Yearly Archives: 2022

12th November 2022- Championship, Bristol City 0 Watford 0

The programme was only available digitally

BBC Sport: Bristol City’s winless run stretched to five games as they fought out a goalless draw with Watford at Ashton Gate. The Robins enjoyed the better of the contest but were unable to find a way past visiting keeper Daniel Bachmann.

Sky Sports: City dominated for long periods without coming up with a finish, while the out-of-sorts visitors went the whole game without registering a shot on target.

BHappy: Shorn of Sarr, João Pedro and Asprilla on top of Louza we lack any verve whatsoever and all the cracks that their presence renders ignorable are painfully exposed.  Those four aren’t… an unfair advantage of course, for all that they are each surely destined to return to playing at the top level with or without Watford.  You’re allowedto have good players. Had we sold Sarr and/or JP over the summer as we surely expected to, we’d have invested in some Polyfilla (other brands are available) to fill some of those cracks.

Fran’s Watford Blog: At half time the City team of 97-98 were welcomed back for the 25th anniversary of the season in which they won promotion to the second tier.  It was a little ill advised to do that when Watford were visiting as our memory of the corresponding tie that season was of the home fans holding up a banner declaring themselves Champions.  Pride went before a fall and it was the Hornets who topped the division that season on our way to the Premier League.  Still, the first person to be introduced to the crowd was the manager that season, the wonderful John Ward, who was given a very warm reception by the travelling Hornets.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63523490

8th November 2022- Championship, Watford 2 Reading 0

WFC.Net Jon Marks Goal Commentary: 1  2

Attendance: 18,847

BBC Sport: Joao Pedro’s double was enough for a victory over Reading that sent Watford into the Championship play-off places.

Sky Sports: Goals in both halves ensured the Hertfordshire side bounced back from defeat against Coventry last weekend.

Fran’s Watford Blog: As this was the nearest home game to Remembrance Sunday, Bilić and Ince laid wreaths on the touchline and a trumpeter played the Last Post to impeccable silence in the ground.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62776174

5th November 2022- Championship, Watford 0 Coventry City 1

Attendance: 20,164

BBC Sport: Viktor Gyokeres scored the only goal of the game as Coventry City ended Watford’s three-game winning run with a hard-fought victory against the high-flying Hornets at Vicarage Road.

Sky Sports: A goal from Viktor Gyokeres five minutes into the second half turned out to be just enough on a day when Watford had a goal disallowed as well as seeing Ismaila Sarr miss a golden chance.

BHappy: Whilst the game’s outcome is hugely frustrating, any disappointment should by mitigated by the fact that whilst Coventry’s template is very much The Way To Play Against Watford, none have executed it as effectively as this.  We know that without Imrân Louza we are short of a lock-picker;  here Coventry are disciplined and focused in the face of what, for the first half hour or so, is a purposeful attack.  Come the second half they’ll be stretched, we could easily have come away with this with something so – annoying, but maybe a blessing in disguise.  We’re better, but not better enough to take anything for granted.

Fran’s Watford Blog: At half time, tribute was paid to Cliff Vassiliou who was a very familiar face at Vicarage Road before his passing earlier this year.  He would also often be seen at reserve and youth games with his best friend, Tom Walley.  They also remembered Paul Stallard, a lifelong fan who had given 25 years of service to the club.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63436136

2nd November 2022- Championship, Cardiff City 1 Watford 2

WFC.Net Goal Commentary: 1  2

Attendance: 17,036

BBC Sport: Set-pieces proved key in south Wales as Watford came from behind to beat Cardiff City 2-1, with all three goals scored from corners.

Sky Sports: The Hornets replaced Swansea in sixth place with goals from Francisco Sierralta and Ismaila Sarr completing their fight back after Cedric Kipre had given the home side the lead.

Fran’s Watford Blog: This was a very good showing from the Hornets.  Some of the passing from the back can be scary, but when it is executed well it is a joy to watch.  João Pedro was absolutely magnificent, he was everywhere.  Sarr put in a decent showing and was good value for the goal.  The defence were well organised, and it was good to see Gaspar put in a decent shift.  Finally we are seeing some consistency from this team, they are working hard and playing as a team.  They are doing the dirty work, closing down the opposition, but also showing some great skill going forward.  The chants of “sexy football” were well merited.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63363846

29th October 2022-Championship, Wigan Athletic 0 Watford 1

WFC.Net Jon Mark’s Goal Commentary: 1

Attendance: 10.642

BBC Sport: Joao Pedro headed in a late winner as Watford consigned Wigan to a fourth-straight defeat. The forward rose highest to meet Yaser Asprilla’s cross to plant a fine header past Latics goalkeeper Jamie Jones.

Sky Sports: Pedro’s effort earned Slaven Bilic’s side a third win in four games that leaves them two points off the play-off places.

Fran’s Watford Blog:  Just as we were settling for a point, a corner from Asprilla came back to him and he put in a lovely cross that João Pedro headed home to send the travelling Hornets wild.  There had been very few goal chances, but the Hornets thoroughly deserved the lead.

BHappy: There’s a lot to be said for an away venue that’s close to a motorway, even if that motorway has to be the M6.  The abundance of accessible car parks, including the one that we tumble out of and into the away turnstiles, is also handy and the steep, claustrophobic design means that this remains one of the better “new” grounds at which to watch football.  We’re two thirds of the back, but directly over the goalmouth – at West Ham you’d be in a different postcode.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63354627

23rd October 2022-Championship, Watford 4 Luton Town 0

WFC.Net Goal Commentary: 1  2  3  4

Attendance:
19,282

BBC Sport: Watford put their recent poor run behind them as they hammered illness-hit local rivals Luton Town at Vicarage Road.

Sky Sports: First-half goals from Keinan Davis and William Troost-Ekong set the tone and the visitors’ doom was sealed when goalkeeper Ethan Horvath gifted Joao Pedro a third before Ismaila Sarr completed the rout. Hatters substitute Gabriel Osho then saw red late on for a dreadful challenge on Ken Sema.

BHappy: I remember this being described somewhere, many years ago, as “the sort of derby that the locals get very agitated by but nobody else gives much of a toss about”.  Harsh but fair.  Thing is…  it’s been sixteen and a half years since supporters were able to watch this fixture in the ground, and the previous a further eight years before that.  Many of the people in Vicarage Road today won’t have seen a derby game in person before;  fewer still were here the last time we won this one in front of fans with John Barnes and Worrell Sterling doing the damage in April 1987 (I kept a diary in 1987, the entry features the word “murdered”).

Fran’s Watford Blog: The players went on an extended lap of the ground and were cheered and applauded all the way around.  I am usually pulling my replica shirt off at this point, but wanted to display my colours as I showed my appreciation.  Troost-Ekong appeared to be particularly delighted and Kamara was eliciting cheers from the Rookery.  Oh it was wonderful.  As Tim Coombs said, “It is like 1997 all over again.”

Watford Observer: OPINION Let’s win the derby with style, on and off the pitch

RECAP: Relive the joy of Watford 4 Luton 0

Superb Hornets thrash Hatters to make derby history

Fans and police involved in clash as Watford smash four past Luton

‘It’ll be a totally different game when they come to Kenilworth Road’ – Jones

Derby delight: 15 pictures from a Hornets day to remember

Match report from eight-year-old sums up derby day for Watford fans

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63274085