Looking to bounce back after suffering an agonising stoppage-time defeat at home to high-flying Ashford Town (Middlesex) on Sunday, Kendall Varitek, coming in for her first start in place of Ruby Murdock, who began the evening on the bench, was the only change to the XI that took to the field five days ago. Ludmila De Sousa and Hattie Rainey also returned to the replacements once again.
The two teams began the match separated by a single place and point in the bottom four, and it was the visitors who seized the early initiative.
Excellent wing work by Georgia Glover on the left saw her skip past her marker and pick out Jess Richardson in the six-yard box to put the Rebels ahead after only five minutes.
Although it took some brave goalkeeping by Sian Woods up the other end to preserve that lead shortly afterwards, getting down at the feet of Maisie Dale not once but twice to thwart the Wanderers striker.
Searching for an equaliser, the hosts came close when Deanne Badley glanced a right flank cross by Lola Roake narrowly wide, approaching the quarter hour mark.
Ruby Melis then demonstrated the art of being in the right place at the right time when she was perfectly paced to clear another headed chance off the line, as the onslaught continued.
That pressure soon paid off moments later; Isabelle Beaumont, a thorn in the Rebels’ right-hand side all night, made progress on that wing before seeing her low delivery slowly make its way into the net via a flick off the inside of the far post, courtesy of Badley’s clinical finish.
Woods then had to be alert to ensure that provider didn’t turn scorer less than two minutes further on; ushering the ball out for a corner with Beaumont posing a threat again.
However, with less than ten to go before the break, the red and white stripes of the home team got their noses in front. A back-post scrimmage finally drew to a close thanks to former Farnham midfielder Rachael Manley poking home.
Five minutes after the change of ends, Annie Gracey had an opportunity to bring the score back to level pegging, but her shot lacked the power to trouble Maisie Johnson in the Dorking goal.
Not long after that, Woods came dangerously close to the top corner of her own 18-yard area. Too close, in fact. Leaving substitute Holly Crane to go round her, only for former Wanderer Ella Terry to clear the danger in the nick of time.
No longer had the hour mark passed, though, and Worthing found themselves three-one behind. Woods got a hand to Crane’s cruiser but was unable to keep out her driven effort, as it nestled in the opposite side of the net.
The same player then struck again to make it two goals in three minutes. Converting a ball in from the right which had started via an all-too-easy pass along the right wing.
The fast-paced style continued unabated when Manley got the better of Cristie Pritchard to burst forward, clean through and bear down on goal, where Woods saved her defender’s bacon by pulling off an excellent stop at the expense of a flag-kick.
Undeterred, the guests from the Sussex Coast duly returned the favour; Paige Baker-Carroll had been on the pitch a mere five minutes when she outmuscled a defender, turned in the box and fired goalwards, only to see her attempt take a nick and go out for a flag-kick.
Crane then went through on the inside-right channel in the final five minutes, seemingly to complete her hat-trick and wrap up the points for Wanderers at the same time but could only find the side netting.
Stoppages produced one last half-chance for the upwardly mobile homesters, with replacement Chloe Finch stretching every sinew to divert the ball home off her dome, though the pace of the right-sided cross largely took it away from her and the game ended in a four-one defeat.
Not that there is much time for the girls to lick their wounds, as Sutton United head to the Sussex Transport Community Stadium this coming Sunday, with Worthing aiming to spook the South Londoners and treat themselves to three points.
Originally published by Worthing FC ↗