London United's worrying end of season loss of form continued at home to rivals Worthing Thunder on Saturday afternoon at Brunel University.

At a time when London should be stepping up their performances with the playoff approaching their fortunes seem to be spiralling after two succesive home losses on the bounce, having only lost 4 league games all season.

The game started brightly for London as Jagodka hit a 3 from the corner and Vear hit an open lay up. Worthing struggles to score early on as London raced into a 23-11 lead in the 8th minute of the quarter, although 5 straight points from Worthing's Steven Gayle helped them get within site at the end of the quarter at 27-20 in London's favour.

Mantia Callender being the only recent inform player for United scored 9 first quarter points.

The second quarter saw Callender score two quick buckets and Jagodka came alight with three 3 pointers to help London into a 19 point lead although Worthing managed to pin that back to an 11 point deficit by the half time break.

The 3rd quarter saw a turnaround in the game as London became more carefree and sloppy in their offences and take a succession of quick shots and misses to give Worthing back the ball and the chance to score uncontested lay-ups . they were back in the game at 67-62 lead to United going into the last quarter.

The final quarter started with Jagodka and Deppisch nailing threes to give London an 11 point lead although it was a run of scoring and free throws from Knox and Steven Gayle that saw Worthing actually revers the lead to go ahead 81-85 with only 2 minutes to play.

United missed 3 successive free throws although Mumuni and Callender restored an 86-85 lead with 1 minute to go. Knox responded from under the ring to go 86-87 Worthing and then Steve Vear was fouled and went to the line to shoot 2. he missed the first and hit the second for a tied score at 87-87 and then after some great defence from London Jagodka raced upcourt to make a layup and give London at two point lead at 89-87 with 30 seconds remaining.

Knox again found himself under the basket for Worthing and Vear fouled him to put him to the line at 2 down. He cooly nailed both shots to give London 12 seconds to get off a shot, and it was Jagodka who tried to penetrate but missed a running lay up under pressure fro the game to go into O/T at 89-89.

Worthing started well as gayle again went to the line to hit his two free throws and then Butterworth was left open to hit a 3 pointer.

United replied as Mumuni hit a big three and Callender muscled in to score in he paint. Ted up at 94-94 Hildreth scored a running floating layup as Vear came back after some good ball movement to nail a huge three pointer from the corner to give London a 1 point lead at 97-96.

Wih under a minute to go it looked like Londons game and Deppisch was then sent to the free throw line after being fouled in open court. He incredibly missed both shots and just as amazingly Worthings Gaylon Moore did exactly the same thing at the other end of the floor to see United keep their slender lead of one point.

With a matter of 30 seconds remaining and United having posession it looked over as Deppisch got a great rebound and putback to give United a 99-96 lead with 15 seconds left. However the ref called a technical foul against Deppisch for handling the ball after it went through the hoop and crucially gave two shots and possesion to Worthing.

Knox went to the line and hit both to take the scores to 99-98 Londons favour and Worthing maintained possesion as United hustled although Gayle penatrated and dished to Knox as Reid fouled him under the bucket to put him back on the line with 4 seconds remaining. He cooly scored both shots to give Worthing a 99-100 lead and London's Jagodka raced upcourt to find Mumuni who got his mid range shot off in time for it to rim out and London to lose another amazingly close game against the South coast team.

It was a real spectacle for English basketball and although the new rule of not being allowed to touch the ball once it has gone through the ring decided who was to win this game it was played in great spirit by both teams.

Top scorers for United were Jagodka 22, Mumuni 18 Callender 17.

London now face Manchester Magic in their last League game this season at Brunel next Sunday with a 4pm tip off before starting the payoffs on the 3rd of April.

See the web site www.london-united.co.uk