An early goal was enough for Sheffield United to condemn Watford Women to defeat and leave them sitting bottom of the Championship table.

The 1-0 loss used up one of the Hornets’ games in hand and means they now really must get something from Sunday’s match at Lewes to keep their hopes of staying up alive.

It was a pretty even game with not too many chances, but Watford’s old nemesis – defending set plays – came back to bite them again.

Once they’d gone behind they had good spells and hit the woodwork, but they just didn’t do enough with the possession they had.

The Hornets’ squad was stretched with both goalkeepers unavailable – Safia Middleton-Patel is injured and Jacqui Goldsmid has concussion.

Therefore goalkeeping coach Sophie Harris came in for her third appearance of the season.

Striker Michelle Agyemang, so influential in recent weeks, also missed the game through injury while Harley Bennett was out due to family reasons.

There was an early chance for Watford as Carly Johns got between defenders to head Coral Haines’ floated pass wide, but the home side bossed the opening period and went ahead after nine minutes.

Jodie Hutton struck a firm and deep corner from the right and Tara Bourne peeled away inside the six-yard box to head home with the aid of a deflection.

Watford were struggling to get out of their half and Harris had to parry when the dangerous Izzy Goodwin let fly from the right of the box.

Slowly Watford played their way back into the game and in the 26th minute Anne Meiwald’s long throw dropped for Lucia Leon to send a dipping shot just over the bar.

In the next attack Watford came so close to levelling.

Haines turned just inside the area and then chipped into the six-yard box. Ellie Head got in between two defenders and sent in a header that beat keeper Fran Stenson but hit the bar.

On the stroke of half-time United also grazed the woodwork. Once again it was Goodwin, powering away down the right, checking and then shooting from a tight angle – the ball deflected off Meiwald and clipped the bar on its way over.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first initially with the home side bossing possession and Watford struggling to make headway in the final third.

Two minutes after the restart a great burst down the right from Rachel Brown allowed her to cross from the by-line and Goodwin got there first at the front post but headed just wide.

There were half-hearted penalty appeals as Johns got behind the defence in the box, checked and went down, but it was more of a slip than anything else.

Watford started to enjoy better possession in the United half as the second period wore on, but all too often their good approach play floundered as they struggled to navigate a path through the home defence.

However, they came very close to levelling in the 79th minute.

Haines’ corner from the left wasn’t cleared and Charlotte Fleming connected with a shot that was blocked by a defender.

The ball ran loose and substitute Annie Rossiter followed up but her shot was also thwarted by an outstretched leg.

In the 89th minute Johns slid a ball into the box but sub Bianca Baptiste couldn't get to it ahead of a defender and keeper Stenson smothered at her feet.

Watford: Harris; Leon, Lafayette, Fleming, Meiwald, McLean, Johns, Head (Rossiter 69), Georgiou (Chandler 90+6), Wilson (Baptiste 83), Haines. Subs not used: Palisch, Fyfe