There were five further new players alongside the returning Jodie Freeman-Woods, Nicole Mackay, Megan Gates and Jess Richardson, as the hosts lined up against the side that knocked them out of the FA Cup last season.
It only took four minutes for the visitors to threaten first when Rebels number one Sofia Harding exhibited good handling with Florrie Marsh asking some early questions.
Despite that though, chances were few and far between in the embryonic stages of this clash, and supporters had to wait until midway through the opening period for both the home team’s first and best opportunity. Neve McEvaddy, making her full debut, swung in a left-sided corner but Mackay’s header came crashing back off the upright.
A close call then turned into a close assist; Mackay lifting the ball over the Blue’s rearguard for Paige Baker-Carroll to latch onto and repel the attention of Laurie Potvin, only to place her shot narrowly the wrong side of the post.
The familiar Summer sight of Trialist B then tested the reflexes of Harding between the home sticks; forcing the purple-clad netminder to go full Rick Stewart/Bruce Grobbelaar (younger readers ask your Parents), going airborne to make a spectacular, two-handed, diving catch.
Harding was enjoying a hugely productive evening; being clear and concise in her actions and making sure she got to the ball first, especially when the rampaging Layla Morgan had to be thwarted just shy of the half-hour mark.
Safe hands were also shown as the ball broke in the penalty area for one-time Worthing striker Becki Bath to strike goalwards, but Harding was there again to claim.
Four substitutions greeted those of a home persuasion in the first few minutes of the second forty-five, courtesy of Skye Bacon, Freeman-Woods, new signing Maya Pritchard and Ludmila Da Sousa entering the fray.
However, it was the predatory instincts of the experienced centre-forward Bath who made no mistake second time around by swivelling and firing high into the net shortly after those
changes.
Reds responded via Bacon coming close to setting up the equaliser; Skye picking out fellow inductee Pritchard, who drew a fine stop out of travelling custodian Leya Burchett.
A presentable chance fell to Morgan, as AFC looked to extend their lead three-quarters of the way through the game, though she could only slice her effort wide of the target as the ball dropped to her in space.
Bath might have bagged her brace, thanks to ex-Worthing midfielder Betty Barron-Clark playing her in, but a goal-kick drew a veil over that particular moment.
Not that the away fans had to watch much more of the match before they were treated to a second strike.
Trialists triumphing thanks to sub ‘E’ seeing her attempt blocked, but the aforementioned ‘B’ put her name forward for Goal of the Season already; unleashing a stunning, blockbuster of a shot from all of thirty yards, leaving Harding with no chance at all and the whole of the Sussex Transport Community Stadium in awe.
Into the final ten and it nearly became two in four minutes, only for ‘F’ to blaze over from the edge of the eighteen-yard box, as the latest unnamed player made their mark.
Two of the Reds’ early swaps then almost pulled one back; linking up brilliantly with Pritchard slipping in Da Sousa, though the near-side assistant referee put paid to any celebrations by hoisting his flag high into the night sky to signal the latter of the duo had strayed into an offside position.
The battle of the names heated up soon after, thanks to Freeman-Woods teeing up Baker-Carroll to send a range-finder narrowly above the crossbar, from a smidging outside the penalty box.
Time was running out for the Rebels if they were going to break their deadlock and Da Sousa could only locate the gloves of Burchett, following Mackay’s pass, with eighty-six glowing brightly on the giant scoreboard.
One final opportunity for the homesters fell to Pritchard, a deflection taking the ball out for a flag-kick, prior to Harding charging out to intercept a long ball downfield as Trialist ‘F’ tried to put the result beyond any reasonable doubt.
Originally published by Worthing FC ↗