Cup hero Tony Holden struck again last night to ensure a moment of history for Worthing.

Holden, whose two goals clinched success in last season's Senior Cup final, came off the bench to score with his first touch.

It looked like Sammy Donnelly's magnificent battlers would be taken to a penalty shoot-out after dominating their Conference opponents throughout a windy evening in Kent.

Then Guy Rutherford sent a long angled ball towards his front runners with just eight minutes of extra time remaining.

His probing pass cleared the home back line and Holden was in to measure a lob over advancing goalkeeper Paul Hyde.

Holden, who had only come off the bench three minutes earlier, admitted: "I didn't even know it was my first touch of the match.

"I don't think I'll ever get over this. We matched them all the way and we definitely deserved to win.

"It was just as well I scored. I certainly wasn't going to take a penalty."

It was almost Adie Miles who claimed the supersub tag. Five minutes earlier, his first touch of the night - a dipping 30-yard volley - forced Hyde into a brilliant tip over.

Miles and Holden had been unleashed to relieve Marc Rice and Simon Funnell, who had run themselves into the ground in attack.

But the whole Rebels side gave everything on what must rank as one of the Club's greatest-ever nights.

They didn't just match their Conference opponents, they outplayed them.

They were resolute at the back, saw Mark Burt and Paul Thomas win the midfield battle and, when Dover did threaten, Lee Bray's handling was immaculate.

He was beaten once, but saw Simon Wormull's 20-yarder hit the post on 80 minutes.

For Rebels, Funnell twice lobbed just off target and Carrington was inches from turning in a second half corner.

Carrington should have sewn up the tie a minute from time but was unable to beat Hyde in a one-on-one.

That allowed Dover one last chance to appease their frustrated followers, but Bray somehow clung on to Lee Shearer's rasping drive.

Those same home fans waited on after the end to applaud Donnelly's braves from the pitch.

Worthing deserved that tribute - now let's see how they fare up at Rotherham in the first round proper.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.