Watford Ladies were narrowly defeated 3-2 by Millwall Lionesses in an incident-packed encounter at Harlow Town FC.
The hosts went two up inside twenty minutes thanks to Naomi Cole and Rosella Ayane, although the Golden Girls might have had the right to feel aggrieved at the penalty award for the first.
Ellie Mason’s spectacular strike gave hope before the break and then substitute Anneka Nuttall did likewise in the second half, after Ashlee Hincks had restored Millwall’s two goal lead.
Only a minute after scoring, Nuttall was given a red card for a clash with Cole. The Lady Hornets battled bravely to try and make it 3-3 but found an equaliser elusive.
It was an entertaining contest right from the start, with Watford having the better of the early stages on the 3G surface. Having impressed last week, Mason was again causing problems for the opposition defence. The striker with a goal-bound effort blocked and a shot just over early on.
Shortly after, came one of the game’s big talking points. While the ball appeared to strike Leighanne Robe’s hand, her arms were at her side and it was powerfully hit from a couple of yards away. The referee seemed to agree, with play carrying on before he spotted his flagging assistant, after consulting with the linesman, he pointed to the penalty spot.
Cole stepped up to take the spot-kick and sent Shayla Burgess the wrong way, the penalty going in with a little help from the post. Seven minutes later and the Lionesses doubled their lead. Hincks’ deep free-kick picked out Ayane who headed home.
Millwall were proving a threat from set-pieces and nearly made it three when Megan Goss hit the bar, with a follow up effort cleared off the line.
Watford were having some joy from open play though, with Jenna Dear impressing in the middle of the park. Some good work from her got the ball to Mason who, with little on, unleashed a strike from 30 yards out that arrowed into the top right hand corner to make it 2-1.
Only six minutes had gone in the second half before Millwall were again two goals to the good. Hincks with a great free-kick leaving S Burgess with no chance.
The response was immediate and it would have been a second for Watford, and Mason, without some brilliant goalkeeping. Ellie’s shot across the keeper was aimed right towards the bottom corner but Quantrill somehow managed to keep it out.
Nuttall was the game’s first substitute and after only two minutes on the pitch, she pulled it back to 3-2. A pass from midfield played her through, she held off the recovering defenders before keeping her composure and slotting past Quantrill.
Momentum had swung in the Golden Girls’ favour, however less than 60 seconds later it had all changed again. Nuttall and Cole got in a tangle of legs, with the Watford striker pushing her in the back to try and get free.
The Millwall centre-back went to ground clutching her face. Like earlier on, it was the linesman who flagged first, however this time the referee didn’t consult him, issuing a red card straight away.
Despite being down to ten, the team battled bravely and exerted plenty of pressure on the hosts’ goal in the search for an equaliser.
Watford had their best chance to make it 3-3 with around ten to play. Dear’s great pass found Mason, with the angle getting tighter by the second she tested Quantrill with a stinging effort that was palmed away, agonisingly nowhere near a yellow shirt.
With bodies committed forward, there was always the danger of a fourth on the counter. Ayane was found in plenty of space but S Burgess made herself big and kept it a one goal game with a great save. After six minutes of stoppage time, the full-time whistle went and a battling display from the Lady Hornets went without reward.
Watford: S Burgess, Heaslip, M Burgess, Robe, Gillard, Wride, Green (Farrow 89), Donnelly (Nuttall 59), Dear, Natkiel, Mason
Subs not used: Rowlands, Scheffer
Watford Ladies FC Goal Scorers: Mason 37′, Nuttall 61′
Red Card: Nuttall (62)
Millwall Ladies: Sarah Quantrill, Jordon Butler, Dionne Lennon, Naomi Cole, Leanne Cowan, Grace Fisk (Lilli Maple 78), Danielle Carlton, Megan Goss, Lily Agg, Rosella Ayane
Subs not used: Clara Sherwood, Fran Ali, Rinsola Babajide, Frankie Gibbs, Lauren David.
Millwall Lionesses Goal Scorers: Ayane 20′, Hincks 51′
Bookings: none
Red cards: none
