Watford 1-3 Sheffield United
Izzy Goodwin scores two in a minute to secure a strong away win for the Blades
The Blades picked up a much-needed win on the (Vicarage) road, bouncing back from consecutive defeats with a solid away performance at struggling Watford. Izzy Goodwin scored twice in a minute to take her tally to seven for the season, although United were also indebted to a brilliant goal line clearance from Tara Bourne with the scores still level.
I’d billed this game as one United really should win, with Watford’s underlying numbers every bit as bad as their actual league position. The home side also came into this one winless in seven, with six of those being defeats. That’s not to reduce the merit of the win for United – after all, they probably would have expected to beat Durham last week too.
There was a slight change of shape from the Blades, with Bex Rayner playing wide left of a front three with Goodwin and Jess Sigsworth. In midfield, Ella Kinzett replaced Alanta Brown and played slightly ahead of Sophie Barker, with the Blades skipper seeming to benefit from having a bit more space around her when dropping deep to pick up the ball.
We haven’t seen masses of Kinzett so far this season – this was only her fifth start in the Championship – but what I have seen, I’ve liked a lot. This is the 19 year old’s second season of senior football, and it’s exciting to think about the kind of player she could develop into over the next few years.
She was signed from Manchester United in the summer, having spent a chunk of last season getting senior experience in the Women’s National League with Burnley (under the management of Jonathan Morgan at the time). She already looks like a plus athlete at this level, constantly on the move – making runs, getting stuck into tackles, passing the ball on and then showing again for a return. She has the makings of a really good number 8. I’m a fan.
Eleanor Heeps was a surprise selection in goal, with Fran Stenson picking up an injury midweek – hopefully this is just a minor one for Stenson, who would definitely be in the conversation as my player of the season so far even with Goodwin’s heroics.
The Blades started well, with Rayner having United’s first two attempts, firstly when Goodwin surged forward with the ball and found her in the box – but she miscued her shot. Next, she latched onto a well-placed throw from Charlotte Newsham and fired one straight at the keeper from a tight angle.
Goodwin collected a clever pass in behind from Rayner but for once the striker’s touch was lacking and the ball ended up getting knocked behind for a corner. However, from that set-piece the Blades took the lead.
Jodie Hutton – whose left-footed deliveries have been a real weapon this season, particularly from the right-hand side – swerved the corner into the near post and it brushed off a Watford head and straight into the net. It was Hutton’s second goal in three games since moving from left-back to midfield.
The Blades didn’t let up, with Newsham powering forward from left-centreback and winning another set-piece. Minutes later, Rayner sent Kinzett running in on goal with a fabulous defence-splitting pass with the outside of her right foot. Kinzett’s shot was well-saved, and then Goodwin screwed the rebound wide from 25 yards.
Goodwin continued to be a massive threat on the counter whenever Watford ventured forward. After a Hornets’ defender miscontrolled, Goodwin pounced and drove 40 yards with the ball before unselfishly teeing up the onrushing Rayner – but her shot was blocked.
Watford had yet to enter United’s penalty area but in the 26th minute they equalised. Newsham was booked for a foul on the right corner of the box, and Abbie Lafayette swung in a high cross from the free-kick. Harley Bennett got up well to beat Newsham to the ball and the Watford defender powered her header past Heeps from close range.
Newsham almost completed a bad couple of minutes by getting dispossessed 40 yards out and was relieved that Bourne headed clear. Bourne then smashed into a crunching challenge on halfway to kickstart another Blades counter.
United strung together some neat moves from back to front, but it was Watford who had the last major moments of the first half. First the experienced Bianca Baptiste outfoxed Rachel Brown on the corner of the box and fired in a powerful low shot that went just wide of the far post.
Then, as the game ticked into injury time, Bourne pulled off a magnificent, game-changing piece of defending. A long ball flicked off the head of Newsham and sent striker Carly Johns running in on goal; Johns steered the ball past the onrushing Heeps and sent it rolling towards the net but Bourne turned on the jets and somehow managed to turn it wide from right on the line.
After playing so well for the bulk of the half, it would have been a hammer blow to fall behind just before the whistle – so Bourne’s intervention was a huge momentum swing.
Instead, United began the second half on the front foot. Kinzett powered forward and released Sigsworth but the striker was tackled in the box, before an inch-perfect Rayner ball gave Goodwin a chance to shoot but she was denied by a great sliding block.
Watford made a change in midfield to try and staunch the Blades’ attacks, and it worked for the next 10 minutes or so as the home side were able to slow the game down and have a few attacks of their own.
That was only a breather, though, as United began to pour forward again. More brilliant play from Rayner set Hutton free on the left of the box and she fizzed her shot just over the bar.
Barker – who was excellent throughout – then stepped in to kickstart the move for the go-ahead goal. The Blades skipper read and picked off a pass in the middle and played a good pass forward towards Goodwin, with the striker playing a slick one-two with Sigsworth. That sent Goodwin bearing down on goal and her chipped finish was a classy end to an incisive move.
Moments later, the game was over and, of course, it was Goodwin again. Barker made another superb interception and sent the Blades’ top-scorer running. The Watford defender had a step on her but that’s rarely enough when Goodwin’s legs start churning, and the striker got there first and slipped a shot past the keeper to make it 3-1. Exactly 30 seconds had elapsed since Watford kicked off.
United saw the rest of the game out comfortably as Watford pushed more players forwards but could do little more than find Heeps’ gloves from long range. Rayner almost put Goodwin in for a hat-trick but Jacqui Goldsmid mopped up, before Sophie Haywood replaced Sigsworth and Charlie Doherty came on for Hodson with Hutton reverting to left-wingback.
Defensive midfielder Alanta Brown then came on for Rayner as United looked to lock the game down, and Goodwin got a well-earned ovation with Tamara Wilcock coming on in the 94th minute. Heeps was finally called into a meaningful save, pushing a bouncing header wide, before the final whistle blew as the Blades cleared the ensuing corner.
A really good win for United, then, and one of the more complete performances of the season against admittedly modest opposition. It leaves Watford bottom of the Championship, and it’s probably worth noting that all of United’s four wins have come against the teams immediately below them in the table – London City, Reading, Lewes, Watford – with losses to every team above them apart from surprise league leaders Charlton (a 1-1 draw on the opening day) and Crystal Palace, who they are yet to play.
The Blades have a Conti Cup game at Durham on Thursday before another international break, with the next league game not until the 17th of December. That, though, sees table-topping Charlton come to Bramall Lane in what will be a great barometer of whether United can really mix it with the top teams (they probably should have beaten the Addicks on MD1) or whether there’s still plenty of work to do.
Finally, that brace by Goodwin was her sixth and seventh goals of the season, putting her in joint-second place in the Championship top-scorers table behind Palace’s Elise Hughes who bagged two herself on Sunday.
She’s been a fantastic pickup by the Blades, even more so when you consider that there’s probably more to come as she refines her game (she doesn’t turn 21 until next month and this will be her first full year of senior football after a half-season at Coventry last campaign). Hopefully the Blades can hang on to her long enough for that refinement to take place at Bramall Lane.
Thanks for another great read Ben