Report & Reaction: Oxford United 1-0 Watford

Vitaliia Budaieva’s second-half winner condemned Watford to a round-two exit from the Adobe Women’s FA Cup at the hands of Oxford United.

Coral Haines’ penalty was saved by Paris Sercombe after a handball inside the box, with the visitors unable to capitalise on their control of the encounter.

In a first half sparse of chances, the Hornets looked closest to opening the scoring from range. With the U’s backline standing firm, Flo Fyfe’s early ranger was saved by Sercombe, before Sophie McLean and Drè Georgiou had similar attempts stopped.

Ex-Hornet Nicola Gibson’s foray into the Watford defensive third presented a rare sight of goal for the hosts, as her cross was headed just wide by Leah Burridge.

Budaieva’s winner came on the counter-attack after a flurry of chances for the Golden Girls, in which Anna Filbey’s clearance ricocheted off the Ukrainian midfielder and past Maria O’Sullivan. 

Annie Rossiter’s corner struck an Oxford hand with just over 10 minutes to go, but the U’s keeper guessed correctly from 12 yards to bat away the low spot-kick.

Substitute Gemma Davison came agonisingly close to sending the game to penalties in added time, but again Sercombe was on hand to deny the experienced forward.

Renée Hector was frustrated with the result, having seen an improved performance compared to her side’s defeat to the same opposition in the league last month.

“I feel like we upped our levels compared to before, again completely dominated but it didn’t fall for us in the box or final third,” the Watford boss reflected. 

“We felt the ball had gone in the goal before the penalty was given, but it’s still a good opportunity to score and we didn’t take that. It’s a game where the scoreline feels a little unjustified but we have to take it on the chin and move forward with the positives.

“We’ve lost a few games this season but the difference today is they battled until the very end, their application and desire to win the game was top, and I can’t fault their efforts.

“Sometimes we’re not on the right end of the result, and now we need to work, score more goals and be more ruthless.”

A long trip to fellow FA Women’s National League South outfit Plymouth Argyle is next on the calendar in the FA WNL Cup quarter-finals (Sunday December 1, 2pm KO), and Hector is relishing a chance to reach the final four.

“We deserve to be there,” added Hector. “We’ve played very well in the League Cup and it’s a good opportunity to get more players some minutes. To get to the semi-final would be massive for the girls and their confidence.”

Watford: O'Sullivan; Chandler (C), Filbey, Meiwald; Haines, Georgiou; McLean, Rossiter (Davison 86); Fyfe (Baptiste 81), Head (Perry 50), Gale (Hall 81).

Unused subs: Goldsmid, Hind, Mehmet.