Timms and Hazard fire Lewes to away win over Watford

After last weeks postponed match against Blackburn Rovers, it took Geogia Timms and Amelia Hazard to score a goal apiece in each half against the Golden Girls. It leaves Lewes seventh - just six points behind London City Lionesses in second.

Despite Watford having a goal disallowed in the first five minutes, it was Lewes who had a string of half-chances including Izzy Dalton and Timms both firing wide, and Heidi Logan forcing Mia Smith into a good low save.

It took 22 minutes for Lewes to break the deadlock after a good run and shot from Hazard was parried by Watford goalkeeper Smith, enabling Timms to bundle the ball over the line.

Watford had a chance to equalise late in the first half, but Adekite Fatuga-Dada and Flo Fyfe's attempts were cleared by a resilient Lewes defence, including a goal line stop by Nicola Cousins.

The Rooks began the second half with a string of corners, and despite the clearance off the line, they were unable to capitalise.

With 20 minutes to go, good build up play from sub Josie Longhurst, Timms and Howells found Hazard who made a clean strike to double Lewes' lead.

The loss leaves Watford 11th in the table, and are due to host Sheffield United in three weeks' time where they'll hope to score their first league goal of the new calendar year.

The Rooks' next league game is at home to Bristol City on March 6.

Lewes (4-5-1): Shannel Salgado, Ellie Mason, Amelia Hazard, Nicola Cousins, Ellie Hack, Rebecca McKenna, Georgia Timms, Heidi Logan, Paula Howells, Izzy Dalton, Zoe Cross. Substitutes: Lucy Porter for Cross 68, Josie Longhurst for Logan 68 , Lucy Ashworth-Clifford for Howells 81. Substitutes not used: Laura Hartley, Rhian Cleverly, Sophie O’Rourke, Lea Cordier, Freda Ayisi

Goals: Timms 22, Hazard 70

Referee: Melissa Burgin

Lewes goal scorer Georgia Timms said: “Buzzing. It was a great game for us. Obviously with the conditions, it was a horrible game, but we got through it, and we took our chances. The conditions played a big part today.

“Going all the way to Blackburn was a tough one to take, but obviously we rolled onto the next game. This one was a big one, especially with the weather. We were like, no matter what happens, we’re going to put everything into it.

“[Vs Blackburn] We need to take the confidence that we’ve taken from taking our chances. We just want to go into Blackburn and get them three points, because we have been up there already! We want to get what we went there for.”

Watford forward Helen Ward said: “Disappointed is the only word we can really use. We had a new manager bounce at the start of the year, and some good performances, even if we weren’t quite getting the results. The last couple of games we haven’t been good enough, and today especially. At home, we expect a lot better of ourselves.

"I don’t think there’s any positives. It’s a tough place to be in when you’re not scoring goals. You’re not going to give yourself much of a chance if you’re not creating anything, or taking the opportunities you do get. We’re not despondent, we’re not down, we’re not out. We’ll keep fighting.

"We have a couple of weeks to work on things on the training ground where the majority of players will be in training. It’s up to us now to get it right.

"It’s a chance to get back to basics. That was the most disappointing thing today, the basics weren’t there. As footballers, that’s what we should be priding ourselves on. It’s difficult conditions, but it’s the same for both teams. They’ve just been the better side today."

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