Watford Ladies' long trip ends in Durham defeat

Despite two wins in five matches, the Berkhamsted-based side have failed to score in the other three.

However midfielder Ellie Mason said the Golden Girls are making progress all the time as a squad.

She told the FAWSL website: “It was a tough game, it is really frustrating when things don’t go your way. We stuck together as a team, but maybe next time we will get a better result.

“Durham are a good team but we didn’t play as best as we could. In parts of the game we were playing our football, and when we were doing that we were getting through and getting shots away.

“I think we were too slow coming out from the back. If we were quicker coming out from the back we would have more of a chance to get up the pitch and try and get some efforts on goal.

“We need to work on how quick we play out from the back. We need to work on that in training and bring that in to our next game.

“We need to look at it and come out better and stronger in the next games. Last season we only won once. This season we have improved a lot more, there are more positives coming out of games.”

Watford made three changes. Hannah Samuels made her debut for the side, with Sahara Osborne-Ricketts and Katie Stanley returning to the starting line-up

Durham went ahead 15 minutes in. A free-kick from the Wildcats was headed on and Hepple pounced to finish past Lucy Gillett.

Watford’s best chance of the half came just after the half hour mark as a long ball from Gillett found Stanley but her shot was denied by the keeper.

The Watford keeper then prevented the home side getting a second goal, forcing the Durham striker wide to make the angle a tough one.

Durham managed had three great chances in the space of ten seconds but it somehow stayed at a one goal deficit. Hepple’s shot was saved by Gillett, Jordan Atkinson then hit the post before a defender managed to block the final effort from Roberts.

The Golden Girls nearly levelled early in the second half. Ellie Mason played it through to Charlotte Kerr, who tried to beat Alderson through her legs but the keeper produced a good stop.

It would prove to be pivotal as Roberts went clean through to make it 2-0 to the Wildcats.

Looking to respond immediately, Kerr nicked the ball away from Becky Salicki but she couldn’t quite pick out Stanley with the ball across.

Atkinson was proving to be one of the main threats from the opposition and she nearly made it three, however her curling effort from distance hit the crossbar and went to safety.

That crucial third goal did come and it was Hepple’s second, picking out the corner to beat Gillett.

While she had been beaten three times, there was little to fault in the Watford keeper’s performance and she was at her best to deny Roberts.

Down at the other end, debutant Chloe Bassett forced Alderson into making a save, with the Durham keeper gathering at the second attempt.

Next up are Sheffield away on August 14.

Watford: Gillett, Pepper, Osborne-Ricketts, Samuels, Read, Mason, Littleboy, Nuttall, Davy (Bassett, 53), Kerr, Stanley (Fatuga-Dada 74)

Sub not used: Wotton

Attendance: 357