Two goals right out of the top drawer in the space of seven second-half minutes took Watford to the top of the FA Women’s National League South as they beat previous table-toppers Oxford United 2-1 at Vicarage Road to keep their title dream very much alive.

The Hornets had to do it the hard way, going a goal down early on and struggling to truly get a grip on the game in a somewhat nervous first-half.

It was very different after the break though as Watford increased the tempo, were far more on the front foot and took the game to the visitors.

Indeed, there were periods of the second 45 minutes where Oxford had 11 players behind the ball and had to resort to long clearances just for some respite.

There were heroes all over the pitch for Watford, but in Gemma Davison they had the star turn. She had that extra class and finesse that meant Oxford were never quite sure what to do with her. Stand off and she ran at them, get too close and she spun and got away.

Dre Georgiou put in a really breathless shift in midfield, often doing the hard yards in front of the defence and then playing it simple when she won the ball.

Alongside her Annie Rossiter was a bag of tricks and energy, covering so much ground and always a willing runner.

The two goals will live long in the memory of the 1,058 fans who braved a very wet and chilly night, and were worthy of winning such a key game.

When Bianca Baptiste thumped home the equaliser from the corner of the box she can’t have imagined that within a few minutes her epic strike might be bettered – but arguably the 30-yard dipping drive on the run from substitute Araya Dennis did just that.

Either way, they were two magnificent strikes that capped a determined performance sprinkled with classy touches and neat play all the over pitch – it was heartening just to see a team in yellow at Vicarage Road stand up to be counted when they went a goal down and then serve up a wholehearted team performance where every player wanted to play their part and support their teammates.

Watford now sit top of the table on 50 points, with a trip to mid-table Billericay to come. Oxford, on 48 points, drop to second and they host Gillingham before rounding off with a trip to third-placed Ipswich Town (47 point), who will have hosted Cheltenham before that.

The maths are that if Watford beat Billericay, it’s likely that they will need Ipswich to take a point off Oxford. If they do, Watford will most likely win the title by a point. Should Ipswich beat Oxford, then the Hornets would probably take the league on goal difference.

However, two wins from their last two games for Oxford will deny Watford the league crown, despite this epic victory this evening.

Watford started brightly and eight minutes in Davison picked the ball up on the left flank, drove forward before cutting in and firing wide from 20 yards.

Oxford went ahead after 11 minutes with their first goal attempt. Shelly Provan hit a deep cross from the left and Tash Stevens got in round the back to nod down and into the net.

Five minutes later Watford had a great chance when Ellie Head held the ball up well and then slipped a pass into the path of Rossiter. She left her marker in her wake, got into the box and checked inside a tackle, but then saw her shot blocked.

Shortly after Davison swung over a ball from the left and Baptiste did well to stretch and reach it at the back post, but she couldn’t get power on her header and Rose Kite saved.

In the 27th minute Davison’s willingness to run at the Oxford defence saw her fouled 20 yards out. Sophie McLean stepped up and lifted the free kick over the wall but Kite was well positioned to save.

There was a let-off for the Hornets in the 37th minute when they messed up a quick free kick and Oxford broke, the ball being laid off to Jenna Legg who sent a 25-yard effort just wide.

Six minutes after the break a superb pass from Head split the Oxford defence and put Baptiste in a great position on the left of the box, but her low cross was too close to Kite and she gathered well.

In the 55th minute superb determination and a piece of true skill from substitute Dennis saw her win the ball back on the left and then jink inside. Her cross-come-shot was palmed away by Kite and Head scooped the loose ball over the bar.

Another great chance went begging four minutes later when Davison’s ball into the box was laid off by Head and Poppy Wilson stepped inside a challenge but then rolled her shot wide of the post.

Finally Watford levelled in the 64th minute, and they did it in some style. Rossiter hit an early ball forward and Baptiste ran onto it – she had one touch and could have had another but instead let fly from 18 yards out on the angle and the shot whistled past Kite and into the roof of the net.

It was some strike from Baptiste and was going in from the moment it left her foot, but the pass from Rossiter – who spotted Baptiste’s run from way back in her own half – was equally sublime.

But if that goal was a cracker then the one that made it 2-1 in the 71st minute was possibly even better.

Davison played the ball into Dennis and she had a touch midway inside the Oxford half before sending a searing, dipping 30-yard drive way beyond the reach of Kite and into the net.

It was reward for an impressive 45 minutes from Dennis who has a tremendous turn of pace and seemed to love just running at the Oxford defence, going both inside and outside at will.

Watford sent on both Helen Ward and Flo Fyfe – what luxury to have players of that quality on the bench – in the last 20 minutes and that gave Oxford a different problem to think about.

However, as the game wore on the visitors started to push Watford back as they went in search of a leveller.

The closing 10 minutes were a little nervy for Watford as Oxford sent a couple of tall defenders forward, but for all their efforts they rarely threatened and after what felt like an overly long spell of stoppage time the final whistle brought scenes of sheer delight.

Watford: Goldsmid; Gibson (Dennis h/t), Rossiter, Baptiste (Fyfe 78), Davison (Wallace 90), Head (Ward 65), Georgiou, Chandler, Wilson, Palisch, McLean. Sub not used: Brough