Watkins to bow out in style

Exeter City Women head to Essex this weekend for their final away game of the season, as they face second-placed Hashtag United at Parkside Stadium in a crunch match at the top of the table.

Fresh from a 6-0 demolition of Plymouth Argyle in the Devon FA Challenge Cup Final, the Grecians are riding high on confidence. The team has won their last five games and currently sit third in the standings. Victory on Sunday would pull them level on points with the Tags.

Manager Abbie Britton said: “We're under no illusions that this weekend is going to be difficult for us, but it's exactly the games that we want to be involved in.”

This game also marks one of the final outings for Exeter’s number 16, Zoe Watkins, who has announced she will leave the club at the end of the season.

A key figure in the team’s rise, Watkins has helped the Grecians to two league championships, four county cup wins, and etched her name in City folklore with that goal against Plymouth Argyle. Her influence on and off the pitch has made her one of the club’s most respected figures.

In a post shared to her Instagram, Watkins wrote: “Thank you to everyone involved for all of the memories - I will be eternally grateful.” She added: “My teammates at City over the years have turned Devon into a forever home for me and my family… it has been an honour to be part of the journey.”

The match will be the first time City travel to face Hashtag on the road, after a 0-0 draw in Devon earlier this season.

Hashtag, led by outgoing manager Jason Stephens, suffered a surprise league defeat last time out but bounced back midweek with an 8-0 County Cup win over Billericay. With prolific striker Malika Apindia and hat-trick hero Sophie Baigent in top form, Exeter's back line will need to be at their best.

With just a few games left, both sides will be determined to finish as high up the league as possible - and for Zoe Watkins, it’s one more chance to make her mark in red and white.