Ladies earn Bristol draw
For the second time this season Liverpool Ladies saw a lead slip away in injury time as they recorded a point in their first away game of the season with a 1-1 draw against Bristol Academy.
On what was a glorious evening in the South West, Michelle Evans' fantastic strike looked like it was going to secure revenge for the Reds over their FA Cup, conquerors, but Academy's Grace McCatty scored in the 91st minute to ensure the spoils were shared.
After two disappointing results, Robbie Johnson made two changes to his starting line up, with Cheryl Foster and Katie Brusell coming in for Gemma Watson and Kelly Jones.
For their part, Bristol Academy started with a front two of Jess Fishlock and Ann-Marie Heatherson, both of whom had scored and caused the Reds defence countless problems in the semi-final.
Liverpool found themselves three goals down inside 35 minutes in last week's semi-final, but this encounter saw a much more even start, with both teams creating great headed chances in the opening 10 minutes.
Just four minutes had passed when Helen Bleazard's cross was nodded over at the far post by Jaz Matthews for Bristol, while at the other end, Suzanne Lappin found herself unmarked from Cheryl Foster's deep free-kick, but the Scot could only glance wide.
Before the game Johnson had bemoaned the defensive errors that had blighted Liverpool's season so far, and they were almost punished again when Sam Chappell was dispossessed by Fishlock. Despite a heavy touch, the striker was able to get a shot away which was smartly saved by Worrall, low down at her near post.
On 20 minutes, Lappin again went close, this time profiting from good hold up play by Ruesha Littlejohn to fire a fierce drive inches over Siobhan Chamberlain's crossbar.
The even nature of the encounter continued, as both sides again created glorious chances within minutes of each other.
Bleazard was again the provider for Bristol, setting up Matthews for an almost identical headed chance to the one she missed early on, and Worrall was again untroubled by the midfielder's header.
Matthews then redeemed herself at the other end, clearing Katie Brusell's header off the line after Michelle Evans had swung in a dangerous corner.
Liverpool were finally rewarded for a composed first-half display on the stroke of half-time as Evans put them in front in spectacular fashion. Great work by Brusell saw the ball fall to Evans on the edge of the area, and she struck an unstoppable half volley into Chamberlain's top corner.
The visitors could have doubled that lead soon after when Brusell headed wide after great work by Littlejohn on the left wing.
Facing their third successive league defeat, the home side came out with renewed purpose in the second half, and would have been level but for a fantastic save by Worrall, who tipped the ball over after Foster headed towards her own goal.
Bristol substitute Lillie Billson then could have equalised with her first touch, but her tame header was comfortable for Worrall after the Liverpool defence had failed to deal with a bouncing ball.
With 20 minutes left, an astonishing passage of play saw Bristol create three chances in quick succession. First, Fishlock saw her header blocked on the line, and after a scramble in the box, the same player's shot deflected narrowly wide. Then, from the resulting corner, Corrine Yorston acrobatically tried her luck, but was off target with an overhead kick.
Liverpool's well-marshalled defence looked as though it would hang on for the three points when Heatherson headed over with two minutes left, but, just as Everton did in the season's opening fixture, Bristol took a point off the Reds deep into injury time.
A corner was swung into the danger zone and fell for McCatty, whose deflected shot found its way into the bottom corner to deny Liverpool a first league victory, and earn Bristol their first point of the season.