Relegation was confirmed for Watford Women this afternoon as they were beaten 2-0 at Vicarage Road by Charlton.
The defeat, coupled with Reading picking up a point in a goalless draw at Blackburn, means the Hornets drop out of the Championship less than a year after their glorious play-off final victory at Stadium MK elevated them back to the second tier.
The loss to Charlton was probably Watford’s season encapsulated in 90 minutes.
They matched their opponents in all areas, had their chances, worked tirelessly but ultimately came up short.
Charlton still have hopes of winning the league and yet they seldom looked nine league places and 27 points better than the Hornets.
Coral Haines was outstanding at the heart of the Watford midfield, her strength and ability to shield the ball coupled with a willingness to carry the ball meant she was the heartbeat of the team.
Charlton did a very good job of marshalling Arsenal-loanee Michelle Agyemang but that did create spaces and gaps for the all-action, bustling style of Bianca Baptiste to cause the visiting defence problems.
At the back, skipper Megan Chandler stepped back into the team after an injury-riddled season and played like she had never been away while the ever-impressive Sophie McLean continued her transition from midfield to defence with another accomplished, assured display.
With a win badly needed, Watford opted for 3-4-3 with Carly Johns and Bianca Baptiste playing up top to support fit-again Agyemang – and it so nearly worked inside the first minute.
Anne Meiwald clipped a ball behind the Charlton defence which Baptiste ran onto. Gray came to the edge of her box to try and narrow the angle, but Baptiste prodded the ball past her only for Ross to get round on the cover and clear from just inside the six-yard box.
In the 11th minute the visitors created their first chance when Skeels headed wide from a Roe corner.
Soon after Coral Haines broke and played a diagonal to Abbie Lafayette who had time and space down the left.
Her initial cross was only partially cleared and Johns gathered the loose ball before releasing a shot that Gray held.
Then Johns chipped an angled ball to the back post which Baptiste met with a header that was steered past Gary but ran across the face of goal.
After a period where the two sides cancelled each other out, Charlton’s Ayisi did well to create space 25 yards out before sending a rising shot over the bar.
Shortly after McGowan cut in from the left and tried a curling shot but it was always going wide of the far post.
Three minutes before the break Johns did really well to steal the ball just outside the box. She carried it into the area and then seemed torn between a shot and a cross and the chance was gone.
In the next attack Laila Harbert slid a pass between defenders which allowed Agyemang to turn in the area and then fire a shot that Gray parried away.
Two minutes into the second half Filis swung over a corner that was cleared back to her, and she struck an angled effort that went over the target, but it was indicative of the visitors making a brighter opening to the second period.
However, the way in which they took the lead after 56 minutes was nothing to do with any great play on their part.
Keeper Safia Middleton-Patel controlled a back pass but then took too long to clear and ended up hammering her attempted pass forwards against the closing Melissa Johnson, who simply walked the bouncing ball into the empty net.
Conceding the goal visibly took the wind out of Watford’s sails and for the next 10 minutes Charlton simply kept hold of the ball and moved it around the pitch.
A break in play allowed Matt Bevans to shuffle things, and he pushed McLean into an advanced midfield role, meaning Watford were effectively playing 3-3-1-3.
In the 68th minute McLean sent Johns racing away down the left. She cut into the box and headed for the by-line before being bundled to the round, but referee Mr Massey-Ellis waved play on.
The Hornets gave it a good go in the closing 20 minutes, but so often the final pass was blocked or they found themselves crowded out as Charlton got bodies behind the ball.
For the second day running a Watford team was faced with a large amount if stoppage time as the fourth official indicated an additional eight minutes.
However, within the first of them Charlton put the game beyond doubt as they broke down the left and the ball was cut back for Filis to beat Middleton-Patel with a firmly-struck shot from 12 yards.
The Watford keeper prevented a third two minutes later with a fine reflex save to keep out a close-range header from Muya.
The final whistle brought clear and obvious dejection among the Watford ranks, and that will take a while to dissipate.
But they’ve bounced straight back up last time they were relegated, so they can draw upon that as they try to do it again.
Watford: Middleton-Patel; Leon (Davison 86), Lafayette, Meiwald, McLean, Baptiste (Fyfe 75), Johns, Agyemang, Harbert (Rossiter 75), Chandler, Haines. Subs: Harris, Fleming, Head, Wilson, Palish, Werszko
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