Carlisle United fell to an opening-day 3-2 defeat against Worthing at Brunton Park.
A brace from Georgie Kelly proved not enough as Dominic Hutchinson, Razzaq Coleman De-Graft and Ricky Aguiar found the net for the visitors.
Callum Whelan captained Rob Elliot's side with Archie Mair starting in goal, while Cameron Harper continued in midfield.
United dominated the early exchanges and had their first opportunity when Toby Mullarkey's arrowed long ball found David Ajiboye on the left flank, with his excellent touch seeing him race into the box to find Regan Linney, who blazed a shot over the bar.
Linney had another chance to break the deadlock when Whelan laid the ball off to him on the edge of the box, but he dragged the effort wide.
The Blues tried to outfox the Rebels when Harper's low corner went to Miguel Azeez outside the box, but his strike was blocked.
Whelan and Kelly both had shots blocked as United continued to pile on the pressure.
Linney worked an opening on the right of the box and saw his rasping effort parried by Harrison Foulkes in the Worthing goal.
David Ajiboye had the opportunity to cut in off the left wing, firing a powerful shot which Foulkes matched.
It was Kelly who gave the Blues the lead in the 42nd minute, emphatically nodding Harvey Bunker's wicked cross past Foulkes.
And United nearly had a second minutes later with Linney striking the post before Azeez dragged the follow-up wide.
HALF-TIME: Carlisle United 1-0 Worthing
Azeez looked to get United on the front foot in the second half, having a strike on goal palmed wide before Kelly flicked a header off target from the resulting corner.
Ajiboye was causing the visitors plenty of problems from the wing and his mazy run culminated in a shot flying off target.
The Rebels equalised in the 67th minute when Hutchinson weaved his way through the Blues defence and fired into the top corner past Archie Mair.
Linney should have restored the United lead when Whelan found him on the turn in the box, but he hit his shot over the bar.
Harper forced Foulkes into a sharp save with a dipping free-kick as the Blues tried to get back into the lead.
Coleman De-Graft gave the visitors the lead in the 82nd minute, spinning in the penalty area and finding the left corner with a snapshot.
The Rebels had a third in the 86th minute with Aguiar dancing through the United defence and finishing past Mair.
Kelly gave the Blues some hope when he poked home from close range on 88 minutes, but they failed to find an equaliser despite late pressure.
FULL-TIME: Carlisle United 2-3 Worthing
Teams:
Carlisle United: Mair, Harper (Williams 85), Bunker, Azeez, Ajiboye (Wearne 68), Whelan (C) (Nicholson 85), Kelly, Linney, Galvin, Duru, Mullarkey
Unused subs: Breeze, Ellis, Mason, Lowes
Worthing: Foulkes, Colbran, Cook, Moore, Adjetey-Brew (Ransom 93), Wadham, Aguiar, Coleman De-Graft (Godziemski 850, Jenks (Packham 85), Hutchinson (Moulton 77), Carter (Marquez 77)
Unused subs: Makowski, Seymour
Goals:
Carlisle United - (Kelly 42, 88)
Worthing - (Hutchinson 67) (Coleman De-Graft 82) (Aguiar 86)
Yellow cards:
Carlisle United - N/A
Worthing - (Adjetey-Brew 20) (Hutchinson 75)
Red cards:
Carlisle United - N/A
Worthing - N/A
Match officials:
Referee - Scott Jackson
Assistant Referee 1 - Andrew Daniels
Assistant Referee 2 - Adam Nichol
Fourth Official - Robert Claussen
Attendance:
8394 (284)
