There was plenty of credit to be gained for Watford Women as they bowed out of the FA Cup, losing 5-1 to Arsenal in front of a full house at Boreham Wood FC.
It was only a couple of goals in the final five minutes that stopped the Hornets from finishing even closer to the team that has won the competition more than any other, although on possession and chances created it was hard to argue that Arsenal didn't deserve a healthy victory.
To put the two teams into context, Arsenal are fully professional and full-time, while Watford’s players are part-time and most of them have regular jobs as well as playing football.
The Golden Girls prepared for the tie with two training sessions after work in midweek and a third yesterday morning: Arsenal’s entire squad went away for warm-weather training in Portugal.
The 11 players that Arsenal started with had more than 750 full international caps between them, and could boast four winners of the Euros, a CONCACAF champion, a World Cup runner-up and an Olympic silver medallist.
Yet Watford stuck to their task despite being two goals behind after 12 minutes, and showcased the progress that has been made in the Watford Women's set-up over the last couple of seasons.
Now they face their 10 remaining league games with the aim of lifting themselves off the foot of the Championship table and up to 10th or better which will retain their place in this division.
It took just six minutes for Arsenal to break the deadlock, Victoria Pelova letting fly with a shot that Jacqi Goldsmid couldn’t hold, and England striker Alessia Russo was in the right place at the right time to net.
Another six minutes later, Arsenal doubled their lead as Pelova smartly dummied a corner to allow the waiting Lia Walti a chance to curl a shot into the bottom corner.
Katie McCabe’s corner was headed just over by Amanda Ilestedt before Goldsmid made a good stop from a free-kick.
Russo had chances to add to her earlier goal, first shooting wide of the bottom left corner and then seeing another effort strike the crossbar.
Five minutes before the break a combination of Katie Reid and skipper De Georgiou blocked another chance near the line, meaning Arsenal led only 2-0 at half-time.
The hosts continued to be very much on the front foot after the interval and when Beth Mead crossed for Caitlin Foord at the far post, she was denied by a fine save from Goldsmid.
Miedema was next to have a go, cushioning the ball just past the post after a right-wing cross from Arsenal debutant Emily Fox.
The Dutch international went for goal again moments later and the ball rebounded to Mead, who smashed it high and wide.
Russo was still searching for her second of the game and her next attempt met the same fate as others earlier, the shot being deflected wide of the target.
The Gunners made a clutch of subs just after the hour mark, and one of the newcomers – Swedish international striker Stina Blackstenius – extended Arsenal’s lead in the 66th minute.
Pelova’s pass was dummied by Mead, allowing substitute Blackstenius to run in on goal and tuck the ball beyond the onrushing Goldsmid.
Goalscorer then almost turned provider as Blackstenius touched the ball delicately into the path of Frida Maanum, but her powerful drive towards goal was pushed behind for a corner by Goldsmid, who then made another good save to deny Cloe Lacasse.
Then, in the 77th minute, Watford pulled a goal back.
Arsenal tried to play their way out of their own area but Georgiou snapped into a tackle on the edge of the box and Poppy Wilson guided the loose ball into the path of Michelle Ageymang, and she slotted home against her parent club.
Arsenal restored their three-goal cushion four minutes from time when a McCabe corner was headed back across goal and into the net by Ilestedt for 4-1, and two minutes from time Maanum made it 5-1 when she converted a Blackstenius cross.
Watford: Goldsmid; Leon (Lafayette 58), Meiwald (McLean 58), Agyemang, Georgiou (Fleming 81), Harbert, Wilson, Fyfe (Palisch 69), Haines (Johns 81), Reid, Henson. Subs not used: Davison, Baptiste, Rossiter, Head
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