LEAH Burridge headed home in stoppage time to preserve Oxford United Women’s long unbeaten home record.

United haven’t lost at Court Place Farm for almost three years and had Burridge to thank as that record continued in a 1-1 draw against Watford.

Lacy-Jai Liggett went straight into Liam Gilbert’s side after signing from Cheltenham Town on Friday, while fellow new recruit Oana Negrea was named on the bench.

Lauren Haynes returned to the team after being rested for the League Cup penalty shoot-out victory at AFC Bournemouth.

Watford came into the game having scored 12 unanswered in their last two outings, and they looked hungry for more goals from the start.

Five minutes in, a Hornets corner resulted in a goalmouth scramble, with the ball eventually falling to Megan Chandler, who struck low into the net.

It was the first time the U’s had fallen behind this season, but they responded well, with Burridge and Carly Johns both having chances within the first 10 minutes.

United’s best moment of the half came in the 24th minute.

Haynes dropped deep to receive the ball from goalkeeper Rose Kite, with play making its way over to Daisy McLachlan out wide, but the winger could only find the gloves of Georgie Ferguson in the Watford goal.

United handed the away side a chance to make it 2-0, with just over half an hour to play.

After giving the ball away in a dangerous position, Gemma Davison pounced and forced a save out of Kite, with Riva Casley sweeping up.

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Johns then came close to scoring twice in the space of two minutes.

First from an acrobatic volley and then from a dipping effort 20 yards from goal.

Haynes was forced off with an injury, being replaced by Sophie Baker, while Romanian international Negrea, who joined from Fulham, made her debut in place of McLachlan.

Andria Georgiou was sent off for Watford in the fourth minute of injury time, after receiving a second yellow card for a foul on Negrea.

There was still time for United to grab an equaliser from the resulting free kick through the league’s top scorer Burridge, who notched her seventh goal of the season.

Naomi Cole found Burridge, who headed in to ensure the U’s took a point at the death.

Gilbert’s team stay top of Southern Premier Division, one point ahead of Portsmouth, and are the only unbeaten side in the league.