Danielle Carter scored twice as Barnet beat Watford 5-2 for a first Women's Premier League win this season.
In the top flight's only match Carter, 17, played a starring role for the bottom of the table team on her first appearance since joining from Arsenal.
The Bees are four points from safety but have games in hand on the teams above them in the relegation zone.
Manager Tracey Kevins said: "Waiting for this first win hasn't been a monkey on our back - it's been a gorilla!"
Kevins added: "I told the girls that if they concentrated on their performance the result would look after itself, and that's how it turned out.
"We played some great football on a terrible pitch, we were the better side throughout and thoroughly deserved the three points."
A three-goal burst midway through the first half set the Bees on their way to victory.
Cheryl Williams opened the scoring from a 24th-minute penalty awarded for a foul on Stacy Sowden by goalkeeper Chloe Crook.
Former England midfielder Dani Murphy doubled the score with a 25-yard shot that flew into the top corner of the net.
And just before the half-hour Carter hit her first goal after latching on to a neat through-ball from Sowden.
Sarah Wiltshire reduced the arrears with 35th-minute header, but on the stroke of half-time Jess Crimnell converted a Sowden cross for a fourth Barnet goal.
The Hornets again hit back, Wiltshire forcing in her 10th goal of the season after Lillie Billson's 48th-minute drive had rebounded off the crossbar.
But the home side stood firm and victory was wrapped up five minutes from time, Carter scoring from close range after Sowden's shot had been blocked.
Kevins added: "This is a massive result for us and we can kick on from here.
"We're not far behind several teams above us, and with most of our remaining games at home we feel we've got every chance of staying up."
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