The ball comes over the top from defense. Lee Wort reads it early, positions himself on the edge of the box, and brings it down with his first touch. A defender closes in. Wort shifts his weight, tricks the opponent with a quick feint, and suddenly finds himself with space and time.
What happens next surprises everyone, including Wort himself.
He wraps his right leg behind his left and connects with a rabona. The ball curves past the helpless Melksham Town goalkeeper and into the net. Half-time whistle moments away. AFC Portchester 3-0 up in the FA Cup preliminary round replay at The OnSite Group Stadium.
Wort's teammates sprint to him. The celebration is immediate.
"The gaffer has shouted to Charlie to put the ball in behind for me, and to be fair to Charlie, it was a great ball," Wort says. "I had a quick look at where the defenders were, and I thought if I get my touch right, I could be in a good spot. After that, I wasn't thinking. Rabona isn't something I've ever practiced; it just happened. It was just spontaneous as I was having a good game."
That's how these moments work. You either hesitate and the chance passes, or you commit and see what happens. Wort committed.
"I'd never tried it before and probably won't again, just happy it came off," Wort says.
"I'm just glad it came off because I don't think the gaffer would have been too pleased missing a chance to go 3-0 up!"
AFC Portchester were already 2-0 up in first-half stoppage time. Wort went for spectacular instead of safe, and it worked.
When millions watch
Within days of the match, millions had watched Wort's rabona on social media. People who'd never heard of the Isthmian League South Central Division were watching a striker from Portchester pull off something most players never attempt.
"I'm glad it was caught on the Veo," Wort says. "Unless you were there watching it live, it would be hard to explain and wouldn't be spoken about as much as it is."
"I've watched it back a fair few times, also in slow motion, and I'm still not sure why I did the rabona finish," Wort says.
"I just think what was going through my mind, but honestly, after the first touch, it was just instinct," Wort says. "I was having a good game and already scored one before, so it just happened, I took a chance."
Submitted for recognition
Wort's goal has been submitted for this year's People's Puskas, which spotlights the best goals scored away from the biggest arenas.
"It makes me feel good. I've never had any other goal I've scored in the past up for any type of award, so I’m really happy!" Wort says.
"It's something I will look back at once I've hung up the boots," Wort says. "I'll show my kids as they get older, everything and everyone is documented now, and thanks to Veo, we have proof things like my goal actually happened, and not just a white lie down the boozer."
AFC Portchester won 3-1. Wort's rabona made it 3-0 in first-half stoppage time.
Can you beat that?
