Coventry United have retained their FA Women’s Championship status after beating Watford 1-0 at Vicarage Road this afternoon.
Mollie Green struck a stunning 97th-minute free-kick to keep Coventry United up and send opponents Watford down.
Coventry United were the better side in the first half, The Red and Greens taking the game to the hosts. Chances were largely at a premium but Katie Wilkinson saw a header cleared off the line while Nat Haigh headed an effort straight at Georgie Ferguson in the Watford goal.
The hosts’ only real chance of the first 45 first minutes fell to veteran attacker Gemma Davison. She drove her way through the Watford defence before firing straight at visiting keeper Lucy Thomas.
Chances were equally as hard to come by at the start of the second period. Wilkinson hit a low free-kick at Ferguson while Anne Meiwald headed a chance over for Watford at the other end.
The Golden Girls should have had a penalty 12 minutes from time when Haigh looked to have brought down Meiwald but play went on and Emma Beckett was only able to shoot straight at Thomas.
Coventry United kept pushing forward for the goal which would keep them up. Wilkinson fired at Ferguson before Grace Riglar directed a header onto the post. The winning goal did eventually arrive when Coventry United won a free-kick 30 yards from goal. Green stepped up to take it and she expertly found the top corner of the Watford net.
The hosts then hit the bar with a long distance free-kick before the referee’s whistle sounded and Coventry United’s safety was confirmed despite being handed a 10-point deduction for their former owners’ decision to file for liquidation mid-season.
The Red and Greens can now plan for their next chapter in the second tier while Watford return to the FA Women’s National League Southern Premier after one season back in the FA Women’s Championship.
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