Keith Boanas admitted Watford Ladies are missing a goalscorer after their disappointing start to the Women’s Super League 2 season continued with a third straight defeat.

The Hornets started brightly at Durham Women but again paid the price for not taking their chances and were to fall to a 4-0 defeat to leave them still seeking a first point.

The Golden Girls’ boss said: "It's a tough one to put into words because I felt for the first 35 minutes we started to show the way that we believe we should and can play. We were definitely in the game but at the moment we're missing a goalscorer.

"We've surveyed our last few games, including friendlies, and we've only scored three goals. So we're missing that goalscorer.

"We're not finishing chances which becomes frustrating and then we concede one or two and straight away we fall into the psychological trap of 'here we go again'.

"It's that losing habit you get in to and unfortunately every time we go a goal or two down, no matter what we say to them we're still thinking that it's happening again.

"The bottom line is for any team you have to soak up pressure and Durham did that well when we were on top, but again we didn't bury our chances."

The visitors had started well trailing at the break after Zoe Ness headed in a first-half opener.

Abi Cottam, Beth Hepple and Kathryn Hill then found the net after the interval to secure three points for the Wildcats.

Durham hadn't lost a home league game since October of last year, but the visitors threatened first as Anneka Nuttall was acrobatically denied by Helen Alderson from 12 yards.

The woodwork came to Watford's rescue twice in quick succession as Ness saw her pair of headers rebound off first the post and then the crossbar.

Alderson was then called into action to deny Nuttall once again - this time tipping a fine free-kick around the post.

But Ness wouldn't be denied and she rose highest to power her header past Fran Kitching in the 39th minute after Atkinson did well to get a cross into the area.

And that goal buoyed Durham, who began the second half with a spell of strong pressure which culminated with Cottam slotting home from close range to double the advantage ten minutes after the restart.

The one-way traffic continued and Durham deservedly had a third after 66 minutes when Hepple curled a free-kick from an acute angle over the helpless Kitching.

Watford’s misery was to be completed 12 minutes from time when Hill fired home from a corner to round-off a fine afternoon for the home side.

Boanas side’ will hope a change of competition can bring a change in fortunes on Thursday when they take on Millwall Lionesses at Kings Langley FC in their opening Continental Tyres Cup game. The match kicks off at 7.45pm.

Watford Ladies: Kitching; Neal, McCarthy, Jones, McKeag (Kerr 45); Nuttall, Maple (Walkley 70); Petkova (Cudone 63), Bragg, Babajide; Will. Not used: Baranowska, Bell, Murray, Sargent.