FA Women's Championship: Coventry United score in 97th minute to stay in second tier
- Published
Coventry have won three of their last five league matches
Coventry United completed an incredible escape with a 97th-minute winner in a Women's Championship relegation decider that sent opponents Watford down.
Mollie Green curled in a stunning long-range free-kick at Vicarage Road to move her side a point above their hosts with almost the season's final kick.
Coventry were 10 points from safety in January after being deducted 10 points for going into administration.
They needed to beat their relegation rivals on the final day to stay up.
Watford's defeat means they drop into the National League South.
"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."
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The club, which turned professional for this season, announced two days before Christmas that it was going into voluntary liquidation.
It was minutes away from going out of business before West Midlands businessman Lewis Taylor agreed a deal to secure its future.
'I need to go and cry'
Manager Jay Bradford, whose side won three of their final five games to secure their survival, told BBC CWR: "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."
Watford now return to the National League after their first season back in the second tier.