Rio Hardy hat trick helps secure first win of the season.

Bristol City Women got their campaign off the mark in style this afternoon, cruising to a 5-1 victory against newly promoted Watford at Vicarage Road to claim their first three points of the season. A hat-trick from Rio Hardy, an own goal, and a late strike from Katie Robinson capped off a dominant away performance for the Robins.

The opening half-hour was a finely balanced affair as both teams fought for control, but it was City who gradually took command of possession. The breakthrough came in the 37th minute when Rio Hardy unleashed a sensational, rising strike into the top left corner to put the visitors ahead. Hardy thought she had doubled the lead shortly after, only to see her effort ruled out for offside, sending City into the break with a 1-0 advantage.

The Robins doubled their lead shortly after the restart in the 62nd minute, with Hardy in the right place to grab her second of the afternoon.

Watford pulled one back in controversial fashion in the 66th minute. Alexia Apostolakis went down with a cramp just outside the box, but with play allowed to continue, Watford capitalised on a corner; on the resulting delivery, Sauleha Noonan turned the ball in to reduce the deficit to 2-1.

However, any hope of a host comeback quickly unravelled as Watford collapsed under City pressure. In the 71st minute, Watford’s Lyon brought down Hardy inside the box as the striker charged through on goal, earning a straight red card. Hardy stepped up to the spot and calmly slotted home the penalty to complete a brilliant hat-trick and restore the two-goal cushion.

Things went from bad to worse for the home side in the 81st minute when substitute Gray was shown a red card for a foul, reducing Watford to nine players for the final ten minutes.

The match provided a special milestone moment in the 84th minute, as 16-year-old academy defender McDonald came off the bench to replace Oliwia Woś, making her senior first-team debut for the Robins.

City took full advantage of their numerical edge, and in the 87th minute, Brooke Aspin forced pressure inside the box, resulting in Watford’s Clancy turning the ball into her own net for an own goal.

With six minutes of stoppage time added, Katie Robinson put the finishing touches on a dominant afternoon, controlling well inside the area before firing home City’s fifth in the 96th minute to seal a resounding victory.

The 5-1 win moves the Robins up to eighth in the table ahead of another away trip next Saturday, where they head north to face Burnley.

FULL-TIME: Watford 1-5 Bristol City

Watford: Noonan (66')

Bristol City: Hardy (37', 62', 72' pen), Clancy OG (87'), Robinson (90+6')

Red Cards: Lyon (71'), Gray (81')