Manager Jesus Cordon made just the one change to the team that succumbed to early leaders AFC Bournemouth in the League Plate last Sunday, with Emily Linscer returning in place of Katie Cooper. ‘Coops’ started the afternoon on the bench where she was joined by the returning Lauren Amerena and Libby Kingshott, alongside recent signings Leah Hume and Berine Vivas-Alonso.
These two sides only met in the FA Cup two weeks ago, when the visitors that day extended a single goal half-time advantage into an emphatic eight-one win.
In the embryonic stages of this match-up, the now-hosts set about trying to repeat a similar scoreline as they attacked right from kick-off. Indeed, only two minutes were on the clock at the precise time that Izzy Franklin’s corner was nodded down by Captain Dani Lane, into the path of the recalled Linscer, who made no mistake at the back post.
Franklin’s terrific run on the right had won the corner in the first place and the Rebels continued to enjoy success along the same flank, thanks to Katie Young making headway and delivering a cross which saw Tibble and Becs Bell both have attempts blocked by some brave United defending.
Reds set up camp in the guests’ half and created yet another opportunity inside the opening ten courtesy of Tibble, on this occasion, sending the flag-kick into the danger zone and picking out the dome of Lane to test the resolve of the Abingdon rearguard once more.
After the ball was eventually cleared, it came almost straight back ! An identical approach led to Young blasting into the side netting, just outside the penalty area, on the left.
Unrelenting, Worthing showed no signs of letting up as, moments later, Franklin found Sophie Humphrey through the inside-right channel and the striker’s centre was met by Tibble; only for, once more, some steely defensive work to keep ‘G’ at bay.
Space then opened up before the very eyes of Linscer, who threatened to go all the way but she ultimately slipped in Tibble for a shot that screamed inches the wrong side of the upright.
However, having weathered a rather epic storm the Oxfordshire-based travelling contingent upset the apple cart somewhat by bagging themselves an equaliser. Just shy of the half-hour mark, Molly Lygo let go and, in spite of Franklin’s best efforts, was officially credited with the strike.
No doubt encouraged by the sudden change of events, the goalscorers’ corner might have seen an even more significant alteration of the scoreline, as Mimi Hodges volleyed narrowly wide of the target.
Caitlin Crierie had deservedly walked off with the Player-of-the-Match honours fourteen days previously and the custodian was soon at it again, pulling off a brilliant save to thwart a powerful Tierney Scott header, following Franklin’s deep right-sided delivery.
Top scorer ‘T’ then endured further frustration via a second successive Tibble flag-kick; a deflection causing her hit to go behind rather than in.
Within a matter of seconds, Lane and Holly Talbut-Smith had efforts defensively denied, although it would be United who would have the last word on first-half proceedings. Hodges made room on the edge of the eighteen yard box but failed to seriously test Lauren Dolbear in the home goal.
The second forty-five was far more even, although clear-cut opportunities were less forthcoming.
Patience proved to be the key when Young’s slide-rule pass for Bell to break onto and fire goalwards, ended with Crierie thrusting out a hand to parry the ball onto the top of the crossbar and behind.
Abingon’s number one then upped the ante even further, thanks to another incredible stop to divert an outrageous Tibble attempt from tight to the far touchline landing in the top corner of her net.
A case of deja vu came off the back of consistent pressure eking out an opening that Crierie superbly turned round the post shortly afterwards. Tibble – along with the rest of us – left wondering quite what she had to do to beat the seemingly unbeatable.
To turn the frustration factor up a notch or two more, GT’s subsequent set-piece bounced up off the top of the apparatus, again.
Near-identical build-up work resulted in the recently introduced Cooper forcing a flying Crierie to go airborne but, CC did eventually have her engine turned down a kilowatt or two.
That moment eventually arrived in the eighty-third minute and it was another substitute who engineered it. Lauren Amerena had only been on the pitch for seven when her right flank delivery was glanced home by Tibble, to send the majority of the Sussex Transport Community Stadium into delirium.
Although the mood may have changed again, as Kara Howes asked ‘how’ her low cross hit the outside of the front stick and stayed out, four minutes into time added on.
