Worthing FC and Eastbourne Borough FC through in FA Cup – Lewes and Three Bridges face replay

Eastbourne Borough players celebrate a goal in their win over Uxbridge | Picture: Lydia Redman

Worthing and Eastbourne Borough will fly the Sussex flag in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup – and one of Lewes and Three Bridges will join them. But three other clubs had their dreams ended in Saturday’s second qualifying round.

Worthing FC continued to march on in the FA Cup, winning 3-1 away to Slough on Saturday in the second qualifying round.

The first half was nothing to write home about and was quite a cagey and dull affair, however, the game sparked into life in the 59th minute as the home side broke the deadlock.

Worthing left it late to even the tie up and levelled through Kane Wills in the 82nd minute. Ollie Pearce, who came on as a substitute, put the visitors ahead in the 88th minute and despite expected heavy pressure from Slough, Pearce completed a perfect smash and grab with his second and Worthing’s third of the game to make it 3-1 and send Worthing through to the next round.

Eastbourne Borough advanced to the next round after a 2-0 home at home to Uxbridge, It took the home side just 21 minutes to break the deadlock as Chris Whelpdale headed in at the near post.

Eastbourne absorbed any pressure by Uxbridge and managed to double their lead in the 78th minute thanks to a strike from Simo Mbonkwi. Eastbourne finished 2-0 winners and keep their FA Cup dreams alive.It was a bridge too far for Bognor Regis Town as they lost 2-0 to Hampton and Richmond Borough. The Rocks fell behind after ten minutes after Ade Shokunbi found the back of the net for the visitors. Bognor, up against higher division rivals, gave it their all and certainly can be proud of their efforts. But Hampton and Richmond put the game to bed in the 86th minute after an own goal from Tom Bragg.Local rivals Lewes and Three Bridges will have to meet again to decide who advances into the next round. Some 1,178 spectators rolled into the Dripping Pan to see a 1-1 draw. A goalless first half went by but Kieron Pamment put the visitors ahead in the 56th minute. Lewes were not about to surrender and Razz Coleman De-Graft levelled the game in the 90th minute to force a replay.

The replay is scheduled for Tuesday evening – hours after the draw for the third qualifying round, postponed on Monday because of The Queen’s funeral, has been held.

Folkstone Invicta were not hanging around as Chichester City came to town in the FA Cup, and the home side came out swinging and opened the scoring in the third minute with a goal from Adam Yusuff. Just five minutes later Joshua Vincent doubled their lead to make it 2-0 and leaving Chichester with a mountain to climb and the scoreline remained the same at half time. Chichester gave it their all, but Ira Jackson put the game to bed for the home side in the 87th minute and it was the end of line for Chichester.Burgess Hill fell short against the Met Police in a 3-1 defeat on the road. Tom Read pounced on a poor back pass to open the scoring for Met Police in the 24th minute. In a cagey affair Burgess Hill levelled in the 58th minute after Duah-Kessie found the back of the net and set up an interesting finale to the game.

Met Police were awarded a dubious penalty and made no mistake from the spot to make it 2-1 in the 66th minute. Joshua Keeya’s header in the 80th minute made it 3-1 and sent a very unfortunate Burgess Hill out of the Cup.