Play-off heartbreak for Worthing as they suffer extra-time defeat in final

Worthing will have to steel themselves for another promotion push after suffering play-off heartbreak at home.

Rebels went down 4-3 in extra-time to Braintree in their Vanarama National League south promotion final.

Reggie Lamb was the 108th-minute matchwinner for the Essex men when he was left unmarked to send a diving header through the legs of goalkeeper Ollie Wright.

The hosts will also look back a two superb saves from Braintree keeper Jack Simms, either side of the decisive goal.

Simms denied Danny Cashman from close range and then soared to swat away Greg Luer’s header which looked like forcing a shoot-out.

A sell-out crowd saw a thrilling contest.

Braintree, big and more direct than their hosts, went ahead when Dominic Odusanya headed home a corner at the far post.

But Ollie Pearce conjured a superb equaliser when he brought down a lofted pass from Kane Wills with his right foot and guided home a finish with his left.

The dream scenario for Worthing seemed to be happening when Pearce teed up Jack Spong for an unerring finish in the second half.

But Braintree turned the game on its head when Aaron Blair ran on to a stray defensive header and lifted a lob over Wright before Charlie Wakefield thundered home an angled thunderbolt to make it 3-2.

That was on 66 minutes but back came Rebels just two minutes later as Pearce held the ball up and laid it off to Danny Cashman, who drilled home a perfect low finish.

Things became increasingly tense after that and Simms used his foot to deny sub Brad Dolaghan at the near post as the game went into extra-time.