Worthing crash out of Alan Turvey Trophy to Billericay

A youthful Worthing Football Club line-up crashed out of the Alan Turvey Trophy 7-0 at home to Billericay this evening.
Louis Clark made his first start for Worthing tonight. Picture by Stephen GoodgerLouis Clark made his first start for Worthing tonight. Picture by Stephen Goodger
Louis Clark made his first start for Worthing tonight. Picture by Stephen Goodger

The visitors made just two changes from their 2-1 Ryman League Premier Division win at Havant & Waterlooville on Saturday, while Worthing made ten changes as only Arron Hopkinson kept his place from the 4-3 win at home to Needham Market.

Recent signing Louis Clark made his first start for Worthing but Billericay led 3-0 at half-time and added another four goals in the second half to advance into the semi-finals.

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The visitors were dominant throughout and almost went ahead inside two minutes. Billy Bricknell's drive was pushed out by Worthing keeper Ethan Belward to Chris Assombalonga, who was unable to turn the ball home from close range.

A fantastic last-ditch tackle by Marshall Ball then denied Bricknell getting a shot away on nine minutes, before Assombalonga was left unmarked but headed Ibrahima Diallo's cross over from six yards just a minute later.

Belward then produced an outstanding save to tip Assombalonga's downward header over the bar. Chances continued to come Billericay's way and Belward kept out Joe Ellul's close-range header from a corner on 25 minutes and Bricknell's shot was then cleared off the line by Joel Colbran two minutes later.

The pressure eventually paid off on 29 minutes when Matt Johnson headed a corner goalwards and Assombalonga turned the ball into the roof of the net from a couple of yards to give the visitors the lead.

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Belward again kept out a low Bricknell shot on 35 minutes and the rebound was cleared off the line as Worthing struggled to get a foothold in the game.

Billericay then struck twice in the final five minutes of the half to lead 3-0 at half-time.

Rob Swaine powerfully headed home Lewis Taafe's corner on 40 minutes, before Bricknell drilled home the third under Belward from 18 yards in the final minute of the half.

Worthing made a double substitution at the break as Sam Lemon and Tobi Minter replaced Clark and Joel Colbran.

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Lemon immediately sent in a dangerous cross which was sliced wide of his own goal by Billericay defender Swaine, before the visitors went 4-0 ahead on 50 minutes. Ball failed to clear and Assombalonga coolly side-footed home from ten yards.

Worthing substitute Tobi Minter had a well-struck effort pushed away by Billericay keeper Jack Giddens just before the hour but that was a rare venture forward for the hosts.

Billericay moved 5-0 ahead on 62 minutes when Isaac Layne raced clear and slotted home from 12 yards.

Layne should have got a second but shot wide of the near post on 76 minutes, when Assombalonga was up in support and waiting for a simple pass to complete his hat-trick.

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Taafe curled home the sixth from 15 yards on 84 minutes after a corner was only half cleared and substitute Bradley Confrey then drilled home the seventh in the final minute as Billericay eased into the last four.

WORTHING: Belward; Ball, Colbran, H.Watson; Williamson, Hallard, O'Neill, Schneider; Hopkinson, Brodie, Clark. Subs: Lemon, Minter (Colbran, Clark 45), Hards (O'Neill 70), Fagan, T.Watson. Att: 318.

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