Only two changes greeted home fans at a warm and sunny Woodside Road, with Sophia Wickenden coming into the starting line-up for Neve McEvaddy, who dropped to the bench, while Ludmila De Sousa finally received international clearance so she could also begin amongst the replacements instead of Nicole Mackay.
Having missed out on promotion last term by a mere two wins, the West Londoners were keen to correct that stat this time around. So, it came as little surprise when they went in front after only three minutes. Maddie Phillips’ right-sided corner found Mille Constantine on the edge of the 18-yard box and her cross beat Sophie Harding in the home goal, as the presence of Wiktoria Kiszkis caused the ‘keeper problems.
Reds retaliated via a strong tackle by Amber Hazlewood allowing her to pick out Ruby Murdock; the diminutive youngster creating room for a shot that Mya Francis-Pownall held above her head.
At the other end, Harding was being kept busy during the early stages of the contest and denied Kiszkis, as her header brought a brace of chances to a conclusion, after Abbi Smith had teed up Constantine in the first place.
The subsequent corner had ended up in the side netting before Harding and Kiszkis resumed their rivalry, courtesy of the Brentford striker pouncing on a loose ball. However, there was to be no goal on this occasion.
Becca Teale then flashed a shot narrowly wide, after a free-kick wasn’t fully cleared and Harding’s services were required once more to repel, at full stretch, a Katie Gilligan drive, at the expense of a flag-kick.
A little more than midway through the opening period, Phillips made hay towards the byline and promptly struck the near post as the visitors continued to take the game to their hosts.
Although they needed to have their wits about them at the back, around the half-hour mark, thanks to Skye Bacon doing likewise, only for a yellow shirt to get to the ball a millisecond ahead of the incoming Wickenden.
Two minutes further on, the lead increased when a mistake in Worthing’s own rearguard gifted an opportunity that the prolific Ashley Cheatley wasn’t about to turn down.
That lead was quickly doubled by the same player; Cheatley staying onside to slot into the bottom corner of Harding’s net.
Things could have got worse had it not been for the bravery of Harding; the custodian getting down to block from Constantine who threatened to put away Teale’s low left wing delivery.
Cheatley was proving to be the proverbial thorn in the Rebels’ side, again – following on from her time against us whilst playing for Ashford Town (Middlesex) – but the offside flag prevented her claiming a second strike of the afternoon.
Despite facing a three-goal deficit at half-time, it was the guests who made a hat-trick of swaps prior to the change of ends and, in fact, increased their advantage by way of the old “if at first you don’t succeed” mantra.
Harding frustrating not one but two yellow-shirted attackers; though not even her superhuman efforts could stop Constantine adding her name to the scoresheet.
Approaching the hour mark, Cheatley spread play from a central area out to the left flank, where the aforementioned Constantine was able to fizz in a ball that forced Harding to divert off target.
Unfortunately, the corner which came next wasn’t cleared and Gilligan duly drilled in a fifth.
Player of the Match Harding soon got called into action again, as Lucy Potter fired a warning shot into the danger zone, causing Reds’ number one to smother once Cheatley and the recently-introduced Chelsie Berry had both tried their luck.
Further good build-up work resulted in another replacement, Mai Louvrier stinging the palms of Harding, with the home team also bringing on reinforcements of their own in a bid to find a way back into the game.
A brilliant tip over saw Harding’s stock continue to rise; requiring two hands to palm a swivel and swipe by Phillips, from range, above the bar and out for more set-piece prowess.
Four minutes into a minimum of five added on almost brought reward for De Sousa, making her competitive debut at the Sussex Transport Community Stadium, when the forward found herself through on goal, only for Francis-Pownall to parry for a corner.
Originally published by Worthing FC ↗