FOOTBALL: Worthing beat Merstham in FA Trophy

Merstham, who sit fourth in Rebels' Ryman League Division 1 South, rarely threatened and Worthing, whose defence were outstanding all afternoon, should have won by more than the two-goal margin.

Rebels should already have been in the lead by the time Merstham keeper Ian Chatfield was red-carded on 37 minutes. Craig Vernon's back pass to Chatfield was short and Rebels striker Ross Treleaven nipped in and got to the ball before Chatfield.

The keeper then caught Treleaven and was sent for an early bath, with Worthing awarded a penalty.

Merstham did not have a substitute keeper on the bench and captain Vernon took over in goal.

He went the wrong way for Scott Kirkwood's spot-kick, though, and Rebels were 1-0 ahead at half-time.

Worthing made sure of their place in the next round with a second goal on 61 minutes. Vernon had parried Treleaven's shot for a corner, but from the resulting flag-kick, Rebels captain Ben Andrews headed home Kirkwood's corner.

Rebels could have added a third but Treleaven headed straight at Vernon, who also easily saved Jamie Brotherton's 20-yarder.

Merstham had manager Mick Sullivan sent from the dug-out in injury-time after his reaction to an altercation between Mertsham's Dean Gunner and Rebels substitute Richard Hudson, which resulted in both players being booked.

Before the opening goal, Rebels had an effort disallowed for offside when Karl Akehurst's 18-yard shot was deflected home, Mickey Demetriou had a close-range header saved, Treleaven flicked a one-on-one opening just the wrong side of the post, and Demetriou had a shot smothered by Chatfield.

The FA Trophy second-qualifying round will take place on November 1. The draw takes place on Monday.

Worthing joint-manager Alan Pook said: "We should have been three-up by half-time, but we weren't ruthless enough.

"Some of our younger players have to take more responsibilty, and we never killed the game off.

But, they are a team who if they win their game in hand go second in the league, so we have to take a lot of credit for our performance.

"We've just beaten two decent sides, and these are the type of teams we have to beat.

"Glen Woodburn has made a big difference since he has been here. He's an experienced and decent player.

"He was my man of the match. With him and Ben Andrews, there's more experience at the back, and since they've been there, we've scored four goals and conceded two.

"With Matt Simpson to come back as well, we are starting to get a decent-strengthed squad together, and soon we'll hopefully be able to put our best 11 out."

WORTHING: Mansfield; Kennett, Woodburn, Alexander, Andrews; Brotherton, Kirkwood, Akehurst, O'Flaherty; Treleaven, Demetriou. Subs: Hudson (Demetriou 69), Reader (Brotherton 89), Benn (Akehurst 96), Pulling, Lopes. Att: 318.

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