Nathaniel Pinney scored the only goal but was also sent off as Eastbourne Borough won the Parafix Sussex Senior Cup at the Amex.

The one-time Crystal Palace striker struck on 52 minutes to secure a 1-0 win over Worthing in front of a crowd of 2,899.

But he was later dismissed for a second bookable offence as Eastbourne Borough tried to run down the clock.

The Rebels carved out the first chance on seven minutes when Omar Bugiel slipped a pass inside for Ben Pope and his low shot was pushed wide of the far post by Lewis Carey.

The Borough keeper made an even better stop on 12 minutes, reacting well to save at his near post from Bugiel after some great work down the right by Zach Newton.

Borough had to wait 22 minutes for their first sight at goal, Jack Evans playing a free-kick square to Ryan Worrall who fired narrowly over unchallenged from 25 yards.

Worrall had another opportunity four minutes later when Fagan pushed a Jamie Taylor cross straight into his path but the midfielder could not keep his shot down.

It was a decent contest but Carey was certainly the busier goalkeeper and he made a third impressive save on 31 minutes, this time keeping out Brannon O’Neill’s on-target free-kick at his near post.

O’Neill was next to threaten 60 seconds later, bursting forward from midfield to fire wide from 20 yards.

The best chance of the half came five minutes before the break when Newton latched on to Bugiel’s flick to surge goalward, Gavin McCallum blocked his effort but only succeeded in pushing the ball into the path of Pope who fired over from a great position.

The breakthrough seven minutes into the second half as Pinney made space for himself in the penalty and tucked a low shot under Fagan when most were expecting a cross.

There was a momentary scare for Borough on 66 minutes when Bugiel burst into the area but Ian Simpemba did superbly well to hold him up and then prod the ball away.

Bugiel was causing problems and on 78 minutes he broke into the area again only to be held up, then Newton’s follow-up cross hit Pope and flew wide.

As the clock ticked round to 90, Pinney was shown a second yellow card for appearing to kick the ball away to spoil his big evening.

Eastbourne Borough: Carey; Stone, Simpemba, Buckley, McCallum; Collier, Evans (sub Sheppard 84), Worrall (sub Worthington 80); Romain, Pinney, Taylor (sub Haysman 86). Subs not used: Baptista, Beale.

Worthing: Fagan; Hendon, Elphick, Heath, Metcalf; Newton, Axell, O’Neill, Sparks (sub Waller 86); Bugiel, Pope. Subs not used: Quirke, Edwards, Piper, Banks.