Hillians bow out of Senior Cup

Hillians welcomed back Sam Fisk, Darren Budd, Paul Armstrong and Max Miller to the starting line up after missing Monday’s game with Tooting & Mitcham United.

The visitors started brightly and Hill keeper Alan Mansfield dealt with a couple of early dangerous balls into the box and also did well when saving George Gaskin’s goalbound cross.

Miller shot over for the Hillians on ten minutes after collecting the ball from Danny Curd’s cross and soon after Armstrong had a shot from 20 yards comfortably saved by Jack Fagan.

The game saw chances for both sides and Brannon O’Neil had a free kick go wide of Mansfield’s post and Jacob Peake had a long range effort miss the target soon after.

Curd put midfielder Armstrong through on 28 minutes but his chipped effort went wide and a minute later Curd saw his effort from a tight angle again go wide.

Mansfield made an excellent save when Lloyd Dawes was put through on goal and he blocked his shot with his legs and the Hillians quickly broke which in the end came to nothing as the game went from end to end.

Peake nearly broke the deadlock when his excellent shot from 30 yards went inches wide and then it was straight up the other end as the Hillians hit the bar through a powerful Chris Breach header from a corner.

Curd should had given the Hillians the lead with seven minutes remaining of the half when Luer put a free kick into the box which Curd headed wide from close range at the far post.

Hill were punished as three minutes later the Rebels took the lead when Dawes powerfully struck home into the bottom corner after being put through on goal to give the visitors a half time lead.

Nine minutes into the second half Hillians brought on top scorer Pat Harding for defender Toby Pointing with Curd moving back.

Dawes had an effort to increase Worthing’s lead on 57 minutes but he shot into the side netting.

A poor header out from a long ball found Harding on the edge of the box and with the keeper off his line he attempted to lob the keeper but his effort went over the bar.

Spencer Slaughter’s low powerful cross was hit out for a corner and from the resulting Luer kick Miller headed over as the Hillians pressured the Rebels goal. Another corner on 71 minutes saw Harding’s glancing header saved by Fagan under pressure.

Despite plenty of possession Hillians struggled to break down the Worthing defence and were limited in their chances. Another corner saw Stacey Freeman attempt to clear the ball but his sliced clearance, which could have gone anywhere, went straight to Fagan with minutes remaining.

The final chance of the game saw the Rebels keeper, Fagan, save comfortably from sub Lee Harding’s header as the Rebels progressed through to the semi-final.

Hillians: Alan Mansfield, Neil Watts, Sam Fisk, Toby Pointing (Pat Harding 54), Chris Breach, Paul Armstrong, Spencer Slaughter (Curtis Gayler 62), Darren Budd, Max Miller (Lee Harding 70), Danny Curd, Greg Luer.

Not used: Scott Kirkwood, Dann Perry.