Returning to action just three days after facing Dorking Wanderers, Manager Jesus Cordon made a couple of changes to the team. Ruby Murdock and Paige Baker-Carroll were both promoted from the subs’ bench, essentially swapping places with Kendall Varitek and Nicole Mackay. Holly Zorn was the latest player from the U18’s to earn a spot in a senior matchday squad.
The visitors made their intentions abundantly clear right from the off, pressing the Rebels’ rearguard to ultimately force a mistake in the opening seconds. Fortunately for the hosts, however, Captain Sophie Modak’s shot went straight into the hands of Sian Woods.
Regaining their composure, Worthing carved out their first opportunity of the afternoon when the ball broke nicely for Georgia Glover on the left-hand side. The teenager tore down the wing before picking out Annie Gracey, with Lizzy Knight in the United goal pushing her effort over the bar for a corner.
The same duo resumed their newfound rivalry a few minutes later, this time Gracey charging through the inside-right channel and stinging the palms of Knight from range once more.
Shortly afterwards, Emma Spear did something similar, only for Woods to stop her in her tracks. A great chance presented itself to Baker-Carroll, shortly after the half-hour mark, but the Reds forward sliced wide from a strong position.
Back up the other end and the openings continued to be created without either side able to capitalise. The latest from the South Londoners saw K’Shaela Burch-Waldron swivel and shoot, though off target, marginally outside the penalty area.
Seven minutes prior to the teams going in for half-time, Spear almost helped drive a dagger through the hosts’ hearts by drilling in a low cross that Burch-Waldron might have converted, had she not lost her footing at the vital moment.
Then, typically, the game threatened to swing the other way, thanks to some excellent link-up work between Neve McEvaddy exchanging a neat one-two with Gracey and picking out Baker-Carroll, who could only find the side netting.
Cooling down at the break, the heat soon intensified after it, as Jess Richardson slipped in Baker-Carroll to suffer the agony of being denied at close quarters by goalkeeper Knight.
Although it would be the guests who settled down first, courtesy of Burch-Waldron turning sharply in the 18-yard box and firing brilliantly into the top corner, with the homesters struggling to clear their lines.
Following a flurry of substitutions, the Rebels came within a whisker of levelling the score. On the hour, a superb McEvaddy pass from a central position out to the right flank allowed Richardson to fizz a delivery into the danger zone which, ironically, the long legs of Nicole Mackay were unable to punish.
Five more minutes elapsed before Georgia Heasman almost marked her recent introduction via a set-piece. A free-kick by Sutton’s top scorer forced a fine, one-handed save from Worthing’s Woods.
Emily Oliver converted (from) the corner, only to be denied by the far-side assistant’s raised flag.
Goal number two very nearly announced itself by way of a cross-cum-shot, way out on the right-hand touchline. Thirteen rather aptly proved to be unlucky for the wearer of that particular shirt, as Tess Allen could only watch on when her attempt crashed off the face of the crossbar.
Time was running out for either a (match-defining) winner or an equaliser to decide the outcome of this entertaining affair. The former almost made it maximum points for the travelling Amber Army, only for Woods to spot the danger and come out to collect the ball, before sub Naomi Bradley could profit from a wonderfully curled pass of it into her path by Maddie Heavingham-Ford.
Not that Bradley would be denied her moment in the spotlight, applying the coup de grace to bury fellow replacement Heasman’s cross in the ninety-fifth minute.
Despite the defeat, it remains tight at the foot of the table. Indeed, after taking a break from league action with a trip to lower-division but unbeaten Camden Town in the League Cup next Sunday, Aylesford make the trip over from Kent, with only the dotted (relegation) line separating the two clubs.
Originally published by Worthing FC ↗