Watford Ladies show fight in Bristol defeat

The home side drew level with the league leaders following an impressive 4-1 victory against Watford at the Stoke Gifford Stadium.

Claire Emslie and Chloe Arthur gave the Vixens a 2-0 half-time lead, with Lauren Hemp and Hayley Ladd adding gloss to the scoreline.

Charlotte Kerr scored a consolation for Berkhamsted-based Watford in their fifth straight defeat which leaves them rooted to the foot of the FA WSL 2 table.

However captain Anneka Nuttall felt the scorelone was harsh on the Golden Girls, who play fellow strugglers Millwall next on Sunday, September 25.

“I’m gutted with the result,” she told the official WSL website. “We worked really hard but it is the same thing every week, we conceded early but we fought and I don’t think the score line reflects the performance we put in.

“I thought we matched them all over the park, and every player looked up for it, we weren’t scared of them at any point.

“Results haven’t gone our way over the past few weeks but there is a long-term plan here, so let’s wait and see what happens.”

Bristol City (4-4-1-1): Hannah Reid, Loren Dykes, Megan Alexander, Grace McCatty, Chloe Arthur, Hayley Ladd, Claire Emslie, Flo Allen, Jodie Brett, Charlie Estcourt, Georgia Evans

Substitutes: Lauren Hemp for Dykes, 60, Eloise Wilson for Evans, 66, Paige Sawyer for Emslie, 74

Substitutes not used: Estelle Randall, Olivia Fergusson, Katie Jones, Poppy Wilson,

Watford (4-1-4-1): Lucy Gillett, Nicole Pepper, Ruby Baxter, Lauren Jordinson, Amber Tullett, Anneka Nuttall, Phoebe Read, Jordan Littleboy, Adekite Fatuga-Dada, Anne-Laure Davy, Charlotte Kerr

Substitutes: Otesha Charles for Davy, 65, Ellie Mason for Fatuga-Dada, 72

Substitutes not used: Caoimhe O’Reilly, Mollie Burgess, Stacie Donnelly, Katie Stanley

Referee: Michael Halford

Attendance: 948