There were some very sad faces and drooped shoulders among the Watford Women contingent after their 3-3 draw with London City.

It was easy to understand why. Even for a group that exudes positivity and an exemplary attitude, seeing a 3-0 lead inside seven minutes turn into a draw in stoppage time is hard to take.

“Obviously we’re really disappointed and it feels like a loss,” said head coach Damon Lathrope.

“We know we can compete in this league, but we also know it’s the fine margins where we have fallen short so far – whether that be giving away cheap goals or not making the most of the opportunities we create.

“I’m so gutted for the players because I thought they were superb today and once we’ve got over the disappointment that should give us confidence that we can continue to compete with teams in the new year.”

It was really was a quite remarkable start as Watford hit the visitors with three goals in three attacks straight from the kick-off.

“I definitely didn’t think the job was done,” Lathrope admitted.

“I felt that sort of start had been coming. We’ve created a lot of opportunities in a lot of games and maybe not been as clinical as we would like.

“Today, the first three chances we created led to three goals. We hoped that would continue and we could really get out of sight, because that early in the game it was never going to be done at 3-0.

“But that wasn’t to be and they ended up taking the few chances they created.”

Could it be that having such a good lead so early led to the players mentally thinking the game was won?

“I don’t think they did, I really don’t,” said Lathrope.

“At the start of the second half we were probably as good, if not better, than we were in the first half.

“We continued to create very good opportunities, but we weren’t as clinical with those chances once we’d got into the lead.

“They had nothing to lose and when they got the first goal if lifted them a bit and then they were quite clinical with the opportunities they got at the end of the game.”

One massive plus was the performance of two-goal Michelle Agyemang, who now has three in two games since returning from a knee injury that had ruled her out since early September.

“There’s no disguising the fact that she makes a huge difference to us,” said Lathrope.

“We’ve been missing her big time, and that showed from the minute the game started until the moment she came off.

“She was really, really good today and gave us something we have been missing.

“She is so powerful that it gives you more options. As a midfielder or a defender you know you can put the ball in an area and she’s going to get there and make something of it.

“Likewise when you’re under pressure and you need to play the ball into someone, you know it’s going to stick.

“That breeds confidence through the rest of the team as you don’t need to think when you get the ball because you know those options are there.”