Tag Archives: Aug8

8th August 2023- League Cup First Round, Stevenage 1 Watford 1 (no extra time, Watford lost 4-3 on penalties)

Digital programme only. Download here

Attendance: 4,495

Official site: Match dashboard

https://www.watfordfc.com/match-report/match-report-stevenage-1-1-watford-4-3-pens

BBC: League One Stevenage secured a place in the second round of the Carabao Cup by beating Watford on penalties. The tie was level at 1-1 after 90 minutes after Josh March equalised for the hosts to cancel out Vakoun Bayo’s opener. And Nathan Thompson scored the winning penalty for Stevenage in the shootout.

Watford Observer: Live Feed

Watford had the better of the second half and on another day would have won the tie, but for two superb saves from home keeper Kristian Hegyi.

It’s very rare to see just one change made by a team from a league game to a first round cup tie, but head coach Valerien Ismael felt he needed to get more minutes into players while not giving them mixed messages.

BHappy:Not that we played badly exactly… by the traditions of League Cup first round football this was a feast for the eyes. But we were too easily shackled, too easily negated, too easily disheartened in the first half, more than anything. The equaliser, when it came, had been coming.

Fran’s Watford Blog: After the bright start on Saturday, this was a disappointing performance from the Hornets. The second half had been considerably better than the first and the change to three at the back sparked a very good spell during which Watford dominated and should have scored a winner. Stevenage keeper, Hegyi, was the difference, making two magnificent saves and saving Healey’s penalty. There were encouraging signs. Martins had another decent game creating some good chances. Both Morris and Andrews did well. Hamer was all right, but his distribution was appalling. But the takeaway from the game was that the Hornets still struggle when playing a physical team who give them no space. If they are going to do anything this season, they need to learn how to play such teams. If there is any positive from this defeat it is that it has highlighted a problem that we need to work on and it will allow us to concentrate on the league.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023%E2%80%9324_EFL_Cup

8th August 2022- Championship, West Bromwich Albion 1 Watford 1

https://www.watfordfc.com/post-match/west-bromwich-albion-first-team-watford-mens-team-2022-08-08

Attendance: 22,365

BBC: Ismaila Sarr scored a spectacular David Beckham-style chip from his own half but then had a late penalty saved as Watford drew with West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.

Sky: A moment of inspiration from Sarr illuminated a game that the home side dominated, firing Watford ahead against the run of play, with Daniel Bachmann’s trio of astounding saves immediately upstaged by the brilliance of the game’s opening goal.

The Guardian: Albion manager Steve Bruce admitted he was torn between applauding Sarr’s wonder goal and criticising Button. “Like everybody in the ground, did I want to applaud it or look at my goalkeeper, thinking ‘where are you?!”’ said Bruce. “It’s a wonderful piece of skill by a very good player. I think he looked to see where my goalkeeper was and he [Sarr] executed it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/championship/scores-fixtures/2022-08?filter=results

8th August 2015- Premier League, Everton 2 Watford 2

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http://watford.fcdb.info?id=5169

BBC Sport

Arouna Kone’s late equaliser earned Everton a point at home to Premier League newcomers Watford. Mexican Miguel Layun fired Watford ahead on the half-volley in the first half after Everton failed to clear.

sky

Substitute Arouna Kone’s late equaliser earned Everton a 2-2 draw and spoiled Watford’s hopes of a fairytale win on their return to the Premier League at Goodison Park.

Telegraph

When referee Mike Jones blew the half time whistle, the booing inside Goodison Park was so thunderous that the stadium’s public address system was activated to full blast immediately; the noise on the terraces being masked by One Direction, a noise of a very different kind.

Miguel-Layun-and-Odion-Ighalo-score-to-earn-Watford-2-2-Premier-League-draw-at-Everton-_-Watford-Observer Download

Watford are up and running in the Premier League after a high-intensity display of commitment and organisation saw them twice lead at Everton only to be pegged back on both occasions in a stirring 2-2 draw at Goodison Park.

BHappy image

The old “will take time to gel” thing drifts from being a source of concern to a reason to be excited in the wake of the opening fixture. Because there were deficiencies, several of them actually, and yet we went and got a result despite them in a challenging away game, twice taking the lead in the process.

There was some disappointment among some Watford fans that we had twice surrendered the lead. Others, me included, felt that we would have bitten hands off if offered a draw at the start of the game. We met a number of Toffees fans on our journey back to the city centre who were very complimentary about our performance and scathing of theirs. Most Watford fans were impressed with our strong showing and the quality of our new signings. Quique has promised us a surprise in each game. I am not sure that will be good for my blood pressure or my sanity, but I am intrigued to see how he will set up at home. So far, so good and I am really looking forward to the rest of the season.

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8th August 2009-Championship, Watford 1 Doncaster Rovers 1

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http://watford.fcdb.info?id=4868

Malky Mackay was denied a winning start as Watford boss after Doncaster striker James Hayter cancelled out Danny Graham’s early strike.

BBC-SPORT-_-Football-_-Championship-_-Watford-1-1-Doncaster Download

Watford’s ideas of a dream opener were quickly quashed as they drew 1-1 at home to Doncaster.

Doncaster manager Sean O’Driscoll refused to blame the match officials but he believed his side were denied a legitimate goal during their 1-1 draw at Watford.

Fizzle. It should, of course, be remembered that there have been less auspicious starts than this to very auspicious seasons; we all crave answers, but these early season games often raise still more questions instead. It was a bit of a non-alcoholic beer of a match: the same fizz as the bottle’s cracked open, but some bite missing from what’s inside.

Hornblogger: The half time entertainment was provided by Mark Falco doing Harry’s 50/50 draw. Maybe he’d not drawn a raffle before but he made the mistake of pulling out three tickets whose numbers ran consecutively. I suppose you’d be pleased if you had those three tickets. I don’t think they’ll be asking him to do it again.

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(taken from Watford v Blackpool programme 22nd August 2009)

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8th August 2006- Friendly, Watford 1 Inter Milan 1

Watford drew at home to Italian champions Inter Milan in Tuesday night’s friendly at Vicarage Road.

It’s the middle of the night. I’m sitting in my seat in the Rookery holding my two month old daughter and there’s nobody else in view, the lights are out, the stadium is pitch black. It ought to be cold but it isn’t. Suddenly my boss appears next to me. “What are you doing here? You should be at work” .

Vital Watford: Aidy Boothroyd`s side continued their Premiership preparations by extending their pre-season unbeaten run to five matches after holding Italian giants Inter Milan to a draw.

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Taken from the programme on 31st July 2015- Friendly, Watford 0 Sevilla 1

8th August 1998- Division One, Portsmouth 1 Watford 2

http://watford.fcdb.info?id=4308

Independent

THE EDITOR of Portsmouth’s club programme, Chimes, was indulging in some mischievous wish-fulfilment with the premature publication of the First Division table in his opening-day issue. In the absence of any points won or goals scored, Pompey appeared in 15th place while, by dint of name alone, Watford were in the relegation zone, above West Brom and Wolves.

Somewhere in my head, there’s a long list of things that I want to do before I pass away. Predictably, most of them are completely unattainable – I’ll never write a novel, I’ll never paint a whole train carriage, I’ll never beat five defenders and drill a shot past the keeper. I can dream, though.

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Taken from the programme on 18th August 1998-League Cup First Round Second Leg, Watford 1 Cambridge Utd 1 (Cambridge won 2-1 on aggregate)