Preview: In-Form Golden Girls Head To Oxford

Match Info

Fixture: Oxford United v Watford
Competition: FA Women's National League Southern Premier Division
Venue: MGroup Stadium
Time: Sunday March 23, 2pm
Strip: Purple away kit

Watford FC Women will be looking to continue their impressive run of form when they face Oxford United on Sunday (March 23, 2pm KO).

The Golden Girls downed Plymouth Argyle 5-0 at The Vic last time out, and are preparing for two away games in a week as they will also travel to AFC Wimbledon on Wednesday (March 26, 7.45pm KO).

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

How The Land Lies

Watford have won their last four games in a row and currently sit fourth in the FA Women's National League South.

The Golden Girls are level on points with the U's in fifth, boasting two games in hand over Sunday's opponents.

Renée Hector's side have also played two games fewer than Exeter City in third, but are four points behind the Devon club.

Watford have lost both matches they have played against Oxford this season - 2-1 at Grosvenor Vale in October in the league and 1-0 away in the Adobe Women's FA Cup in November.

The U's have won 11, drawn two and lost six of their games this season.

Pre-Match Chat

Hornets Head Coach Renée Hector told watfordfc.com that her side is enjoying a consistent run of fixtures as they head towards the end of the season.

“It is quite a nice change from the start of this year to have some games back to back,” she exclaimed.

“It helps the players get into a rhythm, and it helps them remember the stuff that we have worked on in training, to try and implement it, and put it into practice in games.

“To get that continunity is super important, and this week we are going to need everybody with two games and not a lot of rest in between.

“We have had to make a lot of changes, and players have had to step in, and make sure the quality doesn’t drop, so we are looking forward to it.

“It was a really positive result at the weekend, and there are some bits that we have looked at that we want to continue, and some that we want to improve.

“We are raring to go, we've got two games in the week, so hopefully we can pick up some points.”

This National League South clash marks the third meeting between the Golden Girls and the U’s this season, with Oxford United winning both so far.

However, Hector is not out for vengeance, with the Head Coach knowing they head into this fixture as a better all-round side.

“I don’t know about revenge,” she explained. “I feel like in those games we probably should have come away with the result.

“There are things that we have looked at that we need to do better, and we have become a lot more clinical.

“I think back then the performances were there, but we just weren’t putting the ball into the back of the net.

“There is always a danger if you don’t take your chances that the opposition are going to score, and that is what happened in those two games.

“We have worked on that a lot. As you can see recently with the amount of goals we are scoring, that is starting to improve massively.

“We will take it into this Sunday and hopefully we come out on the right side of the result this time.”

Tickets

Tickets for Sunday's clash are available to purchase directly from Oxford United at this link. 

Adults cost £7, whilst Under-16s can attend for £1.

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.