Watford Ladies fell short of a dramatic comeback after they lost 3-2 to Aston Villa in their first game of the 2017 FA WSL Spring Series.

Villa performed well in the first half and took a deserved 2-0 lead into the interval.

Natasha Baptiste turned in from a Beth Merrick corner before the latter's neat swivel and shot doubled the home side's advantage.

Jade Richards thought she had put the game to bed when she netted home from close ranges three minutes into the final 45 but the Golden Girls had other ideas. 

Anneka Nuttall pulled one back from a free-kick in the 68th minute before Charlotte Kerr's 89th-minute corner bounced it's way past keeper Chloe Beattie to set up a nervy finale.

Watford kept pushing for the equaliser but The Lady Villians managed to hold on for the three points.

Nuttall told the WSL website: "It's a complete new start for us - new coach, new players, new facilities for our home games - and it showed today.

"The spirit here has always been good and we are determined to make it a different season,

"I thought we didn't deserve to be 2-0 down at half-time and needed to rectify it - and we did.

"It was down to our want, our desire, our belief that we turned it around today.

"We got a couple of goals and if the game had lasted another ten more minutes I'm convinced there was another one for us. We deserved a draw.

"Nothing ever gets us down and I'm proud of all our players for their performances. None of them should feel down after this game."

Watford next face London Bees on Sunday, February 26 at Kings Langley in a 2pm kick-off.