Helen Ward believes Watford Ladies can kick on and claim maximum points from their final two games of the Women’s Super League 2 season after the long wait for a first win ended with a 2-1 victory at Oxford United.

The Welsh international quickly cancelled out an own goal from goalkeeper Fran Kitching and then turned provider for Simona Petkova to score the winner in the second half as the Golden Girls broke their duck at the 16th time of asking yesterday.

“We're thrilled and delighted with the result today,” Ward said afterwards.

"It's been a long time coming for us and it's been a tough season.

"I've said it a few times, we've had a lot of changes, a lot of younger players that have got to come in and step up and in recent games I think the scorelines haven't reflected our performances.

“Thankfully today we've got the win and I think deservedly so.”

Oxford took the lead when the ball went in off the back of Kitching, but they weren’t ahead for long as Ward fired past Demi Lambourne to equalise after 17 minutes.

The hosts’ keeper thwarted Ward after the break when she was through one-on-one, but the scorer set up what was to prove the winner in the 64th minute when her low cross was turned in at the far post by Petkova.

Linda Afuakwah had a shot blocked following a flowing move, but it took a fine save from Kitching to make sure of the three points when she denied Dan Carlton in the 77th minute.

Ward said: "I also think to respond so well to going behind is credit to the attitude and application of our team and we're delighted with the win today.

"We hit back and equalised straight away, which is good because so many times this season we've gone a goal behind and the heads have dropped, but that didn't happen today."

Next up for Watford are Sheffield Ladies at home on Wednesday before they finish their campaign against Durham Women on Sunday and Ward is upbeat about her side’s prospects.

"It might sound bold when we've only just got our first win of the season, but I think we can get six points from the two games we have left this season,” she said.

"They're both at home, it's a long trip down in mid-week for Sheffield and I'm sure they're not going to fancy that on a Wednesday night and as I said spirits are high at the moment.

"We've come off the back of a couple of really good performances, the win of course today is going to take us in there full of confidence and why not, we've got nothing to lose now.

"We are where we are and the chances are we're going to stay there but if we can finish the season on ten points we'll be really pleased and it'll give the players a lot of confidence going in to next season."

Watford Ladies: Kitching; Hallsworth, Hinchcliffe, O’Halloran, Kerr; Afuakwah (Gregoriou 85), Nuttall, Hill, Petkova (Dench 75), Fatuga-Dada (Harney 79); Ward. Subs not used: Baranowska, Poole, Dickens, Hughes.