Only two differences were spotted when the team sheet was revealed pre-match, with Libby Kingshott back between the sticks and Becs Bell promoted in place of the unavailable Katie Cooper. Amelia Davies and Jess Richardson also returned to the squad in the Rebels’ maiden appearance in this particular competition.

Akin to playing in the Europa League after bowing bravely out of the Champions League, a first foray into the Plate – following a titanic tussle with higher division Lewes back in the heady days of late August – saw the home team’s focus turn away from the Cup. A mere six minutes in and, buoyed by the confidence of Wednesday evening’s league win against Moneyfields, the deadlock was broken. Good approach play between Emily Linscer and Chloe Winchester allowed Dan Rowe to fizz in a more than tempting low cross that Becs Bell buried at the second attempt, via a nick off the inside of the post.

Becs’ first goal of the season was soon succeeded by a second thanks to a helping hand, via the dome of the hugely unfortunate Lily Whithers. Town’s former Southampton defender looping a header up and over stranded ‘keeper Klaudia Wojtyczka to convert Izzy Franklin’s right-sided delivery.

Visitor’s Player of the Match Bea Kretteis then engineered the guest’s opening chance of the match, when she weaved her through to the penalty area where Kingshott pulled off a brilliant save at the expense of a corner. Scarlett Mills took it and Kretteis nodded it over.

The same set-piece method did, however, lead to Worthing’s third; Franklin’s kick almost converted by Bell but put away instead by Dani Lane, who also scored her first of the season and, thus, her new club at the same time.

Two minutes later and it might have been three, only for Chloe Winchester to come agonisingly close to making Sophie Humphrey’s centre and Elle Keegan’s efforts at keeping the ball in to begin with, count.

‘Winch’ did find the back of the net less than sixty seconds further on but the assistant referee’s flag denied the nineteen a strike and Captain Rowe an assist.

A fine, flowing move got underway thanks to Franklin’s centre circle spray out to the right and Katie Young’s energy resulting in Tierney Scott cutting in to locate Rowe, who saw her attempt blocked in the box by a green shirt.

Half-time loomed large on the horizon and the strong wind was forcing a distinct lack of neck ache, although Ciera Lundy nearly took advantage of the gusts to land a free-kick on the roof of a relieved Kingshott’s net.

Even nearer to the break, a positive run by Scott only ended courtesy of a twenty yard-plus rocket that flew fractionally over the target and Wojtyczka dived forward to claim a dangerous-looking Young cross, in the final throes of an entertaining opening period.

The second forty-five had barely got started when two of the Red’s half-time changs combined to create a fourth. Davies went long to release Holly Talbut-Smith who slotted home once the ball had eventually dropped to her, adding another name to the growing list of first-time scorers this term.

Someone who hadn’t enjoyed the best of luck in front of goal so far was Humphrey; ‘Soph’ inches away from rounding off more good approach work from Rowe and Scott and her own surge into the eighteen yard box, though her moment would come.

Scott was then frustrated by Martha Heal, prior to Kretteis flashing an angled effort worryingly close, as the Bristol-based travellers continued, albeit sporadically, to test the resolve of the home rearguard.

Normal service was soon resumed however, courtesy of Emily Linscer setting Lane free on the left and the midfielder duly throwing her name into the ring for Goal of the Month by curling a beauty into the far top corner.

A second successive matchball looked like winging it’s way to the Lane household, on this occasion, following Scott’s midweek treble versus Moneyfields, only for Lily Reed to nod virtually off the line. Bell’s brace biting the dust and finishing on top of the net, just outside the area on the follow-up.

Substitute Richardson then created havoc a short while after entering the action, breezing past Whithers, reaching the byline and pulling the ball back for Lane who was blocked in the danger zone, where Winchester was subsequantly inches the wrong side of the upright.

Inside the last fifteen minutes and top scorer Scott, the only player to have notched previously in 2024-25, slid in at the same time as Heal but got the decisive touch on Lane’s left wing low one, to make it six in six on a personal level and six for the rampant Reds too.

Then, the biggest cheer of the afternoon greeted Humphrey’s dispatching of a loose ball that emanated from Lane heading onto the underside of the crossbar; pouncing and drilling home emphatically to round-off the scoring, much to the obvious joy of her own personal fan club at the St Elmo end.

Fleet-footed Richardson nearly had the final say, drifting in off the left but Wojtyczka held on.