There was just the one change to the team that last played a fortnight ago, with Laila Malcolm returning from a rib injury in place of Izzy Chapman.

Back at York Road looking to not only avenge an August league defeat but also aiming to embark on another cup run, after last season’s heroics.

The Rebels’ number one Ella Hunkin was the first of the two ‘keepers to be called into action, as she punched Katie Akerman’s cross clear when it went dangerously close to her goal.

A few minutes later, good approach play by Skye Bacon on the right wing saw her find Amber Hazlewood in a more central position, with the striker slipping in Lauren Amerena for a chance that went agonisingly the wrong side of the near post.

Shortly afterwards, roles were partly reversed when Amerena sent a terrific pass through for Bacon, only for home custodian Mia Smith to have seen the warning signs too, claiming the ball a split-second ahead of the incoming winger.

Clear-cut opportunities were then at a premium for a while, Akerman’s long range effort comfortably sailing over the target as we approached the half-hour mark, the best of an otherwise non-existent bunch.

The last five minutes of the opening forty-five saw things liven up a bit, thanks to Sophia Wickenden wriggling her way past Molly McKeever and picking out Hazlewood inside the eighteen yard box, although unfortunately Amber couldn’t quite get the ball out from under her feet and the chance went begging.

Added time might have produced a deadlock breaker, if it hadn’t been for the alertness of home netminder Smith. Bacon foiled once more and the referee blew for half-time, with the visitors more than matching their opponents at the interval.

However, could they keep it going for another three quarters of an hour or so?

It didn’t take long for the travellers to answer that question with a resounding ‘yes’ a mere six minutes into the second period.

Two forceful hands in the back of Amerena resulted in her going down in the penalty area; Charley Evans landing an unwanted assist as Jasmine Smith emphatically sent her namesake between the sticks the wrong way from twelve yards to put Worthing in front.

An offside flag robbed the Reds of the opportunity to double their lead, following a Wickenden corner being met by the head of centre-half Grace Jarrett, forcing a home dome to nod off the line, before our Smith could bury the rebound.

Rebels’ numero nove (#9) soon came even closer to bagging her brace and duly doubling the advantage, when Hazlewood released Bacon on the right flank.

Turning her marker, Aaliyah Charles, the tall seven reached the byline prior to picking out Jasmine, who was only a whisker away from curling one into the top corner.

Not that the Magpies of Maidenhead were out of the running yet, Hunkin demonstrated her speed of thought and movement by smothering the ball to ensure Captain Simone O’Brien couldn’t capitalise on a tantalising slide rule pass.

The host’s Manager, former Premier League striker Dave Kitson, had already made a trio of changes by the time a fourth made an immediate impact by notching the equaliser.

Amelie Mayani entered proceedings not long after the match had gone into its fourth and final quarter and only needed a matter of seconds to break the offside trap, latch onto a delightful through ball and clinically dispatch beyond the cruelly exposed Hunkin.

Red heads didn’t drop though, as Amerena drew a fine save out of Mia Smith at the expense of flag-kick, less than a minute after the homesters had got back on level terms.

A long forward pass then caused problems for Jarrett and our own Mia, South but another substitute in the form of Izzy Stockton fractionally failed to punish, firing wide with only Hunkin to beat.

Penalties loomed large on the horizon when Chloe Webb broke free on the left flank and located the menacing Mayani running the channel, only for the recently introduced Amelie to laze over the bar and not trouble the scoreboard on this particular occasion.

Trying to put the game to bed, the home attack continued via a deep Charles delivery that went rather too close for comfort to the visitor’s net. Fortunately, the ever-alert Hunkin was well- placed to divert the danger.

However, Worthing weren’t quite out of the woods, as they almost fatally switched off at the resulting (short) corner; Megan Harper’s header going the wrong side of the upright by the narrowest of margins.

In the final minute, Hunkin held a decent opening for United at her front stick before the returning Megan Gates made her mark.

A harsh handball awarded against Vice Captain Akerman, in front of the dugouts, led to visiting Skipper Holly Talbut-Smith causing problems from the subsequent free-kick.

Laila Malcolm eventually able to lay the ball back to Gates, outside the area, who spotted the ‘keeper off her
line, with her attempt dipping at the optimum moment and seeing the away bench erupt in celebration.

Several more minutes needed to be navigated but Worthing had only their second but fully-deserved win of a, so far, testing term.