Missing Captain Holly Talbut-Smith due to illness and also deprived of the experienced Ella Newman’s services, there were starts for both Lucy Jellett and Laura Huish at The Everyone Active Stadium, home of Clevedon Town.

Boosted by the recent signing of the division’s second highest goalscorer Meg Jarvis from Bristol Rovers, the hosts made the faster start.

Aimee Kingdon had the first sight of goal as she swivelled and hooked narrowly wide from the edge of the 18-yard area inside four minutes.

Thy Kingdon nearly did come when the same player saw her next effort blocked at close quarters and the aforementioned Jarvis watched her follow-up deflect behind for a corner.

The Robins continued their onslaught courtesy of Worthing’s former Keynsham Town nemesis Beatriz Kretteis who had her shot headed behind by Laila Malcolm, before an unmarked Manfy Sharpe forced a fine save out of Ella Hunkin.

Reds number one was at it again moments later, punching clear an inviting right wing cross at her near post but there was a brief respite thanks to Skye Bacon delivering from the left-hand side, only for Jemima Guise to deny Jellett at the back stick, at the expense of a flag-kick.

Bridgwater were awarded a corner of their own when the excellent Jodie Freeman-Woods got herself in the way of Jarvis’ latest try at breaking her goalscoring duck for her new team, until first-half stoppage time produced one last potential deadlock breaker.

A brilliant crossfield pass sent Kingdon galloping through the inside-left channel but, with Hunkincoming out to meet her, United’s 21 could only blaze over the crossbar and the two teams went into the break level-pegging.

Grey skies greeted the sides once more when they returned for the second 45 minutes and Hunkin had to be alert again to thwart the progress of Jarvis as the striker, closing in on 20 goals for the season, latched onto a long ball out of defence from Kretteis.

However, less than 60 seconds further into proceedings, a wonderful long-range finish by Guise put the homesters in front.

A lead that was very nearly doubled almost instantaneously via a free header being glanced narrowly the wrong side of the upright off the dome of skipper Sharpe, once Ella-Mae Miller had picked her out at a corner.

Shortly afterwards, Worthing’s cause wasn’t helped when Freeman-Woods, already in the wars after suffering a bloody nose in the afternoon’s early stages, had to leave the field of play with concussion. 17-year-old Keira Morris entered the fray.

Then, a few minutes later, Sophia Wickenden came off worse in a midfield 50/50 before eventually departing the action prematurely too, with Taylor Chamberlain deployed in her place, amidst a defensive reshuffle.

While on the sidelines Manager Jesus Cordon tried to recall how many mirrors he must have broken or ladders he’d unwittingly walked under.

Fortunately though, Hunkin demonstrated a safe pair of hands as she got behind substitute Zoe Watkins-Harris’ 20-yard daisy-cutter, at the midway mark of the second period.

Although, there was little the Rebels ‘keeper or anyone could do as Abbie Carslake brought a lofted pass down and flashed a wicked ball across the penalty area that begged to be put away.

The warning signs were there and Bridgwater demonstrated ruthless efficiency to all but put the game to bed a mere quarter-of-an-hour from time.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again and that was exactly what happened not long afterwards, by way of Miller sending over a right flank corner-kick that Jarvis duly slotted home, on the far side of the six-yard box.

MJ continued to be dangerous and didn’t look to be stopping until she got enough but travelling netminder Hunkin was anything but off the wall, as she did superbly to deny the forward from making it a personal two in three minutes.

On an energy-sapping pitch, a strong, near post parry saw Reds’ last line of defence then frustrate Carslake, going into the final ten.

An off-balance Carslake couldn’t keep her next effort down as she was forced away from goal and Watkins-Harris didn’t miss by much either, following a Jade Radburn free-kick which caused problems.

The final nail was, ultimately, hammered in the proverbial coffin by a rampant Jarvis with five minutes to go.

Breaking through a tiring backline, goal number 19 in appearance number 20 crashed into the net off the underside of the crossbar.

Not that was completely that, as good approach work carved out a rare opportunity for Jellett up the other end, although the forward wasn’t able to quite get enough purchase on her shot, on the stretch.

Several extra minutes still had to be negotiated though and only a brilliant goal-line clearance by Bacon ensured Radburn didn’t add her name to the scoresheet in the first of them.

The final say of a torrid day went to Jarvis, who managed to flick a free header wide at the very end of third straight defeat for a weary Worthing.