Eastbourne Borough Under 18s bowed out of the Isthmian Youth League Cup – but only after a battling performance against Worthing.

Ollie Kennedy had cancelled out Oliver Cowdrey’s header as The Sports went into the break on level terms.

However, Cooper Renzulli headed home against the run of play to give the visitors the lead, and despite relentless Borough pressure late on, it was Worthing who held on to progress.

Worthing – who were unbeaten on their way to winning last season’s South division – started well, and went close when Will O’Brien played the ball through to Brean Plaku, but the leg of Toby Whiteside and then Archie Grant on the line prevented his effort from finding the net.

However, they were in front of 13 minutes. A corner swung in from the right picked out Cowdrey, who headed past Whiteside and into the bottom corner.

Borough grew into the game, and looked to get back on level terms. They had a strong shout for a penalty waved away when it looked like a Worthing man had handled inside the area, before Sam Sharma had an effort saved by Archie Short after good work from Tarik Kadric and Lucas Foden.

Whiteside then produced a great save at the other end, turning Eddie Jimenez’s strike over the bar after he was played through by Plaku, before Theo Coombs went close for Borough, but after winning possession he fired off target from the edge of the area.

But two minutes before the break, Borough were level. A long ball from Dash Callen-Dickens sent Kennedy away, and one on one with Short he showed great composure to fire home.

The young Sports then looked to go in front shortly after the break. A questionable offside flag denied Kennedy another run at goal, before Coombs had an effort saved by Short.

Foden then cut the ball across goal to Sharma, but his effort was blocked for a corner – with Jimmy Holman unlucky not to get on the end of Kadric’s resulting set-piece.

However, Mark Standen’s side were dealt a sucker-punch as Worthing regained the lead against the run of play on 53 minutes when Renzulli was allowed a free header from a corner and he made no mistake.

Borough looked to get back level, with Kadric seeing a first-time effort saved by the diving Short after good work from Kennedy, before Coombs went down inside the area but appeals were waved away.

The Sports kept up the pressure as the tie headed towards stoppage time, with Conor Keeley having his effort saved before the substitute and Kennedy had low balls in go along the six yard box but without anyone to tap the ball home.

Borough: Whiteside, Callen-Dickens, Burgess, Coombs (Sefaah 90), Grant (Tarrant 62), Holman, Foden (Keeley 62), Harris (Ovenden 58), Kennedy, Kadric, Sharma (Searle 77).