Report & Highlights: Eagles win again as Hughes & Guyatt down Watford

Summary:

• Four changes for Palace as Blanchard misses out through injury and Reilly is unwell
• Lambourne and Cataldo make first Palace league starts
• Hughes slots home the opener after only three minutes
• Nolan drills a shot but it’s blocked and cleared off the line
• Hughes nets her brace with a soaring header
• Guyatt bags her first senior goal with a 30-yard screamer
• HT: Watford 0-3 Palace
• Hoprcoft rattles the woodwork as Palace seek fourth
• Sharpe charges through the Watford half but can’t find the target
• Lambourne with a terrific save as she pushes a shot onto her crossbar
• Sibley comes off the bench to mark her return from lengthy injury
• FT: Watford 0-3 Palace

It didn’t take Hughes long to pick up from where she left off before the international break as she netted her first of the afternoon after only three minutes on the clock.

Molly Sharpe pounced on a poor pass between the Watford backline before slotting the ball through to Hughes, who rounded the ‘keeper to roll the ball over the line.

Not long after, Hayley Nolan did well to keep the ball alive inside the box and found some space before drilling a shot from a tight angle, but her effort was blocked and cleared on the line.

Up the other end, Demi Lambourne was quick off her line to get down and save a strong shot from Ellie Head after the home side broke forward.

Guyatt took advantage of another poor pass at the back from the Watford defence as she took control of the ball before finding Sharpe with a pass, but her driven shot was saved.

Hughes floated a well-weighted pass over the defence and into Sharpe’s feet. The striker attempted to chip the ‘keeper from out wide but her effort was caught.

Palace’s lead was doubled by Hughes just before the break as she and Sharpe linked up again. The Welsh forward rose highest inside the area to head home Sharpe's cross for her ninth league goal of the campaign.

Guyatt made it three to the Eagles in stoppage time as she got off the mark – her first professional goal – in spectacular fashion. The young midfielder found some space in the Watford half before thundering a strike from 30 yards out that bounced in off the crossbar.

Shanade Hopcroft then rattled the woodwork early on in the second-half as she struck an effort from inside the box following some good footwork from Sharpe.

Hopcroft then set Sharpe up as she floated a great pass into the winger’s feet, who charged through the Watford half towards the box, but her effort flew wide of the target.

Lambourne ensured she would keep a clean sheet on her league debut for the Eagles as she got up to push a goalbound shot onto her bar, before Aimee Everett cleared the ball away to safety.

Palace’s day was made even more memorable as Isabella Sibley come off the bench to make her first appearance in 11 months, after battling her way back from a serious knee injury.

The three points see Palace stay fourth in the Women's Championship table, just four points off top spot – with a game in hand on leaders Sunderland – and with back-to-back home matches against Lewes (on 12th November in Sutton) and Southampton (on 19th November at Selhurst Park) to come.

Palace: Lambourne (Negri, 69) (GK), Doran, Everett, Nolan, Cataldo, Arthur (Potter, 66), Hopcroft, Guyatt (Filbey, 80), Sharpe (Sibley, 90+2), Hughes, Dennis (Bailey-Gayle, 66)

Subs not used: Johnson

Watford: Goldsmith (GK), Lafayette, Meiwald (Leon, 61), McLean, Baptiste, Johns (Rossiter, 82), Head (Davison, 61), Bennett, Georgiou (Fleming, 54), Chandler, Haines (Wilson, 54)

Subs not used: Harris (GK), Palisch, Reid, Henson