The head coach of Watford Women is adamant he will not need to motivate his players for Thursday’s big top-of-the-table clash with Oxford United following their cup final disappointment yesterday.

The Golden Girls suffered a late 3-2 extra-time defeat against Nottingham Forest in the FA WNL Cup final, but they will need to put that loss behind them quickly as they face the Southern Premier Division leaders at Vicarage Road on Thursday in their penultimate game of the regular league season.

Speaking after the final at Burton Albion’s Pirelli Stadium, Damon Lathrope said: “The team’s mentally very, very strong. It’s such a good culture, a great environment.

“They’ll be sore tonight, they’ll be disappointed but we’ll go in on Tuesday, we’ll do our prep work and I will not have to motivate this group of players for that game.

“They’re already talking about it and we know if we produce what we know we can we can beat anyone on our day.

“We’ll do the work we need to do to make sure we’re ready for Thursday and the players will be raring to go for sure.”

Gemma Davison had given the Hornets the very early advantage from a corner, but Forest battled back to lead 2-1 in the opening stages of the second half, before Poppy Wilson equalised.

But the Northern Premier Division leaders, who Watford could meet again in the National League play-off if they win their division, clinched the trophy five minutes from the end of extra-time.

“To lose in that manner, that late, after putting in such a shift it’s really disappointing,” Lathrope admitted. “I’m disappointed for the girls because they deserved to win in my opinion.

“It was a very, very good game, a great showcase for this league, two very good teams both trying to win the game.

“I think at the time that third goal went in I thought we were on top and we were looking like the team that was going to nick it if anyone.

“That’s the way football goes sometimes but I’m really, really proud of the group.”

Both teams had periods of the match when they were on top and Lathrope said: “It was quite evident there was a bit of a contrast in styles. We were going to try and pass the ball and they’re a lot more physical and a lot more direct which they do really well and they were effective at it today.

“It too’d and fro’d, I think for spells we were in control and then they got on top of us, and on reflection maybe a penalty shoot-out would have been a fair decider.”