Two more goals for Gale as Watford hit seven at Chesham

Jessie Gale made it three goals in two games with a second-half brace, while there were first goals for the Hornets from Maia Lazaro and Clarabella Hall.

The game also saw the return to action of Kalani Peart after 18 months out through injury.

Having taken a grip on the match from the start, Watford went ahead after 17 minutes as Gemma Davison’s pass switched play and Lazaro controlled it before cutting in and releasing a shot that squirmed under the keeper.

Davison created the second goal just three minutes later as she mesmerised the home defence with a series of step-overs before dragging the ball back for Poppy Wilson to net.

It was 3-0 in the 25th minute as Hall used her strength to hold off a challenge before tucking the ball away.

To their credit, the home side rallied and pulled one back before half-time when Gemma Fraser latched onto a loose ball and finished past the advancing Jacqui Goldsmid.

Sent on at half-time, Gale needed only eight minutes to have an impact as she got behind the home defence and then finished clinically.

She then made it 5-1 in the 56th minute as her pressing enabled her to steal the ball before surging into the box and firing into the corner.

The striker so nearly completed a rapid hat-trick when she chased down a hopeful ball over the top, took it round the keeper, but her left-footed effort flew just wide of the post.

Coral Haines headed just wide and Sophie McLean saw her shot come back off the post, but the Hornets made it 6-1 when Lachante Paul pounced on a loose ball to shoot past the keeper.

McClean then rounded off the victory with a deserved goal as Gale turned provider, running down the wing before finding the midfielder on the edge of the box to fire home.

Watford: Goldsmid; Hind, Bishop, Peart (Chandler ht); Filbey (Haines 68), Wilson (McLean ht); Rossiter, Head (Gale ht); Davison, Hall (Paul 63), Lazaro. Unused subs: O’Sullivan, Meiwald.