Brighton and Hove Albion came from behind to secure their 15th Sussex County Cup after a 4-2 victory at The Amex Stadium.
After 24 minutes, Callum Kealy back-heeled the ball to Reece Myles-Meekums, who was brought down just inside the area by Jack Hinchy, and the referee had no choice but to point to the spot.
Worthing’s top scorer Oliver Pearce stepped up and converted from 12 yards, sending James Beadle the wrong way.
Eight minutes later, Brighton equalised thanks to a ferocious finish from Lorent Tolaj at the near post after a perfectly placed through ball from Zak Sturge.
Two minutes after Tolaj’s equaliser, Todd Miller came close to putting Brighton ahead as his headed effort at the far post came off the crossbar.
With five minutes left of the first half, Tolaj doubled his tally for the evening, and put Brighton ahead after getting on the end of a fantastic through ball from Miller to overturn the deficit going into the break.
14 minutes into the second half, Brighton got their third. Jack Spong played the ball across the box to Cam Peupion, who converted his effort from just a few yards out.
Five minutes later, Tolaj found himself on the end of a long ball forward, and pulled it back to Andy Moran, who turned and finished finely past Harrison Male to make it 4-1 to The Seagulls.
In the 83rd minute, Joel Colbran got a consolation for Worthing to make it 4-2.
In added time, Jasper Pattenden was sent off for a last man challenge, rounding off an evening to forget for The Mackerel Men.
Brighton and Hove Albion: Beadle (GK), Peupion, Furlong, Turns, Jackson, Spong (captain), Miller (Baker-Boaitey 76′), Hinchy (Hinshelwood 73′), Tolaj (Ifill 86′), Moran, Sturge. SUBS UNUSED: Talley (GK), Chouchane
Worthing: Male (GK), Colbran, Webber, Seager (Golding 45′), Racine (cpatain), Armstrong (O. Starkey 70′), J. Starkey, Kealy, Pearce, Myles-Meekums (Parsons 83′), Pattenden. SUBS UNUSED: Budd, Cox
STATS: (Brighton and Hove Albion – Worthing): Goals (4-2), Shots (11-16), Shots on Target (6-5), Offsides (6-2), Fouls (10-9), Yellow cards (1-3), Red cards (0-1).
