Sunderland are still unbeaten in WSL2, with two wins and two draws – and Katy Watson says their most recent draw should have been a win.
Melanie Reay’s side drew 1-1 at Southampton at the weekend, with Watson opening the scoring in the 19th minute before Chloe Peplow equalised in the first-half stoppage time.
It puts Sunderland third in the table, just two points off Birmingham City in top spot, and second-placed Charlton Athletic – their next opponents.
And although Watson is pleased with the Black Cats’ start to the season, she still thinks they could have come away from the south coast with all three points rather than just the one.
“It’s all about mentality and remaining switched on and finding the spaces to create chances, but also knowing when to keep the ball and the right times to press,” Watson told the club’s official website.
“All the girls stayed switched on during the game and worked really hard for each other, and that’s all we can ask for.
“We fought hard against Southampton, and there were chances we probably should have scored – we should have taken all three points from the game.”
Katy Watson: It’s nice to remain unbeaten
Sunderland’s last defeat in the league came in March 2025, when they fell to Portsmouth, and Watson hopes this run will continue.
Most notably, they have a big showcase game coming up as they face Charlton on Sunday, 5th October at the Stadium of Light.
“It’s really nice to remain unbeaten since last season, and we need to keep that going as we look to achieve our targets,” said Watson.
“It was crucial to build momentum going into Charlton Athletic on Sunday – we know it’s going to be a tough test and a different challenge.
“They are an organised team, who have only conceded one goal all season.
“We’ll prepare well and go into the game with a lot of confidence.”
Coach Reay added that she was looking forward to what would be a big occasion, and shared her player’s opinion of the obstacles Charlton would pose.
“Happy to go back to the stadium – the fans were brilliant last time out there,” said Reay. “Hopefully we can get a few thousand in there to support the team.
“Charlton are a well organised team with some good players. We have to make sure we prepare properly and we’ll be looking to take a positive going into next week.”
