Preview: Golden Girls Head To Dons Looking For Six Unbeaten

Match Info

Fixture: AFC Wimbledon v Watford
Competition: FA Women's National League Southern Premier Division
Venue: Grand Drive, Raynes Park Vale FC
Time: Wednesday March 26, 7.45pm
Strip: Yellow home kit

Watford FC Women will be looking to extend their unbeaten run in the league to six matches when they face AFC Wimbledon on Wednesday (March 26, 7.45pm KO).

The Golden Girls' run of four successive victories was brought to an end on Sunday away at Oxford United, but the goalless draw means the side have conceded just once in their last five outings.

Read on for a full preview of tomorrow night's game as the season approaches the business end.

How The Land Lies

Watford's point at the weekend means the side remain fourth in the FA Women's National League South, level on points with Sunday's opponents.

However, the Golden Girls are above Oxford on goal difference, having played two games fewer than the U's.

Renée Hector's side sit six points behind Exeter City in third, but boast both a superior goal difference to the Grecians, as well as two games in hand.

Watford have failed to score in normal time in their two meetings with AFC Wimbledon this campaign, but did come away from Plough Lane with a win in the Adobe Women's FA Cup in Novemner.

After the game ended goalless after 90 minutes, the Hornets ran out 4-2 winners in the penalty shootout.

The sides have also faced off in the league; Kau'inohea Solomon-Taylor's first-half header for the Dons was enough to secure the three points at Grosvenor Vale.

Wimbledon currently occupy seventh in the division, 10 points worse off than Watford - but their tails will be up following a 3-0 success over rivals MK Dons at the weekend.

Pre-Match Chat

Hornets Head Coach Renée Hector told watfordfc.com that her side's full attention has to be on the task at hand if they want to come away from Wednesday night with all three points.

“It is not going to be too dissimilar to Oxford,” she explained. “They are a very direct team that can cause you problems, and have caused us problems this season.

“I definitely think it is a game we can go and win, but we have to make sure that we are concentrating throughout the game, and we get our roles and responsibilities right.

“We can’t switch off for a second, and if we carry on being clinical like we have been in the games previous to Oxford, then I think that we should come away on the positive side of the result.”

This marks the Golden Girls’ second game in four days, which represents a different challenge given postponements in January and February meant there was a period of long breaks between each match.

“It has been tough,” Hector admitted. “The girls had quite a long break with games being called off and things like that.

“You’re always managing little niggles when there is a spike in terms of load, but they are ready and they are up for it.

“They have got a tough end to the season, so we have to be together, we have to be resilient, and we have got to get through it.

“Luckily enough we have got a rest next Sunday, so we are going to give our everything tomorrow and then hopefully the girls can enjoy a little rest.”

The Head Coach, who said Bianca Baptiste will not be available for selection after pulling up with an injury on Sunday, finished by expressing her delight at the recent run of four clean sheets in five matches.

“It is something we have spoken about a lot recently - if you don’t concede you set yourself up in a really good position to potentially go and win a game,” she said.

“We spoke a lot about the two sides of football, in possession, where I think we are quite strong, and making sure we don’t neglect those out of possession responsibilities.

“I think the girls have taken to that really well, and it shows in the amount of goals we have conceded recently.”

Tickets

Tickets for Wednesday's clash are available to purchase directly from AFC Wimbledon at this link. 

Adults cost £7, whilst Under-18s can attend for free.

Follow the game

Not able to attend?

Follow match updates on our X account @WatfordFCWomen, and see our website and app for a report after the game.