Argyle Women picked up an impressive 3-0 victory over Watford in the first round of the FAWNL Cup on Sunday afternoon.
An Olivia Francis brace and a close-range finish from Tianna Teisar, along with stellar defensive work from all in Green, handed the Pilgrims the win in rainy conditions.
With the draw taking place on Monday evening, the Greens will not have long to wait to find out who they will face in the last 16 of the competition.
Head Coach Marie Hourihan was delighted with her side’s performance away from home and credited all players and staff for getting the job done against an unbeaten Watford side.
“We came in today with a real intent and appetite to win the game,” Hourihan told Argyle TV. “Our league fixture here, four or five weeks ago, provided us with a lot of learning, and I thought we got our game plan spot on today. We were aggressive both with and without the ball, and I think we dominated all areas of the game.
“The only slight disappointment, for me, was that it wasn't more than three goals. We certainly had a lot of opportunities in the second half, but I have to say, from minute one, the team were excellent across the board. The starters and finishers, who also came on, executed everything perfectly, so I’m really pleased.
“For us, it's now about beating these bigger teams around us. We played Bournemouth last weekend and were really disappointed coming away from the game with just a point. We felt that we could have been a bit more creative in that final third to get that goal, so we really wanted to come today and execute that final part of our play, and we did that to excellent effect.
“The kind of messages that I was expecting to deliver at half-time were that in all the areas that we were focusing on, we were excelling. Our regains on the transition and build-up play were super, it was just that final part in front of goal, so it was a perfect time to score and a well-worked goal. The press worked really well, and Ellie Noble played a great ball across to Olivia at the back post, which we'd asked her to do, and she finished it off brilliantly. For everyone today, it was great to see a plan come together. Everyone, from the staff to the players, delivered.
“We want to be really difficult to beat. I said that from day one of coming into this football club, and I think we've got that balance right today. We didn't allow Watford to play. Our back four and goalkeeper were excellent.
“We had a couple of changes, and the beauty for me now is our squad depth. We've got real competition for places, and with the substitutes coming on, you can see the depth now to finish games. For me, it’s really pleasing to see across the board.”
