Plymouth Argyle Women v Watford Women

Argyle have a chance at securing a spot in the semi-final of the FA Women’s National League Cup on Sunday, 1 December, when they host Watford at Home Park (2pm).

Any quarter-final match comes with a high level of pressure. However, with the positive form in the competition, Head Coach Ryan Perks believes his side can progress further in the cup and repeat their winning performance against Billericay Town in the previous round.

“We’ve had a good run in the League Cup and are looking forward to playing Watford for the first time,” Perks told Argyle TV. “It is a little bit of an unknown. They’ve come down from the Championship, hit a small run of form in the last few weeks and are starting to creep up the table. We’re also looking forward to the opportunity to try to bounce back after a disappointing performance in the second half on Sunday against Exeter.

“The Billericay game started quite a good run for us in terms of results and although we only won the game 2-1, I think it was quite a comfortable win and probably should have been three or four if we took our chances. We've got to take confidence from that. We have got to respect the opponent, of course. Watford are a very good side and, like I just said, they have hit a bit of form.

“They are a good footballing side. They'll probably love playing at Home Park, have threats in wide areas and are clinical in front of goal, so we've got to limit opportunities. That's first and foremost. We've then got to have a good defensive structure and look after the ball when we have it.

Despite losing to Exeter in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup last week, Perks and his side have reflected on the result and looked at what needs to be done to be in a strong position when the teams walk onto the pitch on Sunday at the Theatre of Greens.

He said: “We’ve had a bit of reflection as staff on what we need to do but also the players have had a bit of reflection themselves. We've had some meetings and discussions around the game plan and have come up with one together on how we're going to set up, press and play out. That’s come from us as a group; not just the staff telling the players. It's a collective. We've come together and reinforced key messages of how we want the team to play.

“I think that's probably what we didn't do as well in the second half on Sunday. I think our structure went out the window. In the first 40 minutes, we were probably better than Exeter, but I think after the first goal, mentally we crumbled a bit. We've got to stay switched on, stay positive and limit Watford.”

Argyle were without key members of the squad on Sunday, through suspensions and injuries. Perks gave an update on how his side is looking ahead of the important quarter-final fixture.

“Ellie's [Sara] still not going to be available this weekend,” he said. “I know she was on the bench on Sunday, but she was never going to come on. She is injured. Ella's [Stephens] back from suspension, so she'll come back into the team, and Grace Smith's now in rehab and recovery. The squad's looking fine in terms of availability.

“There might be a couple of changes to the starting line-up to give some players an opportunity again. It’s nice to have a cup run, but the sole focus is getting ready to try and get three points away to Wimbledon in a couple of weeks.”

Although the result did not go the way of Argyle in the FA Cup, the Green Army got behind the side on a horrible day of weather. The support does not go unnoticed, and Perks is hopeful the fans can get behind the girls when they need it most.

“We do need their support on Sunday in the quarter-final,” Perks said. “It's easy for people to turn against us at 5-0, against Exeter especially, but they didn't. You could still hear them trying to get the girls up and still cheered when the goal went in.

"We've got to do our part on the pitch to get the fans excited, but we are a young squad, and I think they thrive off the energy given to them. So just come along, get behind the girls and we appreciate the support.”

Argyle are into the semi-finals of the FAWNL Cup following a hugely spirited 1-0 win over Watford at Home Park.

Despite coming under pressure for much of the game, Argyle scored through Lulu Jarvis on 30 minutes, and showed tremendous organisation and work-rate to see the game out and advance to the final four.

Watford, in the same division as Argyle, are sixth in that league, with 17 points from their ten games. The Greens showed respect to their higher-in-the-table visitors, and sat in a defensive shape as the Hornets dominated early possession.

Argyle looked organised, sharp and dogged as, while they accepted Watford would have most of the ball, the Greens made sure it was never easy. Indeed, save for a few long-range efforts that sailed wide, Watford seldom troubled the Argyle goal in the first half.

Perhaps the visitors' best chance came after Argyle had shown promise on the front foot. A Watford defender’s backpass came up a little short, and Charlotte Whitmore raced to get there first, just outside the area, ahead of goalkeeper Jacqui Goldsmid. Whitmore got a touch, and a spreadeagled Goldsmid blocked it – possibly with a hand – to Watford’s relief.

Seconds later, Watford attacked down their left, crossed, and Maia Lazaro’s angled effort at the far post flew over. It was the best position they had got into to that point, and it was a relief to see the ball sail into the stand.

Just before the half-hour mark, Argyle took the lead. The Greens had shown persistence, and slowly built down the right side, with Katie Dickson drifting infield and having a swing with her left foot. It was probably a combination of cross and shot, but it ended up veering towards the former as it took a deflection and arched into the air.

In the box, Jarvis read the flight of the ball best of all, met it with a well-timed header, and steered into the corner of the net.

The remainder of the half followed a similar pattern, but for all of Watford’s territorial superiority, they were entirely contained by the well-drilled Greens.

Watford started with purpose after the break, having a free-kick blocked and a couple more long-range potshots before a neat move on the left saw a cutback to Annie Rossiter, who dragged an effort wide.

Coral Haines then took aim from 20 yards, and the ball slammed the crossbar before bouncing out, hitting the oncoming Melis Mehmet, and trickling wide.

Moments later, a Watford corner looked set to go straight in before Caitlin Smith’s perfectly timed intervention diverted the ball’s path.

Whenever Argyle were able to break, they looked a threat, and after Jarvis sent an effort over from distance, the Greens put together a smart move down their right. Dickson’s fizzed ball into the feet of Whitmore allowed the forward to take the ball in and release Jarvis over to her left, but the ball was always getting away from her, and the chance was lost.

Naturally, Watford upped their intensity as the minutes wore on, the need to find an equaliser ever pressing. Bang on 75 minutes, Watford crossed low into the area again, finding substitute Ellie Head, who was denied by a superb save by Comfort Erhabor. As the ball fell loose, green-shirted players put bodies on the line, and kept the sheet clean once more.

Watford were, by now, encamped in Argyle territory, but the Greens continued to show indomitable spirit, repelling what came their way at all costs.

On the arrival of 90 minutes, the sight of a ‘+8’ graphic filling the screen may well have been a daunting one. Indeed, the game had entered the 101^st minute before the referee’s final, and oh-so-welcome, whistle blew, and Argyle had done it.

The semi-final draw will take place on the weekend of 14/15 December, with the fixture set for Sunday, 26 January.

Argyle: 56 Comfort Erhabor, 2 Katie Dickson, 4 Amii Kearley (3 Roxy Thomas, 78), 5 Giota Papaioannou (capt) (6 Taya Pomfret, 85), 7 Charlotte Whitmore, 8 Imy Crawford, 10 Georgia Wilson, 16 Ella Stephens, 17 Lulu Jarvis, 20 Fern Orchard (19 Erin O’Shea, 67), 26 Caitlin Smith. Substitutes: 1 Lily Felgate (gk), 15 Georgie Knott, 25 Jess Geach.

Goal: Jarvis 29

Booked: Dickson 46, Whitmore 90, Stephens 90.

Watford: 13 Jacqueline Goldsmid, 4 Anna Filbey, 7 Gemma Davison, 9 Madison Perry (16 Clarabella Hall, 72), 10 Annie Rossiter, 14 Maia Lazaro (21 Flo Fyfe, 60), 15 Andria Georgiou, 17 Megan Chandler (capt), 19 Daisy Hind, 23 Coral Haines, 25 Melis Mehmet (12 Ellie Head, 72). Substitutes: 1 Maria O’Sullivan (gk), 5 Anne Meiwald.

Attendance: 597

PLY Argyle Women

Watford