Megan Chandler Backs Watford to Bounce Back After Late Bournemouth Defeat
It was a frustrating end to 2025 for Watford Women, who suffered a heartbreaking 3–2 defeat to FA Women’s National League Southern Premier leaders AFC Bournemouth in their final match before the winter break.
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Victory would have sent Watford into the new year top of the table, but a last-gasp goal denied them all three points. Despite the setback, captain Megan Chandler insists the Hornets remain firmly on course for promotion.
“I think the goal remains the same for us. Promotion is what we want and we’ve been there before and we know that the path is never smooth sailing,” Chandler told She Kicks.
“The weekend wasn’t ideal, but we also know that it’s a long season and there’s still a lot of games to play and anything can happen in this league.”
Chandler believes the unpredictability of the Southern Premier means one defeat will not define their campaign.
“It’s a great league. All games are very unpredictable. So for us, we go back into training in a couple of days and start again. The break will do us good—a chance to reset mentally and physically—then we’ll come back hungry,” she added.
“I don’t think one loss for us is going to be a defining moment in our season.”
The year also marked a personal milestone for Chandler, who made her 100th appearance for Watford in 2025. She described the achievement as special, not just for herself but for her family, including her two children.
“At Watford we’re not quite full-time yet, so we’re all juggling families, full-time jobs and playing football,” she explained.
“There has been a lot of progress, but as the game continues to grow, there’ll need to be a lot more. Hopefully players can give up their full-time jobs to become professional footballers.”
Chandler also praised Watford Women’s general manager and former Wales international Helen Ward, highlighting her role as a trailblazer.
“She paved the way for a lot of mums. Seeing how she did it when there were hardly any resources back in the day is fantastic.”
Watford will begin 2026 with a mouth-watering clash against second-placed Plymouth Argyle, with just one point separating the sides. Both teams have recorded eight wins from 12 league matches, underlining the importance of the fixture.
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Chandler confirmed the squad will return to training on 27 December as preparations begin.
“We’ve really honed in on one game at a time because when you’re in a promotion race it’s easy to look too far forward,” she said.
“Bournemouth has been and gone. Now we’ll enjoy a few days off with our families, and when we come back in, we’ll look to Plymouth.”
Confident in her squad’s mentality, the Watford captain concluded:
“We know it’s potentially a very big game. The girls will be ready—ready and wanting it.”
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