Poor second half costs Worthing at Weston-super-Mare

The Rebels were looking to build momentum after their home win against Chippenham Town at the weekend. Ollie Pearce netted a hat-trick in that one to help the Rebels come from behind to beat the Bluebirds.

On Tursday night, the opposition standing in their way were Weston, who were unbeaten in four matches in all competitions.

Adam Hinshelwood made two changes to his side that beat the Bluebirds, with Joan Luque and Glen Rea brought into the side – the latter making only his second start for the Rebels after missing the past six weeks with a broken toe.

Only three substitutes were named by the Reds who made the mammoth 350 mile round trip on a bitterly cold Tuesday night in Somerset.

The Rebels started the match with plenty of the ball and created a lot of chances in the first half but entered half-time goalless, despite their greater quality of chances.

There was an early half-chance for Pearce after getting on the end of Joel Colbran's cross from the byline, but the striker couldn't sort his feet out in time to get a clear shot at goal and it was blocked.

On 20 minutes, the Reds broke at pace with Pearce leading the charge, he held up play and looked to find Cashman but his pass was just about intercepted by the toe of the defender. Moments later, Greg Luer was sent through, but Seagulls keeper Max Harris came out to meet him and made the stop.

It wasn't long before Harris was called back into action. This time, Ricky Aguiar struck a free-kick towards the top left corner, much like his one that found the net against Littlehampton, but Harris managed to tip it onto the crossbar.

The Rebels were testing the hosts again soon after, this time Danny Cashman saw Harris off the line and tried his luck with an audacious attempt from inside the centre circle that went just over the bar. He went close again two minutes later having been sent through, but this time his curled effort found the side netting.

Alex Fletcher worked the only real chance of the first half for the Seagulls. He beat his man and it opened up for him on the edge of the area, but he curled his left-footed shot wide and it remained all square into the interval.

It was roles reversed in the second half, with the home side in the ascendancy from the off – and they made the most of their fast start just six minutes in, when substitute James Dodd fired in to cap off a fine move.

The home side could have had a penalty moments later, when Roco Rees was caught in possession by Dayle Grubb. With both players going for the ball in a fifty-fifty, Grubb won the race and Rees appeared to catch him, but the referee saw nothing doing.

Hinshelwood made a double change on 57 minutes as he looked to get his side back in the contest. Reuben Livesey-Austin and Bailey Smith came on for Odei Martin Sorondo and Cashman.

But the home side were relentless in piling on the pressure and soon added a second from the spot. Livesey-Austin was adjudged to have fouled Robbie Willmott in the area as both players tangled legs. Seagulls captain Grubb stepped up and calmly finished from 12 yards.

Cameron Tutt came on for Luque immediately after the goal as the Rebels' final change.

From then on, Weston were set up perfectly to hurt Worthing on the break, with the Reds sending so many bodies forward in an attempt to get a goal back. Willmott broke free on the counter-attack and was only stopped by Joe Felix who worked tremendously hard to recover and prevent the forward from having a sight at goal.

James Morton replicated Cashman's earlier effort from the halfway line for the hosts, with his audacious attempt forcing Rees to make a brilliant save to palm away.

But the home side got their reward for their relentless pressure and counter-attacking threat. Jordan Bastin curled into the bottom left corner for the Seagulls' third on 86 minutes.

Reuben Reid added the final blow in the 90th minute, as he drove his shot into the back of the net from some six yards out.

It was a disappointing second half performance and an even more disappointing result for the Rebels who will look to quickly put this one behind them.

Worthing are back in action on Saturday as they welcome St Albans City to the Sussex Transport Community Stadium.