Returning to the London & South East League Premier Division after four years away, Manager Jesus Cordon handed competitive starts to summer signings Sofia Harding, Sophie Rose, Sophie Richards, Ruby Melis, Neve McEvaddy and Annie Gracey.
While Paige Baker-Carroll, Cristie Pritchard and Marcie Skipp were the new names amongst the substitutes.
Despite having so many new players, it was the visitors who showed first. The familiar face of Skye Bacon made headway on the left, and her cross was a fraction too high for Amber Hazlewood.
The Ravens responded immediately when a counter-attack ended with Jade Davenport cutting into the box from the opposite side, but she could only fire straight at new netminder Harding.
Unfortunately, there was little the Rebels’ ‘keeper could do to keep out Charlotte Lee’s firmly struck penalty, after Sophie Rose had bundled over Phoebe Murton, just five minutes in.
Bromley’s tails were well and truly up, and Jacey Lane wasn’t far away moments later, flashing a drive across the face of goal.
Miscommunication at the back might have cost the Rebels dear, had Rose’s header been an inch or two to the left and, with the resulting corner coming to nothing, that slice of luck helped Worthing carve out an equaliser.
Fine work on the right resulted in Hazlewood spotting Charlotte Greenwood off her line and lobbing the stranded custodian from nearer to the half-way line than its 18-yard counterpart.
The leveller occurred in spite of there still only being ten minutes on the clock and Hazlewood – combining well with Bacon once more – might have doubled her tally after a mere fifteen, only for Greenwood to deny from much closer range.
Midway through the opening period, the South East Londoners tested the guests’ rearguard again, through a long-distance attempt by Lane with Harding keeping out Lee on the follow-up.
Lacey featured in the hosts’ next attack shortly afterwards, courtesy of a left wing delivery finding an unmarked Melanie Espinosa, who shanked her shot before Eleanor Hutchings struck the crossbar – but the ball bounced down and not over the line, according to the near side assistant referee.
Debutant Sophie Richards then nodded off the line, not once but twice when Lacey teed up Murton, although it took a mass scramble in the six-yard box for the Women in White to go into the break in front less than a minute later. Morgan Searle being credited with getting the final touch.
2-1 might have become 3-1 in first-half stoppage time, only for Murton to dig out an effort that went wide from the edge of the ‘D’.
Newbie Annie Gracey swivelled and swiped over, near the precipice of the penalty area in the early stages of the second 45, amongst some neat passing patterns, as Worthing went in search of a second to even up the score at 2-2.
However, chances would be at a premium for both sides until past the hour mark. That was when Lee stooped to conquer by sneaking her header inside the near post, following Hutchings’ flag-kick.
Hutchings’ set-piece prowess provided the next opportunity for last season’s Division One North Champions to extend their advantage with a dozen minutes to go; though Harding dived to her left to pull off a brilliant stop.
Fortune nearly favoured the brave, when a misdirected defensive header fell kindly for the recently introduced Maddie Farrand, only for the Bromley ten to slice off target.
Approaching the dying embers of the contest, Jess Carpanini was millimetres away when the former Chelsea youth let fly from range.
Then, as the clock moved onto 90, an excellent team move was rounded off by Farrand, who swept home Lane’s byline ball in, once she herself had been sent scurrying through the inside-left channel by Lee.
Still, deep into stoppages, the Ravens threatened to crow even more; Lane riding sub Jodie Freeman-Woods’ tackle but not getting past Harding between the sticks.
Then, finally, the brilliance of the Reds’ last line of defence was called upon one last time, to thwart Carpanini by way of a superb reaction save.
Originally published by Worthing FC ↗