After beating Colliers Wood United on their travels just 10 days ago, the young Rebels were handed a home tie against Whitehawk in the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Youth Cup.

It was a competitive battle between the two sides that were throwing hammer and tongs at it under the lights at the Sussex Transport Community Stadium but despite the combative nature, the sides played out a goalless first half with chances few and far between. The young Rebels’ best opportunities came after good work from their creative players Cooper Renzulli and Eiri Keskinis, but the chances weren’t causing too much trouble to Callum Monks in the Whitehawk goal.

Into the second half, it was Whitehawk who took control of things to get themselves into the ascendancy. Callum Erskine broke the deadlock just five minutes into the second period after he was picked out at the far post with a low cross to prod home.

The Rebels responded with a triple change that saw Frankie Spiteri, Dylan Walter and Reece Saks enter the fray and they went some way to helping their side create a few opportunities. Just before the hour mark, Spiteri had a golden chance to level things up after he was slipped in by Ollie Vodden, but Monks made a superb save to tip it wide.

Ten minutes later, Keskinis found some space on the right flank and floated a cross to the back post where Dylan Walter was unmarked running onto it, but his header went over the bar.

But, Whitehawk remained a threat on the counter-attack and made it count with ten minutes to go when Omar Abdsami slotted one into the bottom left corner to seal the victory and with it, their place in the next round of the FA Youth Cup at the expense of the young Worthing side who bowed out of the competition in their second outing.

They will make the trip to Bognor Regis Town next as they return to league action on Monday 7th October.