A cold wet night in the middle of nowhere, title challengers versus mid table, mud and studs everywhere. Sounds like a classic cup tie full of adrenaline and thrills doesn’t it? Maybe so in the magic of the men’s FA Cup but how does it transfer to the FA Women’s National League Plate, can it deliver or is it a waste of your time and money?
I travelled up to a little town called King’s Langley, just north of Watford to see what Watford Ladies versus Oxford United had to offer and I was definitely not disappointed. Check out my match report below to see how this breathtaking match unfolded.
Wonderful Ward winner for Watford!
Helen Ward scored a sublime 20-yard lob to help Watford to a dramatic 2-1 victory over Oxford United in the second round of the FAWNL Plate. Late goals from Emily Hill and Helen Ward secured the Golden Girls safe passage to the third round of the FAWNL Plate on Sunday 24th November after going one goal down courtesy of Oxford United’s Cat Beaver.
It can usually be difficult playing the same opposition only six games after the previous meeting, with tactics and turning points often still being fresh in the memory of both managers and this was very apparent from the start of this game with the match shaping up much more even than the 5-2 rout just under two months ago.
Both teams came in to this fixture off the back of big wins with Watford beating Keynsham Town Ladies 7-0 and Oxford United conducting a unheard of 32-0 demolition in the county cup and once again both teams showed their potential to score goals with a multitude of chances being created throughout this tie.
Oxford United came flying out the blocks, giving the Watford rearguard some serious work to do in the first ten minutes. First came McLachian driving at the heart of the Watford defense and seeing her shot deflected narrowly past the post for a corner in the 7th minute and then Watford nearly shot themselves in the foot, failing to clear the resulting corner left the the ball bouncing all around their own penalty area and the Golden Girls could count themselves lucky to see the ball eventually launched upfield and away from goal.
Watford had luck on their side again in the 9th minute when an Oxford cross seemed to clearly strike and arm inside the box but the referee remained unmoved, much to the frustration of the Oxford players with manager Liam Gilbert appearing enraged on the sideline and perhaps rightfully so.
After being on the back foot for the early stages of the game the Golden Girls were gifted a golden chance to take the lead in the 17th minute after they hit Oxford on the break and managed to set up Adekite Fatuga-Dada at the back post who somehow managed to guide her first time volley wide from only a matter of yards.
The game continued to ebb and flow throughout the first half with both teams taking it in turns to dominate the ball and create half chances with Watford potentially considering themselves unlucky not to find themselves ahead before the half an hour mark with two quickfire chances from Emma Beckett going close, first via a 30-yard free kick and secondly from a first time shot after some brilliant wing play from Anaisa Harney.
In the 41st minute Cheryl Williams was denied a superb goal from the best part of 25-yards with Watford goalkeeper Chrissie Wiggins clawing her effort at full stretch out of the top corner but it would be Oxford who would go into the halftime break smiling when Watford once again struggled to clear the ball from a corner kick and this time they were punished when Sims headed back across goal leaving Cat Beavers the task of lashing the ball home off the crossbar and into the back of the net. Watford manager Clinton Lancaster would have been very disappointed to be going into the break a goal down with his team having more of the ball towards the end of the half but nothing to show for it. 1-0 Oxford United at the break.
Watford came out fired up for the second half with some fast tempo build up play leading to chances for O’Leary and Harney around the 50th minute which the Golden Girls couldn’t capitalise on. With Oxford pinned in Watford decided to turn to their bench to bring on 33-year old veteran forward Helen Ward and almost to immediate effect with the Welsh National teams record goalscorer being denied within minutes only by a world class last ditch tackle by defender Gemma Sims.
Oxford created their only meaningful attempt on goal in the 80th minute when McLachian threaded a beautiful ball through to Allen who in turn set up captain Kayleigh Hines who somehow couldn’t convert despite looking odds on to score.
United would come to rue that missed chance when in the 85th minute Katie O’Leary delivered a delightful ball to the back post to Emily Hill who couldn’t miss from a matter of yards to square the game and set up a final five minutes worthy of any cup tie.
It ended up being a two minute salvo for Watford with a substitute Helen Ward grabbing a late winner hardly sixty seconds after the equaliser. A failed pass into the box fell back to the forward on the edge of the box who then dispached the most delicate of Cantona-esque chips over the Oxford goalkeeper and into top right corner with a Cantona-esque celebration to match.
This goal sent the fans into raptures and despite a late push from Oxford the Golden Girls managed to see out the most dramatic of cup tie victories and will now be placed in the draw for the third round of the cup.
Big tackles, late drama and a goal fit to win any game of football at any level. It can certainly be said that the lack of entertainment and adrenaline at a women’s football match is a myth. After the match I spoke to Wales record goalscorer and Watford match winner Helen Ward which you can check out below for her thoughts of the match as a whole, her impact and a word on that unbelievable finish.
Photo credits to Andrew Waller Images, Watford Ladies.
The Rise Of Women's Football 