Women’s football: Worthing and Horsham rack up big wins

Worthing FC Women 4 Cambridge City 0

National League Div 1 SE

by Gareth Nicholas

A hat-trick by Becki Bath helped Worthing return to winning ways against Cambridge City.

Looking to bounce back from defeat at Ashford Town a fortnight earlier, Tierney Scott started alongside full debutant Shannon Albuery. Club captain Gemma Worsfold and Becs Bell were on the bench.

In a bright beginning, Sammy Quayle almost found Albuery in the box, only for Megan Edwards’ clearance to be picked up by an alert Sophie Humphrey, who threaded through to Bath. An awkward bounce in front of the keeper failed to put her off with Nina Meollo doing well to push a low drive behind for a corner.

The offside flag and a brilliant one-handed stop by Meollo conspired to deny Quayle, then tremendous bravery nearly led to another opening for the prolific centre-forward but the two physios were required when she and Milly Struthers collided. The latter had to be carried off.

Skipper Rachel Palmer tried her luck from long distance, winning a corner.

Dani Rowe played the set-piece short to Palmer, whose cross was headed over by Chloe Winchester.

Cayleigh Jackson’s pace took her to the byline but Lauren Dolbear kept her out at the near post in a rare sight of goal for the away side, Katie Young mopping up.

When Rowe broke the offside trap to latch on to Young’s long forward pass and hold off Abbie Davies, Meollo brought her down in the six-yard box. Bath offered little chance of redemption as she dispatched the spot-kick.

Bath scored again early in the second period. Getting the better of Davies while challenging for a long ball by Quayle, Bath’s initial effort was saved by Meollo but the custodian wasn’t given a second sniff on the rebound.

Young played a neat ball to Scott, who played a slide rule pass for Albuery to cut inside Georgia Anderson, allowing Bath to bury a shot into the top corner.

It was 4-0 when Palmer got Humphrey scurrying to the byline, from where the ball was pulled back for Quayle to dummy and the incoming Scott to confidently sidefoot home her maiden competitive goal for her new (temporary) club.

Into the final quarter of the contest, Albuery - now on the left - shrugged off Paige Gardiner to bend a brilliant ball into the path of sub Worsfold. She picked out fellow sub Bell for an effort that flashed the wrong side of the post.

At the other end Becca Stephenson warmed the gloves of Dolbear before Scott seized upon a heavy touch by Jackson and embarked on an lung-bursting expedition but two opponents thwarted her.

All five of Worthing’s options on the bench were utilised with one, Emily Linscer, lacking the power to trouble Meollo as Rowe chipped the ball into her just inside the danger zone.

Worthing rise to fourth in the standings, a point ahead of Sunday’s hosts Cambridge United.

Newhaven DS 0 Horsham Women 5

SCWGFL Cup

by Kevin Gargini

On a bitterly cold and wet Sunday morning, Horsham negotiated what could have been a tricky cup tie near the East Sussex coast

Newhaven play a league below the Hornets and are struggling, having lost their past three league games.

Horsham came into the match full of confidence after their terrific away win against Horsham Sparrows and the squad have blended well and are looking strong.

The match was played on a 3G pitch and that suited the away team, who started well.

Within 25 minutes Horsham were two up with goals from Bryony Irvine and Fliss Love.

Irvine hit a goal of the season contender. She let fly from around 30 yards from the right, and the ball flew high over the head of the goalkeeper and settled in the top corner – a beautiful shot which had the crowd on their feet.

Newhaven DS tried their best to get a foothold but were never going to score against States-bound shot stopper Hannah Gardner.

The second half began with Jordan Lucas pulling the strings and setting the tone.

Horsham kept going and their tenacity paid off with three more goals in the half. Lottie Jeffreys, King and Lucas all got on the scoresheet, making the final score 5-0.

It was another terrific away win for the Hornets and they will face Worthing Town away in the quarter-finals.

Horsham: Gardner, K Bridgewater, L Bridgewater, Flint, Holligan, Irvine, King, Lewis, Love, Lucas, Williams. Subs: S Bridgewater, Donnelly, Jeffreys.