Report & Reaction: AFC Wimbledon 1-1 Watford

Watford extended their unbeaten run to six games after a 1-1 draw away to AFC Wimbledon.

After a first half lacking many opportunities, the Dons opened the scoring on the hour mark through Ellie Dorey.

With their streak on the line and time running out, the ever-impressive Coral Haines stepped up to draw the Golden Girls level late on, therefore ensuring at least a point was gained from the trip to south-west London.

The result means Watford remain fourth in the FA Women's National League South, five points behind Exeter City in third with a game in hand.

Renée Hector cut a frustrated figure after the match, with the Head Coach disappointed in her belief that Watford did not put in a performance that warranted a victory.

“I felt like we lost a lot of duels all over the pitch,” she admitted to watfordfc.com. “We could have made better decisions on the ball.

“We had lots of chances - some clear-cut - and didn’t put it in the back of the net.

“We have not done enough to come away with the three points, so I am quite disappointed.”

Hector continued: “To have that urgency in the last five minutes, and that desire to go and grab a goal thanks to a bit of individual brilliance, was the difference in terms of getting a point, or coming away with no points.

“Of course we are grateful for that, and it is not a bad thing to go six unbeaten, but I think that we could have used that urgency earlier in the game.”

Haines had the first two chances of the match; her shot inside the box was blocked after good work from Gemma Davison down the right, before a first-time long-range effort from a loose clearance went wide.

Madison Perry then saw a shot blocked and Izzy Fisher's effort wasn't far off after she charged down Rose Kite's clearance as the game lacked quality opportunities.

The scrappy nature of the game continued right up to the half - both sides did have the ball in the net, but Perry was offside, and Emily Donovan's empty-net strike was ruled out for a Kelly-Jade Whelan foul on keeper Hermione Cull.

Watford almost made the perfect start after the interval as Perry beat the offside trap to latch onto a through ball and go through one-on-one, but Kite was equal to her driven effort. 

Perry turned her attentions to the right wing in the second half, finding a lot of joy. After again creating space for a cross, Fisher couldn't sort her feet out as the ball eventually ran to Haines, who saw her effort cleared off the line.

The deadlock was then eventually broken, but by the hosts. Dorey latched onto a sloppy pass at the back, and struck the ball into the back of the net from around 25 yards out.

The Golden Girls pushed hard to make sure they didn't leave empty-handed, and were eventually rewarded for their fight and determination with mere seconds left on the clock.

It was of no surprise to anyone present at Grand Drive who got the equaliser. Haines had been a class above all night, and she got the goal her performance deserved on 90 minutes by driving into the box and finishing confidently into the bottom corner.

A late Lachante Paul cross from the left following a dribble briefly looked to threaten in stoppage time, but a deflection behind meant the points were shared as the Golden Girls marked up another match without defeat.

With no game this coming Sunday, Watford's attention turns to the league leaders, Ipswich Town, at Grosvenor Vale on Sunday April 6 (2pm KO).

Watford: Cull, Hind (Tambula 81), Chandler (C), Meiwald; Rossiter, Haines; Davison. Head (Georgiou 62); Gale (Hall 75), Fisher, Perry (Paul 86).

Unused: Lazaro, Mehmet.