A frustrated John Salomon felt his side deserved some reward after their Women’s Super League 2 campaign opened with a 1-0 defeat at Oxford United.

After falling behind to Sahara Osborne-Ricketts’ 20th-minute free-kick, the Golden Girls produced a strong second half showing but were unable to find an equaliser.

Salomon told the club website: “We’re disappointed not to come away with anything because we really feel that we deserved something from that game, certainly one point if not all three.

“I thought we were dominant in the second half, had a steady first half and then made a change at half time to bring a bit more balance to the team.

“It was a really strong second 45 and we’re frustrated to not come away with something as a reward for the players’ efforts.”

After a quiet opening to Thursday evening's game at Abingdon United’s ground, the hosts were awarded what turned out to be the decisive set piece as Osborne-Rickett’s effort took a deflection en route to finding the bottom corner.

Watford forced a number of corners as they looked for a quick response and they had the last chance of the half when Dawn Mallett went on a fine run from halfway before testing goalkeeper Demi Lambourne from 25 yards.

Salomon made a change at the interval, bringing on Emily Heaslip for Stacie Donnelly, but it was Shayla Burgess who was the first keeper to be extended in the second half as she did well to save a Gemma Simmonds volley.

The visitors though, went on to have the better of the game as they moved the ball around well, with one such period of possession led to Kate Natkiel shooting narrowly over.

Natkiel went even closer just after the hour when her attempted lob was superbly kept out by Lambourne following a fine ball from Chloe Gunn.

Oxford thought they had doubled the lead with 20 minutes to go, but the goal was disallowed for a foul on Burgess.

The Hornets pushed Renee Hector up front as they sought an equaliser in the closing stages, and the move almost paid off from a cross but again Lambourne kept the visitors at bay.

Watford Ladies: S Burgess, Gunn, Hector, Robe, Wride, Donnelly (Heaslip 46), Green, Natkiel, Mallett (Nuttall 77), Wynne, Farrow. Not used: Butterwick, Adamson, M Burgess, Deacon, Ward-Chambers.