Referee:Andy Davies Attendance:9,265
Match Report: Reading 0-2 Watford
Gracia: “Tonight We Have Good News”
Success: “The Atmosphere In The Dressing Room Is Incredible”
Wilmot: “It Was A Good Performance All-Round”
Highlights: Reading 0-2 Watford
clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary Goals: 1 2
RELIVE – Reading vs Watford: Isaac Success and Domingos Quina send Hornets through in Carabao Cup
Reading vs Watford ratings: Domingos Quina and Ben Wilmot impress in Carabao Cup win
Isaac Success: Watford forward pleased with Carabao Cup contribution
Domingos Quina: Debut strike leaves Watford youngster hungry for more
Domingos Quina scored a stunning goal on his Watford debut help them progress to the Carabao Cup third round at the expense of Championship side Reading.
Watford – fourth in the Premier League after winning their opening three games – made 11 changes from the side that defeated Crystal Palace 2-1 at Vicarage Road on Sunday.
There are certain prerequisites when it comes to the early stages of the Rumbelows Cup. Some of these are met in sunny Berkshire tonight… a half-empty stadium (albeit a respectable enough 2500 make the short journey from Hertfordshire), much-changed starting line-ups (eleven changes for the Golden Boys in the green away kit’s first outing). Check, check.
The Hornets maintained their perfect start in the Premier League to move behind Liverpool and level with Chelsea at the top of the table on goal difference.
Wilfried Zaha struck 12 minutes from time at Vicarage Road to raise hopes of a visiting fightback but the hosts held on as Roberto Pereyra’s 53rd-minute strike and Jose Holebas’s freak second (71) proved enough.
Graham Taylor never managed three straight wins at the start of a first division season, a run that carried Gracia’s team to second place ahead of Chelsea’s game against Newcastle United and pegs Watford above champions Manchester City for the week. They might not have played any of the title contenders yet, but amongst those for whom survival is the first thought – Brighton, Burnley and now Crystal Palace – Watford have been ruthless.
This snarl of a game was deep into stoppage time when Luka Milivojevic swung over one last hopeful corner kick and, with the majority in the arena anxiously holding their breath, Joel Ward leapt unchallenged into the six-yard box only to head wide of the post. The locals’ outpouring of relief at the miss was almost as deafening as the raucous delight which greeted the final whistle moments later.
The build-up to this game was all about Harry Hornet who, in answer to a question from a journalist, had been branded a ‘disgrace’ by Roy Hodgson for an incident two years ago that I doubt Hodgson had actually ever seen, when Harry collapsed behind Zaha while the post-match handshakes were happening. Sticking up for your player is all well and good but Roy lost all credibility when he claimed, with a straight face, that Zaha didn’t dive. Sorry, Roy he gets booked for it, which was what provoked Harry’s action. You couldn’t help but feel that Roy’s words would come back to haunt him.
It feels more like March than August bank holiday weekend. Palace have brought the traditional Croydon microclimate with them and it dampens our quick start before it gets going. Only the hissing, spitting hot fat of this fixture burns on unperturbed, and it hadn’t needed Roy Hodgson ambling into a Harry-shaped animal trap in the visitors’ pre-match press conference to ignite it. Our encounters have a bad-tempered, even spiteful undercurrent all of their own.
It only took four minutes for the game’s first talking point to occur. As Capoue tripped Zaha in the middle of the pitch, the referee awarded the midfielder a yellow card. At the time and due to where I was sitting I thought this decision was harsh. Replays show however that Capoue may have been lucky to stay on the pitch, after a potentially dangerous challenge.
Gracia paid tribute to his strikers. “When you score three times it makes it easier to manage the game,” he said. “I know it is not easy to get points here, but I can only be pleased at the start we have made.” Gracia had not even seen an away goal since becoming Watford manager but he had to wait only three minutes for his side to nose in front, Andre Gray scoring against his old club after pushing the ball out to Troy Deeney on the right and moving up to meet the return with a sweetly struck right-foot volley.
As I was on a flight to the US last Saturday for work, I missed the Brighton game, so I was really looking forward to my season starting properly. But, as Watford hadn’t scored away from home since January 2nd and we never get anything at Burnley, my expectations were pretty low prior to kick-off.
Brighton manager Chris Hughton said he was left to “wonder what happened” after his side were comfortably beaten by Watford at Vicarage Road.
If, as most bookmakers have predicted, this is the season Watford’s stay in the Premier League comes to an end, then somebody had better tell their players. Judging by the manner of their victory here, they have not seen the odds or have done so and been fuelled by a sense of defiance.
Watford had never previously won an opening day fixture in the Premier League yet came through this one with little alarm. Roberto Pereyra, the former Juventus winger, scored both goals on a day when Brighton rarely troubled Ben Foster in the home goal.
In many respects the question on Brighton is quite how bad they were, versus how bad we made them look. The goal is an example… someone should have been keeping an eye on Pereyra but he arrived late to fill the space on the edge of the box vacated by decoy runs to the near post. Yes, Albion were dozy but we forced the issue. Similarly in midfield, Albion were overrun and perhaps even complacent but it was in the face of our relentless and disciplined pressing that it crumpled. When we broke, particularly in the first half having regained possession deep we hurtled through the midfield; there’s maybe a concern that we didn’t capitalise but with Deulofeu’s pace and Chalobah’s awareness to return you’ve got to fancy us away from home.
A relatively stress free afternoon on the opening day. I’m happy to say that all the nerves I had before the game were put to rest fairly early on. 
Saturday was to be an important day for Watford fans with the long awaited unveiling of the GT statue.
Brighton claimed their first ever Premier League point despite failing to break down 10-man Watford at Vicarage Road.
Brighton picked up their first Premier League point with a 0-0 draw at Watford on Saturday – but will feel they should have taken all three against their 10-man hosts.
While a first ever Premier League point is not to be sniffed at Brighton will wonder how they did not tick off all the mini missions they need to convince themselves they mean business at the highest echelon of the English game. Three matches in and a goal still eludes them. A confidence-boosting win is still needed as soon as possible. It was not for want of trying, here, particularly when Watford’s numbers were depleted in the 24th minute after Miguel Britos was sent off when his dangerous, hotheaded challenge left Anthony Knockaert floored.
Miguel Britos was shown an early red card after his dangerous tackle on Anthony Knockaert but the visitors were unable to capitalise on their advantage
So. August Bank Holiday, then. End of the first bit of the season prior to the first international break, first chance to take stock. End of the transfer window approaches too, a transfer window during which we’ve been linked to well over 100 players and have revised the squad significantly.
The game was flipped on its head on 24 minutes however. As Knockaert and Britos were involved in a foot-race on the right-hand-side, the Watford defender put on his best Jackie Chan impression and lept through the air, studs showing and clattered into the Frenchman. It was, without doubt, one of the worst tackles I can remember at Vicarage Road, rivaled only by Heidar Helguson on Blackburn’s John Curtis in 2001. 
Watford claimed a well deserved point against Brighton after Miguel Britos’ horror challenge had reduced them to 10-men at Vicarage Road.
clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary Goals: 
Bristol City secured a memorable 3-2 victory as Marco Silva’s promising start to life at Watford came to a shuddering halt in the Carabao Cup.
The Hornets’ poor league cup record continued after Bristol City came from behind to book their place in the third round with a 3-2 victory at Vicarage Road. The big question going into the tie was how strong a starting eleven Silva would field and the answer was comprehensive, he would be taking the competition seriously.
clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary Goals: 
Second-half goals from Richarlison and Etienne Capoue handed Watford a deserved 2-0 win over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The miracle Eddie Howe has managed to pull off at Bournemouth was brought into stark relief once again with an early home defeat at the hands of a Watford side who look ready to kick on from a disappointing end to last season.
Richarlison nets first Watford goal as Hornets keep Bournemouth winless
Jon is joined by Kelly Somers, Kieran Thievam and Colin Mace as they talk through the away win at the Cherries. How have the Hornets moved on from the home draw to Liverpool and have the new boys started to make an impact on the squad? Oh and yes, you can hear that chant and keep it stuck in your head until Bristol City at home.
Miguel Britos scored a controversial 93rd-minute equaliser for Watford as Liverpool were held in a thrilling game at Vicarage Road.
Miguel Britos struck deep into stoppage time as Watford secured a late point following a 3-3 draw with Liverpool at Vicarage Road on Saturday.
The expression on Jürgen Klopp’s face as Watford celebrations broke out all around him said it all. A testing 24 hours for Liverpool, dominated by Philippe Coutinho’s emailed transfer request, ended with the sort of injury-time equaliser that drives managers insane. Miguel Britos, looking at least a yard offside, bundled the ball home from a corner in the 93rd minute, denying Liverpool the victory that would have brought some much-needed respite during the Coutinho saga.
New season, same old problems for Liverpool. Against Watfordthey were made to pay the price for an all too familiar defensive horror show, as Miguel Britos headed home a 94th-minute equaliser to deny Jurgen Klopp victory in his 100th competitive game in charge of the club.
It’s a classic First Day of the Season. Sunshine on your face walking down Vicarage Road. Touts after tickets, programme vendors, charity buckets. 50/50 scarves on sale for a tenner (“who buys them?”). Friends rock up, you’ve not seen them for three months… “how was your summer?”. Albert is here for the first time in even longer, it’s good to see him. He’s stunned by how tall the girls are, they are nonplussed but grin anyway. There are flags, and noise, a tremendous montage on the big screens. And then, then the football. As has been said many times if you rely solely on the sport itself for your enjoyment you’re going to be disappointed more often than not but still, football. And it’s just brilliant…
The first day of the season and, on arriving in Watford, it was grey and drizzly. I was at the Hornet Shop before 9:30, so it was rather bizarre to see the programme sellers and burger stands already setting up. Having bought the new home and away shirts, a woolly hat (just in case) and a Watford coffee cup, I headed to the museum to get in line for the Graham Taylor exhibition.
Football’s bloody brilliant, isn’t it? We’ve waited the whole summer and our patience was rewarded in the most emphatic way.
Whatever it was the Premier League defenders were doing over the summer it certainly wasn’t improving their defence.
Watford are BACK, BACK, BACK! Jon and Jason are joined this week by friend of the pod Paul from Denver to go through the performance and the huge sums of money Watford have been playing this transfer window. They also talk to David Butler, Chairman of Watford Enables, about the work of the committee and Sarah Preiestlym Curator of Watford Museum about the One Graham Taylor exhibition. Plus see how you score in another round of Going for Golden.
Matchday Review
First and foremost, we’re here for GT. There’s yellow everywhere, including in the Rookery where, if the donated tributes get a bit lost the sentiment is evident and a mighty GT banner dominates. And that’s the theme really… what’s important is not the substance, not the what, but the motivation behind it. Everyone… club, supporters, guests… want to do this justice. So there’s all sorts of entertainment going on behind the Rookery by all accounts – and whilst I grouchily resent not being allowed to sit in my seat, let alone my stand for any fixture on this occasion allowances must be made.