By Alexis Monteith/Contributor

Reggae Girl Lachante Paul scored on her debut for Watford FC Women on Sunday (August 25), registering the game’s only goal in a 1-0 win over Billericay Town in the English Women’s National League South.

Her debut for Watford marks a new beginning in a young career that has seen the 22-year-old forward struggle with the consequences of injury over the past three years. But there were no signs of past challenges when she pounced on her teammate’s headed pass that came across the face of goal in the 18th minute.

Paul received the ball under pressure from a defender, turned, and fired it into the back of the net.

“I feel great,” the Jamaican said in her post-match interview. “Happy to score my first goal for the club and hopefully many more to come.”

The name Lachante Paul was synonymous with goals when she was flying high up to three years ago with Leicester City Women. At the age of 18 she was a key player in their promotion to the Women’s Super League (WSL) during the 2020/21 season, winning the club’s Young Player of the Season award and scoring seven goals in 25 games.

But later that year she was struck with a season-ending knee injury that required surgery. The devastating effects would last well beyond that season and she did not come back to full training until late in the 2022/23 season.

Shortly before her return, she posted in March of 2023 on the social media platform X: “Injury has been so hard for me…You ever feel like you are forgotten about? You ever feel so alone?”

The return would be short-lived, however, because just over two months later Leicester City Women announced they were releasing Paul and 11 other players from the club.

A move to Burnley followed five months later in November and then in December she was loaned to Huddersfield Town but it was a season without impact for the Jamaican.

Despite the disruption caused by her physical setback over the past three years Paul was called up to represent Jamaica in February 2024 making her debut with the Reggae Girlz in a friendly international against Chile – an opportunity that presented itself due to the absence of regular first-team players who were at odds with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF).

After Watford’s victory against Billericay on Sunday the Reggae Girl was all smiles but cautioned that her comeback is still a work in progress.

“I found it good,” she said, speaking about the match. “Definitely need to get back in[to] fitness but I actually enjoyed it today.”

Paul also affirmed that she is happy at her new club, stating: “It feels good. Ever since I’ve come into the club I feel a part of a family. They’ve made it a family environment.”

Commenting after the match, Watford FC Women’s Head Coach Renée Hector also emphasised that Paul is engaged in a gradual process of returning to form.

“Obviously Lachante is still working on getting back up to full fitness after being out with an injury, but for her to get a goal is going to do wonders for her confidence,” Hector said. “And she took it really, really well to be fair to her.”

The win on the weekend was Watford’s first of the campaign, coming after a 1-3 loss to Hashtag United in their season opener.

Paul began her football journey at Arsenal’s women’s academy where she impressed with their WSL academy team, tallying 15 goals in 15 matches in 2018-19. After transferring to Leicester City in 2019 she scored 11 goals in 35 appearances for the club.

The Reggae Girl has been recognised as a gifted footballer with a career, still in its early stages, that promises greater things to come.