Tag Archives: Dec15

15th December 2020- Championship, Watford 1 Brentford 1

This would be the final game of the season that Watford fans were allowed to attend as a rise in Covid cases brought the relaxation of government restrictions to an end the following weekend. The attendance was given as exactly 2000.

BBC Sport: In a frantic five second-half minutes at Vicarage Road, Brentford’s Ethan Pinnock was sent off for bundling over Ismaila Sarr in the box and Troy Deeney drilled home the resulting penalty. Toney then sent Ben Foster the wrong way after Christian Kabasele was penalised for handball.

Sky Sports: Substitute Stipe Perica had a header ruled out for Watford in the 82nd minute for offside – a call the officials also appeared to have got wrong as the striker was level with the last defender.

Official site: It was Deeney’s 137th goal for the club and he seems as hungry as ever. It didn’t end up as a winning penalty this time, as it really should have done against a Brentford side who played nearly half an hour with a man less, and that’s what will disappoint the captain the most.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55225496

15th December 2018- Premier League, Watford 3 Cardiff City 2

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Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary Goals: 1 2 3

Match Report: Watford 3-2 Cardiff City

Gracia: “An Important Win”

Deulofeu: “We Are So Happy”

Highlights: Watford 3-2 Cardiff City

Holebas: “It Was Very Important For Us”

Affleck’s Angle: Deadline Day Diamond Dom

Gallery: Watford v Cardiff City

FPL Review: Gameweek 17

Relive our coverage of Watford’s Premier League clash with Cardiff City

Watford end winless run with Cardiff City success

Watford vs Cardiff City: Javi Gracia pleased with Hornets’ attacking play in victory

Watford player ratings: How we scored the Hornets against Cardiff City

Watford: Domingos Quina feels he’s proving some doubters wrong

Jose Holebas: Watford ‘went too sloppy’ against Cardiff City

IN PICTURES: Images from Watford’s victory over Cardiff City at Vicarage Road

Gerard Deulofeu pleased Watford’s winless run is over

Watford manager Javi Gracia said his side had been taught a “good lesson” after they held off a late Cardiff comeback to seal their first Premier League win since October.

In torrential conditions, the hosts raced into a deserved 3-0 lead courtesy of brilliant goals from Gerard Deulofeu (16), Jose Holebas (52) and Domingos Quina (68).

This was a good win for Watford. Such was the harum-scarum nature of the closing stages, however, that a moment’s reflection was needed in order to be sure. After dominating possession and storming to a 3-0 lead with some sumptuous goals, they almost threw it away in the last 10 minutes. The final moments saw the hosts clinging on to the result, keeping the ball by the corner flag.

On a slippery pitch and near-freezing conditions, Deulofeu looked like he was on a slalom run as he waltzed past three defenders into the Cardiff penalty area and calmly placed the ball past goalkeeper Neil Etheridge to open the scoring.

There are parallels with following a football team, I think. A bit. Particularly that last point. It’s a drum I’ve banged before, no apologies for that. It’s the answer to that question we used to ask when we were in the second tier. “What’s the point of being a mid-table Premier League side?” Of being (Fulham/Stoke/West Brom/insert your choice here). No hope of challenging, limited peril until there is, then it stops. We are now that side. The side that are the go-to name for throwaway lines about mid-table irrelevance. Leicester answered that question in part of course. But there’s more to it. Being Watford (any team, but Watford more so, obviously) is great because it’s us. It’s being part of something. And being us is great wherever it is. Being good is fun. But it’s not all of it.

At the end of the match there was complete bafflement. Watford had been coasting until the first Cardiff goal, which seemed to give the visitors confidence and the home side jitters. While we weren’t exactly hanging on at the end, the memory of the last minute at Goodison Park on Monday was too fresh for me to feel comfortable until the final whistle had gone.

https://audioboom.com/posts/7118551-quina-ssential-9-23

15th December 2007- Championship, Watford 0 Plymouth Argyle 1

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This was the first game played after Watford’s Sierra Leonean midfielder Al Bangura had his application for leave of stay in the UK turned down. He was initially cleared to stay in early 2007 but the Home Office appealed the decision on a legal technicality and won meaning Bangura would have to return to his homeland which he’d fled when he was just 15.

The club organised a protest against the decision at half time during the game against Plymouth. Al himself addressed the crowd alongside the then Watford chairman Graham Simpson, and Watford MP Claire Ward. Four days later the Home Office announced Bangura would be allowed to stay whilst he appealed against the decision and applied for a work permit.

On 14th January 2008 he was awarded the work permit and allowed to remain in the UK.