WHAT. A. STRIKE.
Coventry United Women scored a 97th minute winner to relegate opponents Watford and avoid the drop from the Women’s Championship.
Mollie Green bagged a long-range free-kick at Vicarage Road to seal a 1-0 win for Coventry – moving her side a point above Watford in the final league table.
The away side were 10 points from safety in January after they were deducted 10 points for going into administration, and were just minutes away from going out of business before West Midlands businessman Lewis Taylor agreed a deal to secure its future.
The club needed to beat relegation rivals Watford on the final day of the season to remain in the Women’s Championship.
SCENES!! WHAT A STRIKE!
A 97th minute winner from @mollie_green97 keeps @CovUnitedLFC in the #FAWC! pic.twitter.com/tY004jIWtB
— Barclays Women’s Championship (@BarclaysWC) May 1, 2022
‘I’m speechless. I can’t believe we’ve done it.‘ – Green
“I didn’t even see it hit the back of the net – I think I just knew it was going in,” goalscorer Green told BBC CWR.
“I hit it really sweetly and the rest is history.
“I’m speechless. I can’t believe we’ve done it. We’ve put absolutely everything into it.
“We’ve got a massive belief and togetherness and it paid off today.”
Manager Jay Bradford added: “When the final whistle went we had people crying, people running on the pitch, because it means so much.
“I think football wanted us to do it. The whole football community wanted us to win.
“We should never have been in this position – we should never have come into the final day with any hope. Then to win it in the fashion that we did just shows everything about us, it tells you that we never know when we’re beaten.
“This journey has been a rollercoaster and hopefully we’ll never have to live through it again. Trust me, it takes its toll.
“I’m so proud of the players. To keep digging every single week in the manner that they did – they deserve this moment. It’s harsh on Watford but we deserve it.
“I’m elated but I also probably need to go and cry somewhere.”
.@mollie_green97. @covunitedlfc 0 Watford 0.
35 yards from goal.
97th minute. She has to score to stay up.
"DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?" pic.twitter.com/a11BbEQKq0— Paul Wheeler (@paulwradio) May 1, 2022
Finding form at the right time
Coventry won three of their final five games to secure the club’s survival, with Watford returning to the National League after their first season back in the second tier as a result.
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