It’s been a season of contrasting fortunes for Worthing and Eastbourne Borough as the campaign enters its final furlong. The two sides find themselves at opposite ends of the table as the Rebels look to cement a play off place for the second consecutive year while Borough still have it all to do to avoid relegation to the Isthmian League Premier Division.

The East Sussex outfit have spent most the season in the bottom four but since parting company with Mark Beard in January former AFC Fylde manager Adam Murray has led a slow recovery but brought them within reach of the sides above them with seven games left to play.

Contrast that to their West Sussex counterparts who have rarely been out of the top seven all year and sit two points off 3rd place which would secure a play-off bye to the semi-finals.

Having to contend with losing Adam Hinshelwood to National League York City five games ago after a highly successful six year spell, interim manager Aarran Racine has found the going tough since taking over with a solitary win over Chelmsford their only victory in the last seven games.

Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Bath City in front of the TNT Sport cameras for the first time ever was watched by a crowd of over 2,000 kept the Rebels in touch with those above them and Racine will be hoping with six games to go they can keep their nerve and join the end of season party once again.

The Rebels are top scorers in the division by a long distance and while Ollie Pearce didn’t find the net at the weekend his 34 league goals have undoubtedly been the key factor in Worthing’s season so far.

The final six games see them face champions elect Yeovil Town and two fellow play-off contenders whilst they do their Sussex neighbours a favour heading to Dartford just after the Easter period.

Murray meanwhile knows his Eastbourne side have little margin for error over the next few weeks. Whilst his side are only two points from safety the games in hand for Taunton Town and Truro City give the table a disjointed look, the latter still needing to re-arrange against Borough to be confirmed.

Despite a disappointing season so far, Eastbourne’s supporters haven’t abandoned their team and average just 43 less than Worthing at 1323 fans coming through the gate.