City Women were punished by a ruthless Watford side as a hattrick from Maddison Perry helped the Hornets to a 4-1 victory at the County Ground.
Despite a positive opening period from the Grecians, three well-taken chances were converted for the visitors before the interval, along with a fourth mid-way through the second half. Still pushing until the final whistle, City got a goal back through Amber Pollock in injury time, but it was to little too late, as the team fell to their third defeat of the season.
Abbie Britton made eight changes from the side that beat Abingdon United in the WNL Cup the previous weekend, with Abbi Bond returning between the posts, Bow Jackson back in the heart of defence wearing the captain's armband and Fearne Slocombe partnering Leah Burridge in midfield. Sophie Gillies started up top, with Sarah Stacey once again dropping slightly deeper into attacking midfield.
First half
City started brightly and created the first chance of the match when Amber Pollock found space to shoot from distance. Her strike was spilled by the Watford keeper, and while Ishbel Zuurmond reacted quickest, a defender recovered just in time to block the follow-up. The Grecians recycled the ball out to the right and crossed again, but Zuurmond’s flicked header went narrowly wide.
Against a side of Watford’s quality though, mistakes were always likely to be punished - and City gifted the visitors their first real opportunity. A misplaced clearance from Abbi Bond was seized upon by a Hornets midfielder, who slipped through Perry one-on-one, but Bond redeemed herself with a strong save down low at the near post.
There were strong appeals for a penalty soon after when a Maddie Durrant through ball sent Sophie Gillies into the box, but despite the keeper colliding with the City striker as she regained possession, the referee waved play on.
The Grecians continued to press, with Sarah Stacey testing the keeper from close range, but it was Watford who struck first in the 26th minute.
Perry broke free down the left and appeared to chip a cross towards the far post, only for the ball to dip over Bond and clip the crossbar on its way in.
City were still reeling when Watford doubled their advantage just minutes later. A corner from the right was flicked across goal and fell kindly to Megan Chandler, who volleyed home from inside the area to make it 2-0.
Stacey had a golden opportunity to pull one back before the break after Zuurmond’s cross was helped on by Gillies into her path, but from close range she fired over. That miss proved costly, as Perry added her second moments later - cutting in from the left and curling a stunning 30-yard effort into the top corner beyond Bond’s reach.
The visitors could have had a fourth before half-time too, with Filbey heading just wide from another corner.
Second half
City began the second half with intent but found themselves under pressure again early on, as Jaydee Seaman had to clear a low cross off the line to prevent another Watford goal.
With Bow Jackson forced off through injury in the first half and Mollie Taylor following 10 minutes into the second, Abbie Britton reshuffled her defence, pushing midfielders Emily Poole and Fearne Slocombe into the back line to inject fresh energy.
Despite City’s efforts to push forward, clear chances were hard to come by, with most efforts coming from distance and failing to trouble the goalkeeper.
Bond was called into action midway through the half, producing a smart stop from a low shot inside the area, but moments later Perry completed her hat-trick - rounding the keeper before finishing from a tight angle past the recovering defenders.
To their credit, City refused to give in and kept pressing until the final whistle. Zuurmond almost capitalised on a short goal-kick late on, her shot spilled by the keeper before being cleared at the last moment by a defender.
The Grecians finally found a deserved consolation two minutes from time. Zuurmond raced through the Watford backline and squared for Pollock, who swept home first time into the bottom corner.
It was no more than City’s effort merited, but the damage had been done earlier, as they slipped to their third defeat of the season against a clinical Watford side.
Up next
The Grecians face back-to-back matches against all-new opponents in the coming fortnight, with a long trip to Real Bedford next Sunday followed by a home WNL Cup match against Fulham the following week. Back the side to bounce back and get your tickets by clicking here!
Exeter City Women XI: Bond, Zuurmond, Seaman, Jackson (C) (Baker, 42'), Taylor (Poole, 55'), Pollock, Slocombe, Burridge, Durrant (Ireland, 76'), Stacey (Sandland, 76'), Gillies (Sara, 55').
Subs not used: Giles (GK), Toogood
Goal: Pollock 90+1'
Attendance: 352