Looking to erase the memory of last week’s heavy defeat to Bristol Rovers, Grace Jarrett earned her first start in place of the injured Oceana Adams, while Izzy Chapman was back in for the crocked Laila Malcolm. New signings Megan Gates and Talliah Anderson both began on the bench.

The unbeaten visitors arrived locked in what already has become a three-way tussle at the top of the table, with the aforementioned Rovers and 100%ers Swindon Town.

It came as little surprise therefore that they created the opening opportunity of the contest, in conditions the polar opposite of the previous Sunday’s cold, wind and rain.

A mere four minutes had elapsed when home custodian Ella Hunkin was called into action; smothering at the feet of Albuery following some neat approach play by the team in yellow and dark blue.

Despite that though, the Rebels were proving to be a far tougher nut to crack and Money’s took until the midway mark of the first forty-five to threaten again.

Dream Surin spread the ball out to Beth Burgess on the right and her pullback found Liv Venditto around twenty yards out, only for the defender to blast over the crossbar.

Within sixty seconds, a harshly awarded free-kick presented Burgess with the chance to seize the initiative but her effort landed on the roof of the net.

The same location that Albuery’s attempt ended up after the ball broke kindly for her through the inside-right channel, approaching the interval.

Stoppage time almost resulted in the Red’s going ahead themselves, thanks to Mia South’s long pass forward aiming for Jasmine Smith but Sophie Phelps got fractionally in front of her to head back to ‘keeper Hannah Haughton, just.

There was still time though for the final word before the break to come from the travelling team, courtesy of Surin seeing her dreams shattered via Hunkin’s brilliant save.

While nil-nil at the change of ends might have been more satisfactory for Worthing than Moneyfields, it clearly wasn’t good enough for Money’s Manager Karl Watson.

Four substitutions may have appeared a bit dramatic, although in fairness the second period was barely two minutes old when one of them, Meg Fox produced an improvised lob to beat Hunkin and extend her side’s lead.

Soon after that, scorer nearly turned provider, only for Phelps to head Fox’s corner onto the post.

On the hour, Albuery came close to notching against her old team but slipped at the vital moment, with another recently introduced in the form of Britt Jeal failing to get enough power behind her shot, allowing Hunkin to gather safely.

Reds continued to weather the storm as Skye Granger – the third of the half-time four – slipped in Burgess, who promptly struck the opposite upright to the one which Phelps had hit moments earlier.

As if things weren’t tough enough for the homesters, our top scorer of last term, Tierney Scott had entered the fray for the opposition fifteen minutes or so previously and wasted little time in beating her marker on the byline and pulling the ball back for Gemma Simmonds (who’d also joined proceedings at the turnaround).

Although Hunkin pulled off another top draw stop, she was powerless to prevent ex-Red Albuery nodding in Burgess’ subsequent flag-kick.

The latter duo paired up to more devastating effect shortly afterwards, once Surin had played a free-kick down the line to Burgess whose low, driven cross was finished off by Albuery from close range.

Having done so well to hold their high-flying visitors to a goalless draw at half-time, a sense of disappointment came over the Rebels due to another set-piece, this time via the right foot of the visitors’ star turn Burgess.

Her free-kick from wide out on the left somehow evaded a sea of bodies in the penalty area and nestled in the far corner of the net.

Undeterred however, a comeback was on the cards when Sophia Wickenden played a perfect slide rule pass for Lauren Amerena to latch onto and calmly stroke past Haughton.

That was in spite of only two minutes of normal time remaining, as the referee seemed to be enjoying himself so much he ensured a 2:00pm kick-off would go past the hour of four.

Sadly, home hopes were dashed and Albuery was inches away from taking the match ball back to Portsmouth, after not only flashing a dangerous delivery across the face of goal but also smacking the bar, to cries of ‘House’ from those partaking in a spot of goalframe Bingo.

Hunkin then showed off her juggling skills in keeping out a long range Fox attempt while also foiling Albuery and Scott on the follow-up.

As thoughts turned to whether the floodlights might be needed, a fine build-up offered up an opening to Simmonds, though her edge of the ‘d’ volley flew harmlessly wide.

Succeeded a short passage of play later by the same player firing a closer, half-chance off target too.

Haughton had to be alert to cut out the supply line from Skye Bacon that saw Amerena frustrated deep into stoppages and Scott had the ball in the net one last time, only for the near- side assistant’s flag to rule it out for offside.