Worthing boss Alan Pook today hailed midfielder Mark Pulling for playing with a broken arm in last night's disappointing FA Trophy defeat.

A patched-up Rebels lost 2-1 to Dr Martens League premier division side Hednesford at Woodside Road.

An injury crisis at the club forced Pulling to play with the arm he fractured in a 2-1defeat against Dulwich on Saturday.

He went to hospital before kick-off to have a plaster cast removed and managed 78 minutes before being replaced by Gavin Geddes.

Pook said: "All the players did the club proud especially Mark who was absolutely amazing for us. It shows how much he wanted to play for the team even though he must have been in quite a lot of pain.

"He got a light weight cast put on his arm and did really well considering and that's the sort of commitment I want from my players.

"It was a very disappointing defeat but we will learn from it and hopefully take the experience into the rest of the season."

Rebels had seven players out with injuries and Pook was forced to draft in defender Clay Lamont at the last minute from Three Bridges.

The former Withdean man went straight into a back five but the change in personnel seemed to unsettle Worthing defensively early on and they found themselves behind after just 11 minutes.

Steven Evans forced Will Packham into a full length save with a back post header but the Rebels keeper could only parry the ball and the unmarked Mark Danks fired into the roof of an empty net from close range.

The goal was just the beginning of a frustrating first half for Worthing and, in particular, influential midfielder Shaun Grice.

On 24 minutes he somehow managed to slam a shot from four yards against the underside of the crossbar after Lamont had headed down a corner by Owen Hill.

Grice was left holding his head again eight minutes later when his superb turn and volley from the edge of the area smashed against the bar.

Despite the setbacks Worthing continued to push forward with Sam Francis firing into the side netting from a tight angle and Paul Rogers seeing a full blooded volley blocked on the line.

The home fans had to wait until four minutes after the break for the equaliser.

Former Albion striker Darren Freeman did well down the right and delivered a deep cross for Francis to loop a header over stranded visiting keeper Ryan Young.

Defender Stuart Ryder made it back to hook the ball clear but the assistant had already flagged that the effort had crossed the line.

Worthing looked the side most likely to reach the last 16, which would have earned them £5,000 in prize money, after the goal and they almost grabbed the lead seven minutes later when Francis crossed from the left and Grice headed just over from ten yards.

The home side began to tire after their energetic start to the second half and Hednesford took advantage by scoring the winner on 72 minutes.

Evans curled in a low left foot cross from the right wing and former Milwall and Oxford striker Steve Anthrobus glanced a diving header past Packham.

Worthing were not finished and they went agonisingly close to sending the game into extra time in the closing stages.

Francis had a back post header saved on the line by Young with ten minutes to go then Rogers headed a Freeman cross inches too high.