Following on from last week’s heroic efforts at MK Dons, it was a case of three in, three out.

Charlie Carter, Chloe Winchester and Emily Linscer all returned to the starting fold as Niamh Andersson, Sophie Humphrey and Hayley Bridge all dropped down to the bench. A foot injury picked up in Buckinghamshire ruled out the luckless Katie Cooper, while Keavy Price also commenced proceedings amongst the replacements, in her first appearance since early October’s win at Saltdean United.

Worthing arrived at the Parc des Princes, just without the des Princes bit and were soon treated to a fly by courtesy of a gaggle of the local Canada Geese population.

New London Lionesses were spitting feathers after only twenty-five seconds too, when they struggled to clear their lines and Linscer made them pay via a punishing conclusion to a penalty box scramble, to give her side the lead.

Good reactions saw host ‘keeper Avril Clark deny Worsfold from close range before Becs Bell got her name on the scoresheet, as she tucked home a perfectly-weighted Katie Young pass through the inside-right channel.

The visitors continued their early domination thanks to Rachel Palmer’s left wing cross being met with a cushioned volley onto the crossbar by Worsfold.

A similar method of shooting was adopted by Winchester but bore greater gifts, in the form of a third goal a mere twelve minutes in. Young once again the architect due to a deep right flank delivery that Chloe W. – virtually on the byline – deftly dinked, side footed, first time over a helpless Clark.

After setting a new record for the crossbar challenge, Skipper Worsfold finally broke her duck for 2022-23 by backheading in a Georgia Tibble corner, inside the six yard area, to make it four.

Palmer instigated a move that nearly resulted in number five; picking out Linscer in the eighteen yard box to nod into the path of the incoming Young, who drove her effort into the side netting.

Good link-up play between Linscer and Chloe Lelliott, through the middle, led to an incisive one-two offering an opportunity to the latter but Chloe L couldn’t keep her twenty-five yarder low enough to trouble Clark.

Ellie Russell and Bell then combined in identical fashion, only for ER to avoid an emergency for the beleaguered Blues as her attempt lacked power.

Snap ! of course had the power and so did Young when her snapshot forced a fine save out of Clark, who pushed it around the post. Lelliott having tried her luck previously to create the opening.

Half-time was about to be declared on a cold winter’s day, although not without Bell having the final say of the first period.

Worsfold reached the byline and delivered a ball that Bell, who timed her run perfectly, clipped past Clark, as the Reds went nap.

It didn’t take long for the Seasiders to find the back of the net yet again after the turnaround. Three minutes to be precise. More fine approach work culminated in a reverse pass by Bridge that a box-based Linscer buried in the top corner.

A nice swivel and cross from half-time sub Humphrey was sent over the target by Tibble, before a rare error by Bridge  – also introduced at the interval – saw her inexplicably gift possession to Polina Avramova. A scrambling Lauren Dolbear equally relieved to see the final outcome finish narrowly the wrong side of the upright.

Price, along with remaining replacement Andersson, also entered the fray for the second forty-five prior to it’s commencement and made an immediate impact. Showing admirable strength to find Bell who eventually shook off the close attentions of Rebecca Neil but Clark did well to keep her out.

On seventy-three minutes, Katie’s (Young) cross was controlled and despatched in an instant by Lelliott for a well-deserved strike.

New London almost pulled a goal back when Dolbear got caught out attempting an unorthodox clearance;   Ivanka Koleva, this time the unfortunate one to watch her effort slide fractionally past the apparatus.

Bell blasted low at Clark to round off a self-initiated chance, once she’d side-stepped a defender, then Price came within a whisker of dropping her byline ball in without requiring any further assistance.

Two minutes to go and a consolation did register for the Lionesses, as Carter and Bridge got in a muddle and allowed Avramova to, initially, be frustrated by Dolbear.

Though not a second time, when she cleverly hooked the ball over her shoulder, with her back to goal to warm the souls of the hardy band of supporters huddled together on the sidelines.

However, even that was quickly usurped by Bell hammering the final nail in the coffin and completing her treble in the process.

Lelliott skipped through a sea of blue on her way to the byline, before pulling back for Becs to complete the scoring.

Although VAR might have been called upon when Young so nearly bagged a stoppage-time ninth. Clark pouncing in the nick of time, on the line, to prevent that happening.