Match Report | City defeat Worthing on penalties to go through in the trophy

Gloucester City see of National League South side Worthing on penalties to advance in the FA Trophy

Worthing, who sit second in the National League South, opened the game maintaining a good amount of possession, and came close in the opening minute, forcing a great stop from Jared Thompson.

Harry Emmett had City’s first chance of the game, with his right footed strike saved by the diving Josh Jeffries.

There was a break in play after Michael O’Regan collided heads with a Worthing attacker, which lead to eight minutes being added on before half-time.

Worthing opened the scoring in the fourth minute of first-half injury time, finishing off from some neat build up play.

Our visitors, who have won eight of their last nine in the National League South, started the second half strongly again, however City managed to find an equaliser in the 58th minute through a brilliant Elis Watts strike into the bottom-left.

Just two minutes later Joe Hanks got on the scoresheet to put City into the lead, being fed in inside the area and coolly slotting home.

Worthing then won a penalty and equalised in the 66th minute, Thompson’s hand to it couldn’t stop the strike heading in.

Five minutes later we regained our lead, Sion Spence finding space in-behind and with the ‘keeper off his line Spence could curl around him and find the back of the net.

It wasn’t done there as in the 83rd minute a Jack Spong strike took a huge deflection and levelled the tie.

The game headed to penalties, with Hanks, Spence, Harry Pinchard, Harry Emmett and Marcus Day making no mistakes, with Day’s penalty having to be retaken with the ‘keeper off his line.

Gloucester City head into the fourth round of the Izusu FA Trophy, with the draw to take place on Monday.