from two chances created by Rogers.

His near post flick led to Francis having a header cleared off the line, then he delivered a superb cross which neither Francis nor Carrington could convert at the far post.

At the other end John Keeley, deputising for the injured Ross Standen, had to be agile to tip away an Erkan Ibrahim header which was flying just inside the post as Worthing survived a tense finale.

Pook said: "Four points from six is a great start and we've still got players a month away from full fitness."

Worthing: Keeley, Vicker, Hibberd, Davies, Beech (sub Dobbyn 73), Pulling, Carrington, Rogers, Francis (sub Freeman 70 (sub Johnson 90)), Knee, Hill. Unused sub: Standen. Yellow card: Francis.

Molesey: Pestana, Kim, Tacey (sub Ray 45), Bradford, Laister, Pearson, Warren (sub Dowling 45), Gale (sub Ibrahim 45), Pickett, Teague, Rose. Unused subs: Williams, Lampard. Yellow cards: Pearson, Bradford, Kim.

Referee: Mr D. Ford. Attendance: 220. Man-of-the-match: Ben Carrington (Worthing).