A travelling Chelsea Ladies side secured three points at Watford after an exciting game saw us take a two-goal lead before the break.

This was our first league game in three weeks after the defeat to Doncaster Belles and the match proved to be the perfect opportunity to instil confidence back in the side as Watford are always a competitive and tough team to play.

A bumpy, small pitch did not make for a particularly attractive game of football but the Blues immediately took control and broke the deadlock within five minutes when Ellen White latched onto a precision pass from Lorrie Fair to slot the opener home.

Despite controlling the first-half of the game, the Ladies still conceded an equaliser when some sloppy defensive play allowed Helen Lander to capitalise on our mistakes for Watford, making it 1-1 within 20 minutes.

That goal seemed to kick start the Blues and within minutes Sophie Perry had taken us back into the lead, after scoring one of our best goals of the season, when she broke down the left before firing a shot goal-ward from 30 yards and finding the top left corner in the process.

White made it three before 25 minutes were up when the forward found space behind the defence to take the ball past the advancing keeper and launch a shot towards the goal, it then fell to the last Watford defender to knock the ball into the back of the net as she attempted to clear off the line.

It was 3-1 to Chelsea at the break and some changes took place when Emma Delves came on to replace Laura Cooper, Claire Rafferty replaced Dunia Susi and Danni Buet came on for Katie Owen.

Within 15 minutes of the re-start Lander gave Watford their second with a comfortable strike into the back of Siobhan Chamberlain's net.

The game then picked up pace as Watford searched for an equaliser but the Blues held out and secured three points from the hosts.

'This was a good, battling performance, which showed guts and determination,' said Chelsea Ladies manager Shaun Gore.

Chelsea Chamberlain, Cooper (Delves 45), Perry, Smith, Stoney, Davies, Edwards, Owen (Buet 45), Fair, White, Susi (Rafferty 45).
Scorers White (2, 25), Perry (21)