Watford fly past Crawley Wasps to book place in FA Cup third round
Watford outclassed Crawley Wasps to earn a 6-0 victory and progress through to the third round of the FA Cup.
Goals from Helen Ward (x2), Andria Georgiou, Flo Fyfe, Annie Rossiter, and Poppy Wilson were the result of an exhibition in offensive play by the Golden Girls.
Their victory earns them a third round tie away at Championship side Crystal Palace, where they will hope to demonstrate their quality against higher-tier opposition.
For Crawley Wasps, their ninth defeat in 13 games this season sees them knocked out in the second round for the fourth consecutive season.
From the start, Watford were clearly targeting the Wasps’ wings, with Fyfe excelling on the right.
She delivered several inviting crosses within the first ten minutes, with no one able to give them the finish they deserved.
Wilson was running the show in her role just behind the forwards, with her pinpoint passes providing the key to Fyfe and Gemma Davison getting in behind the Crawley full backs.
Such a ball allowed Davison to make her way into the box before launching a shot that seemed destined for the far corner, if not for a deflection.
However, Crawley’s physical approach would soon prove costly.
The Wasps were physical in their approach, which seemed to be a productive counter to Watford’s quick moving football, oozing with flair.
The resulting corner from Davison’s effort saw captain Ward brought down in the box. Referee Gulam Damji had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Ward stepped up and made no mistake, giving Chrissie Wiggins no chance from 12 yards to score her 150th goal for Watford.
The Golden Girls were on top for the remainder of the first half, dominating possession without creating any clear-cut chances, despite some excellent inter-play amongst the forwards.
The Wasps’ best chance of the half came when the ball fell to Natalie Taylor on the edge of the Watford box, with her effort proving to be Georgie Ferguson’s only action of the first 45.
Watford came out of the blocks in rapid fashion at the start of the second half, with Davison forcing Wiggins into several good saves, and Wilson smashing an effort against the post.
However, the Crawley net was breached just a minute later. Georgiou, who had not put a foot wrong in her position just in front of the back four, ventured forward and found the ball fall kindly to her in the box. She made no mistake in doubling the lead.
After a first half performance that warranted more than the one goal it produced, Georgiou’s strike acted as something of a catalyst.
In the twenty minutes following the second, the Golden Girls added four more through Fyfe, Rossiter, a second from Ward, and Wilson.
It is testament to the side’s attacking performance that there were five different names on the scoresheet. This point is furthered by the seamless integration into the frontline by substitutes Bianca Baptiste and Adekite Fatuga-Dada.
Crawley were well and truly outplayed by a Watford team whose attacking play would be of envy to any team.
