FA Tesco Women's Premier League
2pm, Sunday 16 November 2008
Northwood FC
Watford felt they dropped two points on Sunday, after squandering a 3-1 second half lead to Bristol Academy at Northwood FC.
The Hornets stormed into the lead thanks to a brace from skipper Helen Lander and another effort from defender Lisa Burrows, but the visitors found their way back into the game to pick up a precious point on the road.
After losing this fixture by 6-2 last season, Bristol must have thought it was all going to happen again when Lander was played in on the right to strike Watford ahead in only the sixth minute.
The home side couldn't take advantage of that though and Bristol were back on level terms just after the half hour mark when a penalty was awarded for handball.
Katie Daley stepped up to equalise and send the teams in all square at the half time break.
Less than ten minutes after the re-start and Watford were back in front though. A deep cross from the right was missed by everyone in the Bristol defence but Lander was alert enough to wrap her left foot around the ball and guide it home from a tight angle.
The third arrived just after the hour mark when a Watford corner was only partially cleared by the Academy defence. It was picked up by Burrows and she looped a shot over the defence and goalkeeper to put the hosts in control.
Bristol responded almost immediately though, when midfielder Grace McCatty made some space before firing a low shot at goal from 25 yards which beat the goalkeeper and nestled in the bottom corner.
The equaliser arrived with just eight minutes remaining and it was unfortunate for Burrows who scored at the wrong end this time, when her attempted block on a shot wrong-footed the goalkeeper and rolled agonisingly over the line and into the net.
The drama still wasn't over though, as Watford could've won it only for Lander's long range strike to come crashing back off the bar.
"It was strange, because I'm used to scoring all my goals in the box," laughed Lander after the game.
"I think it was the best I've ever struck a football!
"We had a great second half though and we're really disappointed that we haven't got the three points.
"Bristol will be glad to be coming away with a point and we're all disappopinted at only getting one.
"We created a few chances, attacked well and worked well as a team so at 3-1 we should really have closed the game out."