It was a case of two in, two out at the Sussex Transport Community Stadium on Sunday as Eleanor Keegan started and Cristie Pritchard were recalled in place of Marcie Skipp and Skye Bacon respectively.
Megan Gates also made her return to the squad, on the substitutes bench alongside Under 18 call-up Ruby Williams and new signing Ella Terry. Ruby Melis was also waiting to come on, meaning that her namesake Murdock and Ludmila De Sousa were the other absentees from last week’s league draw at Newhaven.
Less than two minutes showed on the scoreboard clock when the high-flying visitors belied their lower league status by Jamie Ingrassia getting away down the left and, despite having Pritchard for company still managed to land a shot on the roof of the net.
That early warning clearly awoke the beast within the Rebels, and a matter of seconds later, they had a free-kick in a dangerous-looking position up the other end.
Amber Hazlewood stepped up to take it and, although her low, well-struck effort was repelled by the Tanner’s defensive wall, captain Holly Talbut-Smith did well to keep the ball in play, after Pritchard had recycled it and Paige Baker-Carroll was on hand to turn home her first competitive goal for the Reds, to hand the hosts the initiative.
However, all that good work was very nearly undone when home debutant goalkeeper Sian Woods fouled Jamie Ingrassia as she bared down on goal, to give Lauren Nicholson the opportunity to level the score barely 120 seconds after going behind.
The Brighton & Hove Albion loanee soon redeemed herself though by not only keeping out Nicholson’s spot-kick but also pouncing on the loose ball, to stop the Greens’ number 19 from profiting.
A rare error by Pritchard saw her caught in possession moments later, only for Kacie-May Harlow to drag her shot wide of the near post.
Undeterred, Pritchard quickly had a hand in extending Worthing’s lead when she sent Hazlewood scampering to the byline, from where the striker was able to pick out Jess Richardson for a scooped finish to give the home side a little breathing space.
An opportunistic effort, from way out on the right, by Molly Jones caused home custodian Woods to scramble across her goal and breathe a sigh of relief when the ball went narrowly past the back stick, just shy of the half-hour mark.
Then Woods got caught outside the penalty area, with Sophie Richards clearing off the line to save the day.
Another set-piece opening presented itself to the homesters, courtesy of Hazlewood being brought down near the left-hand touchline. Once more, Talbut-Smith sent in a vicious deadball which flashed past the opposite top corner of Wiktoria Gmiterek’s net.
Quick-thinking followed by the pace of Richardson saw her seize on a loose ball in midfield, break to the byline and come within inches of delivering a headed chance for Hazlewood to nod home a third.
Worthing’s number nine also came close via a deep free-kick off the left flank by Talbut-Smith, to make things more comfortable but couldn’t get her attempt on target.
Shortly before the break those misses may have proved costly, had Cassie Brown’s shot on the turn not gone past the far upright, as the home contingent held their collective breaths.
The second period had barely got underway when Richardson asked further questions of the Leatherhead backline, with a teasing cross which Gmiterek spilt but did just enough to divert the danger.
First goalscorer Baker-Carroll tried her luck from distance and wasn’t far away from doubling her own tally, landing a 20-plus yarder on top of the target.
That induced substitute Nicole Mackay to go even closer, despite also being a distance from goal – her effort dropping desperately close to finding the back of the net.
A little under 20 minutes to go though and the cat was truly put amongst the pigeons, after Brown was able to calmly sidefoot home a byline pullback and bring the Surrey guests back into the contest.
Reds continued in search of a killer third strike, with front two Hazlewood and Mackay linking up to almost devastating effect. The former slid a pass over to her compatriot who must have run over a black during the warm-up, as she got a touch but not quite enough to make it count.
Inside the final ten, penalties were a distinct possibility following Nicholson’s corner rebounding off the near post, although a long-range follow-up nestled nicely in the gloves of Wood.
Finally, a couple of minutes later, the familiar pairing of Mackay and Hazlewood combined again, only on this occasion providing a third goal, courtesy of a ‘Mack’ header being saved by Gmiterek though only as far as the predatory ‘H’ who gobbled up a second invitation.
The last minute saw skipper Talbut-Smith almost put the cherry on top via a closing free-kick that curled up and over the wall but wound up fractionally on top of the net, rather than in it.
Just like that, the Reds advanced to the third qualifying round of the Women’s FA Cup, where they will host Brentford FC Women at the Sussex Transport Community Stadium on the 4th October.
Originally published by Worthing FC ↗