Tonbridge 0
United 1
(Worthington 55′)
Torquay United will take their place in the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup for the first time in four years, following a hard-fought win in Kent.
Matt Worthington’s second-half goal proved to be the decisive moment of the match, as it sealed The Gulls’ place in Monday’s draw.
United boss Jimmy Ball reacted to last weekend’s defeat at Billericay by making five changes to his starting line-up, with Munashe Sundire, Cody Cooke, Harry Shield, Jake Wannell and Oludare Olufunwa replacing Dom Bernard, Taylor Scarff, Jacob Beaumont-Clark, Tegan Finn and Caleb Roberts in the starting line-up.
A stop-start first half saw the home side enjoy the better of proceedings, with a string of fouls punctuated by two excellent saves by Gulls keeper Toby Savin, who produced two excellent interventions to deny Lamar Reynolds and Ricky Korboa.
After a slightly disjointed start, United began to grow in confidence, and as the first half drew to a conclusion, the Tonbridge players were becoming increasingly frustrated by a committed Torquay backline.
The second half was only ten minutes old when The Gulls took the lead.
A long ball forward gave Callum Morton something to chase, and after using his pace and power to excellent effect, his drive towards the box prompted Worthington to join him in attack. United’s skipper followed that up by meeting Morton’s low ball into the box with a clinical shot into the top corner to make it 1-0.
If frustrations in the home ranks at the interval, they only gathered pace following the goal.
Tonbridge won a string of corners and spent plenty of time in the away half, but with Ball’s players remaining resolute in defence, it was United who ended the game looking likelier to score in the latter stages, as Harness came to the rescue with a double-save to deny substitute Roberts late on.
Time eventually ran out for the hosts, leaving United’s players, staff, and supporters to celebrate a hard-earned victory that will only bode well for the months ahead.
TONBRIDGE: 1. Nathan Harness, 5. Ethan Sutcliffe, 6. Lexus Beeden (2. Harvey Lintott, 81′), 7. Ricky Korboa (21. Miller McDonald, 71′), 8. Sam Corne (c), 10. Lamar Reynolds (9. Frankie Baker, 65′), 11. Bunmi Babajide (16. Alfie Pavey, 81′), 15. Hayden Bullas (14. Jaden Brown, 75′), 17. Jephte Tanga, 20. Jordon Thompson, 27. Bailey Akehurst.
SUBS NOT USED: 13.Archie Burford, 19. Kai Martin.
Yellow Card: Tanga 90′, Pavey 90+3′
UNITED: 1. Toby Savin, 6. Munashe Sundire, 9. Cody Cooke, 10. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton (20. Dan Hayfield, 84′), 12. Harry Shield, 15. Kian Jenkins (11. Jacob Beaumont-Clark, 72′), 16. Jake Wannell, 18. Matt Worthington (c) (24. Caleb Roberts, 71′), 21. Oludare Olufunwa (5. Taylor Scarff, 88′), 26. Luke Browne, 39. Callum Morton.
SUBS NOT USED: 19. Isaac Westendorf, 23. Sean Robertson, 27. Matt Jay.
Yellow Card: Jenkins 53′, Olufunwa 70′, Sundire 75′
Attendance: 1,204
