WATFORD Ladies made the long journey to Merseyside on Sunday and were unfortunate to return empty-handed after a spirited display saw them challenge one of the League's current top two teams right up until the final whistle.

The game was played out in almost incessant rain and both teams started brightly with Ashlee Hincks drawing a good save from Rachel Brown with a shot which threatened to go in at her near post.

Everton began to adapt better to the conditions using the surface well alternating between short, quick passing around the midfield and long raking passes aimed at getting in behind the Watford full-backs.

After 18 minutes Everton went ahead when a move down their left flank delivered a cross which Jill Scott despatched into the corner of the net from the edge of the area, giving Marie Hourihan no chance.

Everton were now asking most of the questions with Hourihan making a couple of top-quality saves and with Everton hitting the Watford crossbar from long range.

Watford worked tirelessly to stay in the game and were not lacking in showing pace and quality going forward with Helen Lander and Jodian Clarke drawing good saves from Brown to keep the Everton lead intact. 

The second half started much like the first but it was Watford who took the ascendancy with Helen Lander equalising some ten minutes in: Emma Beckett released Ashlee Hincks down the left wing and she went past her full-back before crossing for Lander to convert from some six yards.

Lander had the chance to put Watford ahead with a one-on-one with the home 'keeper who also thwarted Beckett and Howells with excellent saves, before the game turned on its head in a couple of minutes.

Everton scored again after 75 minutes through Natasha Dowie despite strong Watford appeals for handball in the build-up and Fara Williams added a third within two minutes despite appeals for offside.

Watford still pushed forward with Emma Thomas probing from central midfield and Watford had a penalty claim for handball dismissed by the referee.

Watford introduced Sarah Wiltshire and Kelly Bingham for the last ten minutes and Wiltshire brought panic to the home defence with a couple of runs and dribbles, with Bingham again bringing a good save from Brown having been put through on a one-on-one. 

This was an excellent performance from Watford which augured well for the season: it was built on a sound defence and hard work and if the midfield and attack can replicate their half hour examination of an Everton defence and midfield, which included six England internationals, against other teams then a top five finish can be a realistic target.         

EVERTON: Brown, Easton, Evans, Williams, Unitt, Johnson, Duggan, Scott, Dowie, Westwood, Potter. Subs: Duffy, Kane, Whelan, Hinnigan, Boyle.

WATFORD: Hourihan, Burrows, Daniels, Wade, Adams, Thomas, Beckett, Lander, Clarke, Howells, Hincks. Subs: Davey, Nicholson, Wiltshire, Miles, Bingham.

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