Worthing 5
(Faal 15′, 35′, 41′, Colbran 30′)
United 1
(Young 73′)
United bowed out of the FA Trophy on Saturday, as Worthing ran out clear winners at Woodside Road.
The damage was largely done in the first half, as a first half hat-trick from Mo Faal, in addition to a strike from home skipper Joel Colbran gave Worthing an almost unassailable interval advantage. Jordan Young briefly reduced the arrears in the second period, however Danny Cashman’s late effort restored the four-goal margin and sealed United’s fate.
Following the New Year’s Day over Truro, Gulls boss Paul Wotton made four changes, with Finley Craske, Lirak Hasani, Omar Mussa and Ed Palmer replacing Jordan Dyer, Young, Cody Cooke and the cup-tied Dylan Morgan.
United actually created a glorious chance to open the scoring, as Will Jenkins Davies did well to take the ball round home goalkeeper Chris Haigh, however after laying the ball across the six-yard box to Jordan Thomas, the on-loan Yeovil man could only lash his effort wide of goal.
That let-off seemed to galvanise Worthing, and once they went ahead, they didn’t look back.
First, a ball over the top caught Torquay’s backline out, and with Faal bearing down with just Hamon to beat, it was the Worthing striker that came out on top, as he dinked the ball over United’s Number 1 to open the scoring.
A cross to the back post on the half-hour was the undoing of Wotton’s side next, as captain Colbran rose highest to head home and double his side’s advantage.
Two quickly became three five minutes later, as Faal sent an outrageous shot from the narrowest of angles into the net off the far post to make it 3-0.
Things got even worse four minutes before the change of ends, as Faal completed his treble by steering the ball inside the near post from eight yards to effectively put the game beyond United.
After ringing the changes at the interval with the introduction of Cooke, Young and Dyer, Torquay made a better fist of it.
They eventually got on the scoresheet with 17 minutes remaining – and it was a wonderful effort too, as Young’s delightful left-footed free-kick found the top corner of the net from 20 yards.
Worthing would have the final say however, as Cashman finished another swift attack by firing home via a deflection from the edge of the box in the 86th minute to compound a miserable afternoon in West Sussex for Wotton’s men.
With their FA Trophy hopes over for another year, United’s focus will revert back to National League South action next Saturday, as Wotton’s men look to strengthen their position at the top of the table at home to Welling.
WORTHING: 1. Chris Haigh, 2. Joel Colbran (c), 3. Sam Beard (18. Ollie Black, 89′), 5. Joe Cook, 6. Joe Partington, 8. Jack Spong, 9. Mo Faal (24. Bailey Smith, , 69′), 10. Danny Cashman (22. Jack Bates,, 87.), 11. Nicky Wheeler (21. Sam Packham,, 80′), 14. Temi Babalola (27. Dylan Walter, 89′), 15. Greg Rea.
SUBS NOT USED: 23. Eiri Keskinis, 25. Danny Jordan, .
Yellow Card: Beard 18′, Smith 75′
UNITED: 1. James Hamon, 2. Finley Craske, 5. Sam Dreyer, 7. Lirak Hasani (21. Dean Moxey, 77′), 10. Omar Mussa (9. Ben Seymour, 69′), 14. Matt Carson (4. Jordan Dyer, HT), 16. Ed Palmer, 18. Oscar Threlkeld (8. Jordan Young, , HT), 20. Dan Hayfield, 22. Will Jenkins Davies (19. Cody Cooke, HT), 26. Jordan Thomas.
SUBS NOT USED: 13. Matt Wonnacott.
Yellow Card: Jenkins Davies 18, Young 78′
Attendance: 1,228