The Rebels made the 400-mile round trip to Bolitho Park as they looked to make it into the First Round of the Emirates FA Cup in back-to-back seasons for the first time ever. Their opponents, Plymouth Parkway were already on a record FA Cup run, with today’s encounter being their first ever in the Fourth Qualifying Round.

For just the second time this season, Chris Agutter named an unchanged eleven after Tuesday night’s win against Welling. With the cup competition allowing seven substitutes instead of the usual five, Sam Packham and birthday boy Ollie Starkey were named on the bench.

In front of a bumper crowd at Bolitho Park, the home side looked to impose themselves early but the Rebels rose to the occasion and got settled early into their possession-based style. Nicky Wheeler, who had plenty of joy on the left flank, had the first half chance some 25 minutes in, but his shot from the edge of the area deflected wide for a corner.

They were rewarded for their dominant start just after the hour mark as Muhammadu Faal netted his second goal in as many games. Danny Cashman slipped in the forward who fired across goal with his left foot and into the bottom right corner.

The Rebels had more opportunities before the end of the half, with notable chances for Glen Rea and Wheeler in the last 15 minutes, but neither troubled Harry Lee in the Parkway goal, and the Rebels maintained just a one-goal lead into the break.

Their dominance continued into the second half and it took less than five minutes into the second period to double their advantage. Jack Spong scored his fifth, yes, fifth, goal from a direct free-kick this season. From the wide edge of the area on the right, keeper Lee left a lot of room to his left where Spong took full advantage in finding the back of the net.

Cashman threatened next on the hour mark. He drove into the area from the left and looked to bend one into the far corner, but it was narrowly wide of the upright.

Chris Haigh was called into action for the first time a minute later as James Watts Barciela drilled one towards the bottom right corner and Haigh palmed wide.

Faal got the Rebels out of sight five minutes later as he bagged his second and Worthing’s third. After superb link-up play between himself and Wheeler on the left flank, he powerfully burst into the area and drilled one into the far corner.

Then, Chris Agutter turned to his bench and utilised all five of his substitutes in the space of 15 minutes. Harrison Smith, Ollie Starkey, Kane Wills, Tommy Willard and Jack Bates were all brought on to finish the game for the Reds.

It was substitute Smith who capped off a fine afternoon for Worthing as he netted his first goal for the club. Joe Cook did brilliantly to win the ball back high up the field before picking out Cashman on the edge of the box. Cashman slipped in Smith who fired in emphatically to round off a memorable away win.

It’s the first time ever that the club have reached the First Round of the FA Cup in back-to-back seasons and they’ll be eagerly awaiting news from the draw at 7pm on Monday night on BBC Two.