Three points, two goals and a clean sheet made the long away trip to Durham very worthwhile as Watford Women claimed their first league victory since September 23.
The 2-0 win breathes life into the Hornets bid to stay in the Championship, and it temporarily lifted them off the foot of the table.
However, a draw between Reading and Lewes a couple of hours later means Watford returned to the bottom but only on goal difference.
They have nine points, the same as 11th-placed Lewes, and are now just three behind both London City (10th) and Reading (9th).
Watford will need to finish 10th or better to stay in the Championship, but with both Lewes and Reading still to play they are very much in control of their own destiny.
The 500-mile round trip also marked head coach Damon Lathrope’s 50th game in charge, and a second league win of the season was a fitting way to celebrate.
Watford got off to the perfect start when they took the lead after just two minutes.
Michelle Agyemang intercepted a pass back to Durham goalkeeper Tatiana Saunders, dribbled around the hosts’ stopper and then squared for Carly Johns to tap home her sixth goal of the season.
The power and pace of Agyemang has added an extra dimension to Watford’s attack since the on-loan Arsenal striker returned from injury, and she forced home keeper Saunders into a save after shaking off a challenge and firing goalwards.
At the other end, Safia Middleton-Patel made one fine save before the home side’s Lauren Briggs sent a curling shot against the underside of the bar.
Early in the second half Agyemang fired wide after getting in behind the Durham defence, before Johns saw a shot blocked with Coral Haines’ follow-up attempt was deflected wide for a corner.
Durham had moments of their own with Dee Bradley fizzing a shot wide and Amy Andrews steering her header narrowly over.
However, in the 65th minute, it was Haines who made the points safe for Watford when she got on the end of a lofted pass from Agyemang, steadied herself after a challenge with keeper Saunders, and then rolled the ball into the empty net.
That put paid to Durham, and they suffered their first home defeat in the Barclays Championship since November.
Watford: Middleton-Patel; Meiwald, McLean, Johns, Agyemang (Baptiste 75), Head (Lafayette 89), Bennett, Georgiou (Fleming 84), Harbert, Haines, Reid. Subs not used: Goldsmid, Leon, Rossiter, Wilson, Palisch
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