Exeter City Women ended their debut third tier season in fourth place after a 2-2 comeback draw against Watford in front of record crowd at St James Park.
After falling two goals behind inside just four minutes, the Grecians bounced back to draw the game level in the second half thanks to a Sarah Stacey penalty and Ishbel Zuurmond’s close range finish. Sophie Gillies could have won the game in second half stoppage time but her one-on-one effort was saved by Watford keeper Hermione Cull.
On a day where Exeter City bid goodbye to Zoes Watkins and Cunningham, who would be making their final appearances in red and white, City boss Abbie Britton made four changes from the defeat to Hashtag United a fortnight ago, with Watkins coming into the starting line up. Beth Ireland, Sarah Stacey and Liv Giles joined her in the side, with young striker Matilda Franchi returning from loan at Bridgwater United to rejoin the squad.
First Half
Watford got off to the perfect start to silence the 3,179 record crowd at St James Park as they took the lead inside just two minutes. As City failed to clear their lines, a cross from the left hand side to the back post fell to Isabel Fisher, who took a touch, controlled and lashed the ball home at Giles’ near post and into the roof of the net.
Unsettled by the early set back, the Grecians had barely recovered when Watford doubled their lead in fortuitous circumstances. Picking the ball up on the right hand side, Flo Fyfe attempted to deliver a lofted ball into the area for her attacking teammates. Fortunately for her, and unfortunately for Giles, her cross hit the far post and rebounded off Giles to double Watford’s lead.
Before the clock had struck 15 minutes, it could have been three but for Bow Jackson’s goal-saving tackle on the edge of the box to deny Jessie Gale.
After the initial shock of the Hornet’s lightning start, City began to find a foothold in the game. City’s playmaker down the wing, Amber Pollock was creating the best of the first half chances for the Grecians as she pulled the ball back for Gillies just inside the area who saw her shot go just wide.
Watford hit the post soon after, but it was still the Grecians having the better of the play when the tenacious Ireland won the ball back in the middle and found Gillies, who laid it off for Pollock to see her effort blocked.
Mollie Taylor then smashed a volley wide from a Pollock corner, before City’s no.23 was creator once again as she raced forward to find Stacey. Stacey took a touch from the delightfully weighted ball, drove into the area and had a go, but Cull made a comfortable save.
Watford could have gone into the break three to the good had Phoebe Baker not hooked an effort away off the line, as the first 45 ended with half chances for both teams. 2-0 to the visitors at the break, but in reality it could have been 4-4.
Second Half
Britton’s message at the break, whatever it may have been, clearly worked as City flew out the traps in the second half. It was a second half performance that warranted three points, though a two-goal fightback and the dominance showed was certainly pleasing on the eye for those of a red and white persuasion.
Five minutes into the second period, SJP rose to its feet as Watkins bid farewell to Exeter City. Replaced by Maya Kendell for Britton’s first change of the match, Watkins left the field for the last time as a Grecian to a rapturous applause from the crowd, her teammates, and even Watford manager Reneè Hector.
When the competitive action resumed, it wasn’t long before the Grecians were handed the opportunity to find a way back into the game.
Looking to control a ball over the top in the corner of the area, Gillies was wiped out by Hornets keeper Cull and the referee had no hesitation in pointing straight to the spot. Had Watkins been on the pitch, it could have been a chance for one final strike from City’s penalty master, but the ever reliable Stacey was the one to step up from 12 yards. Stacey simply does miss penalties, and she sent Cull the wrong way to half the deficit.
If Watford’s early double was quick, City’s was just a fast and it wasn’t long before it was 2-2.
Fighting for the aerial ball inside Watford’s half, Gillies got the ball to Pollock on the left hand side with the pacy winger racing into the area at speed. She cut the ball across goal, and after the cross deflected off a Watford defender, Zuurmond was there to lash home the leveller just two minutes after Stacey’s penalty. Pandemonium inside SJP, with none happier than Zuurmond’s students in the Adam Stansfield Stand with their ‘Go Miss Zuurmond!’ banner.
There was chance to turn the game on its head as that Pollock-Gillies combination linked up again. Pollock played a weighted ball through the middle of defence for Gillies, who snatched first time at her effort under pressure and dragged an effort wide.
With half-chances again for either side, there was little to split the sides until the Grecians came all so close to a third goal. Emily Toogood, who was brought on alongside the retiring Cunningham for Ireland and Jaydee Seaman, seemed to have put the ball out of the play with her hopeful looping cross. After what seemed like an age in the air, the ball dropped onto the crossbar behind Cull and only the quick reactions of her defender prevented the ball from ending up over the line.
There was one final chance for the Grecians to win the game, and they could not have come closer. Once again it was Gillies who latched onto the defence splitting ball and raced through one-on-one with Cull, who was quick off her line. With little time to think, Gillies tries to squeeze the ball under the keeper, but was denied, as was the chance to win the game.
Ultimately, City would have to settle for a draw on what was an entertaining game of third tier football. With the sun shining, a new record attendance registered, and hopefully the next generation of women’s footballers inspired, the Grecians can be proud of their efforts – and the season as a whole.
City XI: Giles (GK), Jackson ©, Seaman, Baker, Ireland, Stacey, Zuurmond, Watkins, Taylor, Gillies, Pollock.
Subs: Bond (GK), Toogood, Sandland, Kendell, Cunningham, Everson, Franchi.
Watford XI: Cull (GK), Meiwald, Chandler ©, Peart, Perry, Rossiter, Head, Haines, Fisher, Fyfe, Gale.
Subs: Davison, Mehment, Baptiste.
Referee: Mark Dobrijevic
Attendance: 3,179