For their second match in three days, Manager Jesus Cordon rang the changes; Tilly Jones, Erin Sherwood and Lucy Jellett, for her first start, were in, while a full sub’s bench included Mia South, Jasmine Smith and Megan Gates alongside the recalled duo of Izzy Chapman and Taylor Chamberlain.

The Rebels were out of the blocks the quickest, with Skye Bacon bursting between a pair of yellow shirts and Lauren Amerena a whisker away from converting her low cross, inside the opening two minutes.

Although, less than a minute later, Ascot came up on the inside when Jacey Lane fired in a shot from just outside the area but Ella Hunkin claimed it comfortably.

They came even closer shortly afterwards, as Lane played a one-two with Captain Beth Lloyd before unleashing an effort that Hunkin brilliantly tipped onto the inside of the post. The follow- up was also blocked and the danger finally cleared.

However, a quarter-of-an-hour further into proceedings, Mia Delaney made no mistake by driving an equally powerful drive past the diving Red’s number one, despite her getting a hand to this one too, after the hosts had failed to clear their lines.

On the half-hour, the deficit was doubled via a panicked clearance by home custodian Hunkin against Kate Fox, giftwrapping a tap-in for Lane.

Lane then had two attempts blocked for the visitors and Worthing’s Wickenden struck a screamer that flew off target.

Five minutes before the break, Rebels were back in the game thanks to Amerena’s run down the right and low delivery finding Bacon at the back stick to squeeze in from the tightest of angles.

Bacon almost had a say in the equaliser, following a break down the left wing that saw her pick- out Laila Malcolm in the penalty area, only for the midfielder to have the ball nicked off her toes by a visiting defender.

Ten minutes into the second-half, a similar move resulted in Bacon doing likewise but this time Jasmine Smith was the recipient and duly won a corner. Ella Newman took the set piece for Grace Jarrett to power home a header and level the score.

Bang on the hour mark, another corner was the width of the post away from putting Ascot back in front; Isabella Cox hitting the inside of the upright directly from the deadball kick.

Christmas nearly arrived two months early when home Skipper Holly Talbut-Smith misdirected a header into the path of Delaney but the United ten failed to test Hunkin in the home goal.

That miss proved costly moments later, courtesy of a swift counter-attack which saw Amerena lead the charge and slide a perfect pass across to Bacon on the left. Skye fizzed in a ball that Amber Hazlewood, seconds after entering the action, converted at the second attempt for her second goal in successive games.

Into the final twenty minutes of an entertaining affair, Lane sent in a wicked cross that begged to be put away but Delaney wasn’t able to get on the end of it, as it went all the way through the 18-yard box and out the other side.

A high ball into the box from Amerena caused problems and travelling netminder Cherry Preisner managed to divert it to relative safety before Smith could pounce, with the clock ticking down.

Eighty-five showed on the giant scoreboard when Cox floated in a free-kick that only just landed on the roof of the net, with the result hanging in the balance.

A sustained passage of pressure produced a half-chance for Darcey Maxted a long way out, once the ball had been cleared as far as her outside the penalty box, although her attempt comfortably cleared the crossbar.

Three points were tantalisingly within reach until the 98th minute. Then, a cheaply conceded free-kick created a nervy conclusion.

Two substitutes combined to devastating effect; Erin Huntley whipped it in, tight to the right-hand touchline and Mae Goulden nodded it over the line for a gut-wrenchingly late blow; the man in the middle blowing for full-time with the resumption barely underway.

Despite two points being cruelly snatched from their grasp, Worthing can be proud of their efforts, with several standout performances and are still only a point from safety and just three from a mid-table position.

A trip to unbeaten leaders Swindon Town is up next on Sunday, with the Robins’ 100% record providing an opportunity to upset the form book.