Worthing have been told they must get tough if they want to start giving their home fans something to cheer.

Rebels' lively youngsters spent most of Saturday's rain-lashed FA Trophy tussle probing tentatively at a defence used to the rigours of the Dr Martens premier division.

They repeatedly bounced off the Cambridge back line and were cruelly punished at the other end by four goals, including three from outside the box.

This harsh scoreline means Barry Lloyd's men have lost five out of six home games since the opening day of the season.

Even the one victory in that time, against Dulwich, was a bizarre affair in which they trailed going into stoppage time.

The former Albion boss has talent at his disposal, as seven points from their last three away games have shown, but his players are having to learn the hard way.

Right winger Ben Carrington is now the club's longest serving player along with Saturday's scorer Mark Knee and, between them, they looked the most likely to trouble the Cambridge defence.

Carrington still remembers the verbal volleys he used to receive from old hands like Stuart Tuck and Damian Webber and admits the current side need to show some of that steel.

He said: "I don't think 4-1 reflected the game but we were a bit naive again, giving away free-kicks on the edge of the area. You can't do that against teams like this.

"It really depends on us being a bit stronger. That doesn't mean being dirty, just not getting rolled over by teams who we are as good as technically.

"I felt for periods of the game we were as good as them but we came off losing 4-1."

Not conceding early goals would be a help. Saturday was not quite as bad as the league game against Epsom when they were 2-0 down in 177 seconds but going behind on six minutes was still a blow.

It was a scrappy goal too. Rebels were unable to clear a cross coming in from their right hand side, Leon Gutzmore's shot was blocked by Matthew May but Shane Wardley, possibly offside, tapped in the rebound.

Wardley later made a great tackle when Knee looked to be clean through and Florian Mateos, Andy Walker and Carrington all fired off target.

Cambridge though sat back and pounced expertly on the break, first when May brilliantly blocked a Colin Vowden header, then when Rob Nightingale struck right footed from just outside the box.

May has his critics in the Woodside crowd, though the only blame given to him by Lloyd was on his alignment of the wall from which Tim Wooding beat him at the near post from an 80th minute free-kick.

The same player had produced an amazing goal-line clearance from Knee's header just beforehand.

Knee did get on the scoresheet on 89 minutes with a lovely finish, rounding goalkeeper Martin Davies after Tom Graves had won possession and sent him through.

There was still time though for Adie Hayes to curl the fourth from another free-kick.

Frustrating stuff for Lloyd, who forsook his usual seat in the stand and got a soaking on the touchline as he looked to encourage his players.

He admitted: "I've found in away games when I've sat on the bench I've been able to coax a few things to happen though you wouldn't know that from this game.

"We need some experience but what you see out there is what we've got. I sent Andy Alexander on up front to add a bit of beef but that's only the second time I've seen him play there.

"We have been very pleased with how we have performed in recent weeks and this result is a kick in the teeth because they didn't deserve four."

Carrington insists Rebels' quick front men are ideally suited to away games but they must work out how to win at home. They will get a chance on their next two league games, both at Woodside.

Worthing: May, Young, Hibberd, Walker, Graves, Beech, Carrington, Knee, Mateos (sub Alexander 64), Sargent, Lopez. Unused subs: Best, Lewis, Stevens.

Cambridge City: Davies, Wignall, Wardley, Wooding, Vowden, Skelly, Nightingale, Hayes, Collins (sub Simpson 82), Gutzmore (sub Wilkin 64), Clements. Unused subs: Holden, Pacey, Sturgess. Yellow card: Wignall, Clements.

Referee: Tim Ingram (Basingstoke).

Attendance: 256.

Men-of-the-match: Carrington (Worthing), Wooding (Cambridge).