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5th April 2014- Championship, Watford 1 Burnley 1

http://watford.fcdb.info?id=5112

Burnley scored a late equaliser to draw at Watford and move a point closer to promotion to the Premier League. Troy Deeney had given the hosts an early lead with a superb strike from 25 yards but the Hornets were made to rue their failure to get a second goal.

Burnley’s disallowed goal was greeted with a rousing rendition of “One Stuart Attwell” from the Rookery.  Coming hot on the heels of the inevitable mock-celebration in response to the first shot drifting wide of the Clarets’ goal this briefly suggested that the much-discussed first return of Attwell since the ghost goal of 2008 would be commemorated with sarcasm and wit rather than ire and red-faced barracking.  That it didn’t prove that way was in no small part down to an erratic display from the official, albeit that the only decision that had the potential to directly impact the outcome was, if failure it was, down to Attwell’s assistant.  Which sounds familiar.

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=2014-04-05
https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-championship/05-april-2014/
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5th April 2010- Championship, Watford 1 West Bromwich Albion 1

http://watford.fcdb.info?id=4911

Chris Brunt scored a dramatic equaliser five minutes into injury time to rescue West Brom and break Watford hearts. The relegation-threatened hosts looked set to claim a vital win after Danny Graham’s superb long-range strike with only five minutes left to play.

Malky Mackay’s team showed grit after losing their top scorer Tom Cleverley, who was taken off on a stretcher wearing an oxygen mask after being caught on the ankle by Jonas Olsson, then having Jon Harley sent off, to take the lead in the85th minute through Danny Graham’s 25-yard shot.

It was a tense affair from the start with Watford fighting to remain in the Championship and Albion knowing that, by this evening they could be back in the Premier League.

There was a point in the second half where the floodlights came on just as the sun came out. “What an odd day,” was the instinctive thought, which lead to the reflection that an odd day might be required in overturning our fifteen-year league hoodoo against the Albion. It didn’t quite happen, although the rueful “I’d take a draw from here” sentiment as Jon Harley departed was severely tested…

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=2010-04-05
https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-championship/05-april-2010/
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5th April 2008- Championship, Watford 2 Coventry City 1

http://watford.fcdb.info?id=4806

Promotion-chasing Watford beat Coventry to claim their first win in nine games. Nathan Ellington put Watford ahead when he was allowed to run into the box unchallenged and drill the ball home.

Little more than three miles away Gordon Brown and 15 heads of state were sitting down at The Grove hotel trying to put the world to rights while an event of more significance in the minds of Watford fans was being played out on a difficult pitch. At the end of it all their team somehow came away on top.

We were, it was very clear, fully aware of how fortunate we’d been and how little we could afford to throw it away again. It has come to that: eleven men behind the ball to hang on grimly against a team in the bottom half. But if that’s what it takes….

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=2008-04-05
https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-championship/05-april-2008/
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5th April 2003- New Division One, Burnley 4 Watford 7

Screen Shot 2018-08-18 at 21.40.13
http://watford.fcdb.info?id=4550

BBC SportMichael Chopra, on loan at Watford from Newcastle, scored four goals as the Hornets and Burnley contested an goal-packed fixture at Turf Moor.

guardianWatford will approach Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Southampton with greater confidence now that they appear to have solved their scoring problem.

Burnley Express Report: BEMUSED Burnley fans didnt know whether to laugh or cry after this latest debacle.

BSAD imageBSAD report:To put this game into the perspective, it demands a flick through Trefor Jones, and to an era that I would be amazed if anyone in the away end on Saturday remembered. In 1937, Watford were managed by Neil McBain. We finished fourth in the old Division Three (South), and on April 10th that year, the players completed a league double over Torquay by winning 7-4 at Plainmoor. Only 2,277 watched the game, and one would hazard a guess that of those, only a handful would have been Watford fans.

Another BSAD report:Living in the north east, when the Golden Boys come to town it is an occasion not to be missed, so when the Academy Under 17 side was drawn away to Newcastle United last Saturday, my son Josh and I felt we had to be there instead of…you’ve guessed it…traipsing down to Burnley.

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Taken from https://www.watfordfc.com/teams/first-team/home-away-burnley

Scan 10
Taken from programme on 20th August 2005- Championship, Watford 3 Burnley 1

100 greatest100 Greatest Watford Wins- No.61: Seven days before an FA Cup semi-final against Southampton, Watford went goal crazy at Turf Moor. They had only scored 12 times away from home all season but the arrival of Michael Chopra, a 19-year-old poacher with an eye for goal, on loan from Newcastle gave them a huge boost before the cup tie.

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5th April 1997- New Division Two, Watford 0 Crewe Alexandra 1

http://watford.fcdb.info?id=4244

Kenny Jackett’s current position is a difficult one. Under fire for recent, less-than-thrilling performances from people, including Oliver Phillips, who appear to have forgotten that promotion is all that counts, it seems that he’s been forced into a re-think. The goalposts have been moved and I’d argue that this further dent in our aspirations is a result of that.

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=1997-04-05
https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-2/05-april-1997/

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5th April 1994- New Division One, Peterborough United 3 Watford 4

http://watford.fcdb.info?id=4082

Peterborough had been in deep trouble all season and, by the time this fixture at London Road came along, it was clear that whichever side lost would go down. Clap Your Hands summed it up simply enough – ‘you HAVE to be there, no excuses’. On the night, it seemed that about half of Watford had travelled to roar on the ‘Orns. Defeat was absolutely unthinkable.

100 Greatest Watford Wins- No.38: The London Road pitch was rutted and hard. Neither team was flush with confidence. It wasn’t an aesthetically pleasing match, it was all about heart and determination. What followed was an incredible see-saw battle that offered the hand of safety to both teams. In the end, it was Watford who grabbed on for dear life.

7th March 2020- Premier League, Crystal Palace 1 Watford 0

Referee: Anthony Taylor
Attendance: 25,461

Match Report: Crystal Palace 1-0 Watford

Pearson: “We’ll Bounce Back”

Cathcart: “We Weren’t Clinical Enough”

Watford lose by one goal away at Crystal Palace

Jordan Ayew goal condemns Watford to Crystal Palace defeat

Nigel Pearson’s laments Watford’s missed chances in Crystal Palace defeat

Watford players rated after Crystal Palace defeat

Craig Cathcart felt Watford deserved points in Crystal Palace defeat

Cathcart insists Watford are still confident after Crystal Palace defeat

Crystal Palace recorded a third successive Premier League victory as they beat relegation-threatened Watford to climb into the top half of the table.

In a bitty and niggly encounter with eight yellow cards, including one for Wilfried Zaha who was in the thick of things not for the first time against Watford, Jordan Ayew’s stunning first-half goal (28) separated the teams.

The match had begun in the style of two zealously polite individuals standing in a doorway; after you, sir; no, please, after you. With both teams preferring to counterattack, neither really wanted the ball. For a while this suited Watford better as they created the early chances. But the clarity they showed in driving forward was not matched by decisiveness in front of goal.

So, after the euphoria of last week, this was an unwelcome return to what has been the reality of most of this season.  It was a very disappointing game.  The Hornets had been the better team for most of the first half but, as so often this season, did not make the most of their chances and the home side scored after a counterattack.  Once they were ahead, Palace defended well and, apart from a brief spell in the second half, Watford never really looked like winning the point that their performance deserved.  Thankfully results elsewhere meant that we stayed out of the relegation zone on goal difference, but it felt like a wasted opportunity and, again, I worry that we won’t get the points that we need from the upcoming “winnable” games.

The morning after Watford visited Selhurst, Jon, Mike and Colin (via Skype on a train) discuss the inclusion of Roberto Pererya on the left, how the team could break down teams better and if there is much need for tinkering… Oh and corners. Plus they share their thoughts and worries about a potential new stadium for the Hornets, as reported by Adam Leventhal on the Athletic this week.

29th February 2020- Premier League, Watford 3 Liverpool 0

Referee: Michael Oliver
Attendance: 21,634
1-0
2-0
3-0

Match Report: Watford 3-0 Liverpool

Pearson: “We Were At Our Best”

Sarr: “I Wanted The Hat-Trick!”

Capoue: “Sarr Made The Difference”

Foster: “I Never Felt Threatened”

Reaction On Sarr: “It’s A Coming-Of-Age Performance”

Watford stun league leaders Liverpool in Premier League clash

Wonderful Watford inflict Liverpool’s first league defeat of season in stunning victory

Nigel Pearson hails Watford performance after Liverpool triumph

Watford players rated after sensational win over Liverpool

Abdoulaye Doucoure praises Nigel Pearson after Watford beat Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp says Watford victory ‘should be the headline’ after Liverpool defeat

Watford’s Gerard Deulofeu suffers ACL injury, Nigel Pearson confirms

Selection of images from Watford’s stunning Liverpool victory

Ismaila Sarr ‘disappointed’ to not score a hat-trick in Watford’s win over Liverpool

Troy Deeney promised Gerard Deulofeu Watford would beat Liverpool for him

Troy Deeney and Abdoulaye Doucoure speak of admiration for Ismaila Sarr after Watford beat Liverpool

Liverpool’s hopes of remaining unbeaten for an entire Premier League season were ended in sensational style by a rampant Watford at Vicarage Road.

This was supposed to be Liverpool’s day. It ended up being Watford’s.

Beating Liverpool could kick-start Watford’s season – Pearson

Why Watford’s win over Liverpool might be Premier League’s biggest ever upset

Sarr nipped in to break the deadlock after 54 minutes, before then racing through to double the Hornets’ lead six minutes later. With 18 minutes left to play, Watford captain Troy Deeney rounded off an incredible 18-minute spell by taking advantage of yet more sluggish defending from the visitors to add a third.

One of the greatest unbeaten streaks in the history of the English game had to end somewhere, but that it came against a club who have sacked two managers already this season and nursed a relegation death-wish since August, made this a truly surreal event.

Quite simply Liverpool were battered. From first minute until last Watford refused to display any sense of an inferiority complex against esteemed opponents and instead delivered a display of great togetherness, aggression and potency. They scored three and could have had more on a night that will be spoken about in these parts for years to come. That much could be taken from the thunderous roar that greeted the final whistle from the majority of those in attendance. A famous victory for Watford’s supporters to celebrate and one that also lifts their side out of the bottom three on goal difference and gives them renewed belief they can avoid the drop after all.

Minute by minute

“The most important thing is congratulations to Watford, well deserved,” said Klopp. “The first half there were football things that didn’t work out for us and overall we didn’t create enough and that’s what leads to a defeat. But it’s just one football game and we have to admit that Watford was the better team.”

Ismaïla Sarr.  This was it, the game when he announced himself to the rest of the Premier League.  We knew already, now everyone knows.  Time will tell how he adapts to that, how he accommodates being targeted… today he was lethal.

Deeney, Deulofeu and Pereyra had all been disappointing at Old Trafford, but had been superb in this game with even Pereyra working his socks off.  The performance of Femenía showed how much we had missed him.  What was really impressive was that, after two months out, he looked as though he had never been away.  Similarly with Sarr, who frightened the life out of the Liverpool defence, the only disappointment had been that he didn’t get his hat trick.  The midfield three of Hughes, Capoue and Doucouré had worked tirelessly and been incredibly solid.  Sometimes it is the silly things that give you immense pleasure and one of the memories that I will take from this game involved Capoue.  I love him as a player, but he can blow hot and cold.  Watching him when he is enjoying himself is utterly joyous and there was a point in the game when he sprinted from one side of the pitch to the other and back again, frustrating the Liverpool midfield and it was one of those moments that has me clapping my hands in glee.

As Watford fans we’ve had some great wins this season. We’ve also had some terrible performances. HOWEVER, today is up there with the best wins since we returned to the top flight – WE BEAT THE WORLD CHAMPIONS!!

23rd February 2020- Premier League, Manchester United 3 Watford 0

Referee: Martin Atkinson
Attendance: 73,347

Match Report: Man Utd 3-0 Watford

Pearson: “We Didn’t Take Our Chances”

Foster: “We Have To Keep Our Heads Up”

Watford face Manchester United away at Old Trafford

Watford remain in bottom three after Manchester United defeat

Nigel Pearson reflects on Watford’s missed chances after Manchester United defeat

Nigel Pearson admits Ismaila Sarr was ‘nowhere near’ close to starting Watford’s defeat at Manchester United

Watford players rated following bad day at Manchester United

Will Hughes thinks VAR decision was the turning point in Watford’s defeat to Manchester United

Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo said it was ‘special’ to hear the Watford fans sing his name

Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster critical of handball law after Troy Deeney goal is disallowed at Manchester United

January signing Fernandes capped a man-of-the-match performance in style with his first goal for the club, nonchalantly converting a penalty he had won after being fouled by Ben Foster shortly before half-time.

Anthony Martial scored an excellent second on Sunday after Watford’s Troy Deeney had a goal ruled out by VAR for handball in the build-up. Mason Greenwood, 18, lashed home his 11th of the season 15 minutes from time to complete United’s scoring.

A dreadful mix-up between Maguire and Nemanja Matic in the third minute had sent Troy Deeney through, but the Watford striker took one touch too many when the ball was crying out to be smacked or laid off to Will Hughes.

United are flaky in defence because of the gap often allowed between rearguard and midfield. Sensing this, Roberto Pereyra skated forward and found Gerard Deulofeu to the left, he passed to the unmarked Abdoulaye Doucouré and the home team were lucky he could not finish.

The final whistle went on a comprehensive defeat for the Hornets.  Unlike the Brighton game, I did applaud the players off and there was a surprisingly good atmosphere among the travelling Hornets.  The Masina-Tequila song was getting a late airing, but the volume increased considerably with a rendition of “Ighalo-oh” for old times’ sake.  Odion seemed to appreciate the gesture as he turned and applauded the Watford fans.

Fun away trips can often be ruined by 90 minutes of football and a 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford was certainly a let down. Jon, Jason and DCW talk through the faults and frustrations and really, really try to find some good to take us through to the final 10 games of the season.

8th February 2020- Premier League, Brighton & Hove Albion 1 Watford 1

Referee: Kevin Friend
Attendance: 30,443
1-0

Match Report: Brighton 1-1 Watford

Pearson: “We Worked Exceptionally Hard”

Extended Highlights: Brighton 1-1 Watford

Hughes: “We’ve Put Ourselves Back In The Mix”

Watford face Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League

Watford lose lead in Brighton & Hove Albion draw

Nigel Pearson reflects on Watford’s draw at Brighton & Hove Albion

Watford players rated following draw with Brighton and Hove Albion

Ben Foster said Watford did not want to sit back in Brighton and Hove Albion draw

Watford boss Nigel Pearson admitted his side had “missed an opportunity” to get a vital victory and move out of the relegation zone as Adrian Mariappa’s own goal gifted Brighton a draw.

Neither side went into the game in good form, but Watford struck first with a fine solo goal from Abdoulaye Doucoure (19), putting some demons to rest after also scoring an own goal in the 3-0 loss to Brighton on the opening weekend.

Not many own goals this season will be dispatched with the utter certainty that Adrian Mariappa directed the ball into his net as time ticked down at the Amex Stadium and it looked like another bad evening for Brighton and Hove Albion.

Minute by minute

“It’s unfortunate”, said Pearson. “We’ve worked exceptionally hard today and goals like that are very difficult to deal with. But I try to stress the importance of not becoming overly positive when things are going well or too pessimistic if things go negatively. You have a better chance of surviving if you keep your nerve.”

The game settles into a pattern from which it’ll never escape, of Brighton having great acres of possession and not really knowing how to harvest it, of Watford suffocating it all by sitting deep and gradually pushing each attack backwards, guiding a toddler out of a toy shop. It has the dramatic intensity of someone prodding a damp sponge with an old toothbrush.

It had been an awful game of football and, yet again, we had been the architects of our own downfall.  There was one moment of quality in the game, which was the gorgeous goal from Doucouré.  Although the late effort from Mooy and the save from Foster deserve a special mention.  Other than that, it was really turgid with Watford sitting deep against an ineffective Brighton attack.  It really hurt that we had lost two points due to a pointless own goal, especially as I am very fond of Mariappa, but I don’t know what he was thinking when he blasted that ball into the net.  At the end of the day, we remain in the bottom three and, while we are not yet adrift, it is hard to see where the next points are coming from.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/quixotic-10-33/id374798846?i=1000465062068

1st February 2020- Premier League, Watford 2 Everton 3

Referee: Craig Pawson
Attendance: 21,229
1-0
2-0

Match Report: Watford 2-3 Everton

Pearson: “We Have To Recover From This”

Extended Highlights: Watford 2-3 Everton

Cathcart: “We Need To Cut Out Those Errors”

Welbeck: “I’m Buzzing To Be Back”

Watford lose to Everton in quest for Premier League survival

Watford throw away two-goal advantage as Everton triumph at Viacarge Road

Nigel Pearson ‘exceptionally disappointed’ after Watford lose to Everton

Nigel Pearson explains Nathaniel Chalobah change in Watford’s defeat to Everton and doesn’t regret ‘positive’ substitutions

Watford player ratings following home defeat to Everton

Craig Cathcart thinks Watford have themselves to blame for Everton loss

Theo Walcott struck an injury-time winner as 10-man Everton came back from two goals down to stun Watford in a topsy-turvy encounter at Vicarage Road.

Adam Masina fired the hosts into a 10th-minute lead before Roberto Pereyra made it 2-0 three minutes before the break.

An announcement of two minutes’ added time was about to come over the Tannoy when Everton clawed a goal back. A Lucas Digne corner was poked in by Yerry Mina after his initial header was forced towards goal by Mason Holgate.

Two minutes later, deep into injury time now, another corner and Mina is criminally allowed to nod in at the far post by a sleeping Cathcart.  There’s so much wrong with this…  Mina being allowed to dominate the area, our heads not being in it.  Some of these things would be abetted with a big ugly centre back, a Ben Gibson or a Craig Dawson maybe, but not all.  It’s a maddening and horribly expensive two minutes.

There was another half chance to grab a winner for the Hornets when they got the ball into the Everton box, but no Watford man could get a meaningful touch on it.  The Hornets had been pushing for the winner, but it was the visitors who took all three points with a goal in the 90th minute.  Masina lost out in the middle of the pitch, Richarlison advanced and played in Kean who moved the ball on to Walcott, at first he appeared to have run wide of the goal, but that proved to be wishful thinking on my part as he finished past Foster. 

https://www.11v11.com/competitions/premier-league/2020/matches/