Post Match

Who said games involving Watford this season were boring?

Watford beat Blackburn Rovers at Vicarage Road

Watford beat Blackburn Rovers to climb into third place

Watford head coach Vladimir Ivic calls for improvements

Watford players rated after win over Blackburn Rovers

Vladimir Ivic tells Ismaila Sarr and Joao Pedro to put Watford first

Ben Foster wants Watford to kill teams off quicker

The Hornets took control with two goals in quick succession early in the first half from Joao Pedro and Tom Cleverley.

Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster had already made a number of fine saves by the time Ben Brereton pulled one back with a brilliant chest and volley from 25 yards out. The hosts were also fortunate not to have Christian Kabasele sent off after he hauled Adam Armstrong down when the Rovers striker had gone clean through.

Any concerns that the second half would calm down a bit were allayed within five minutes of the restart.  An underhit Chalobah pass towards Sema was cut out, and Wilmot was caught slightly flat footed as Brereton escaped only to be pulled back by a welcome offside flag.  That could have been a different second half. As it was, and with so much of our threat in the first half having come via the burning pace of Sarr and Femenía on the right, Blackburn telegraphed what was to come by giving Ken Sema all sorts of space to put a cross in on the left.  He’s already demonstrated that he needs no space at all to cause damage from wide positions, so it was little surprise that a minute later his vicious cross was turned in by Lenihan.

Three goals and three points for the Hornets, but that doesn’t come close to summing up an enthralling encounter at Vicarage Road, as Watford beat Blackburn to go third.