Tag Archives: Jan1

1st January 2026- Championship, Watford 3 Birmingham City 0

Watford Observer: Birmingham preview: Gracia believes Watford squad ‘feel part of something’

https://www.watfordfc.com/supporters/digital-digests

Match Wrap: Watford 3-0 Birmingham City – Watford FC Download

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY RECAP: Watford 3-0 Birmingham City

Match Report: Ince hat-trick inspires relentless Watford to 3-0 Birmingham win

Gracia on Birmingham win: ‘The squad believe in what we are doing’

Hat-trick hero Ince: ‘I never doubted that I could be exciting again’

Birmingham City verdict: Powerful Watford let rip at Vicarage Road

Gracia on Irankunda’s return to form and ‘high quality’ Ince

BBC: Tom Ince scored a hat-trick as Watford made it four successive Championship wins with a comprehensive victory over a lacklustre Birmingham City.

Sky: Ince should even have added a fourth goal when he fired over an open net inside the six-yard box with 20 minutes remaining.

BHappy: You really don’t want to be falling behind against this Watford side. Admittedly we’ve not taken the lead in games often enough to demonstrate the veracity of this theory conclusively (though, whisper it, one goal conceded in four games in case you missed that detail) but… rarely, perhaps not since our promotion season of 20 years ago (eek) under Aidy Boothroyd have we had a side so well-equipped for attacking on the break.

Fran’s Watford Blog: There were great celebrations in the stands and on the pitch. The players spent some time on the lap of honour and it was lovely seeing Tom Ince walking around with the matchball and a huge smile on his face. He was deservedly man of the match after scoring a hat trick and taking them all well.

From The Rookery End: On this week’s episode, Jon, Mike and DCW revel in Watford FC’s red-hot start to the year as the Hornets make it four consecutive victories and confidence begins to surge. There’s plenty of love for Tom Ince after a stunning hat-trick, with the lads discussing what his form means for the balance and belief within the side. Attention also turns to the hugely important return of Georgi Chakvetadze, whose influence has brought control, cohesion and calm back into midfield, helping to ignite an electric atmosphere at Vicarage Road.

1st January 2025- Championship, Queens Park Rangers 3 Watford 1

WFC.Net goal commentary: 1

Report: QPR 3-1 Watford – Watford FC Download

BBC: Fit-again Michael Frey marked his first start since October with a goal to set rejuvenated QPR on their way to an impressive Championship win against play-off chasing Watford at Loftus Road.

Sky: Kwadwo Baah struck to briefly restore the visitors’ prospects early in the second half, but less than 60 seconds later Cifuentes’ side picked them off again, Sam Field nodding in Paul Smyth’s cross to seal a deserved victory in west London.

Watford Observer: RECAP: QPR 3 Watford 1

QPR 3 Watford 1 minute-by-minute report

Simply not good enough in either penalty area

Third goal at QPR made Cleverley most angry

The signposts are clear, but what direction will the owner take Watford in?

‘We need people who know the league inside out’

Cleverley acknowledges Sissoko’s dip in form but recognises his leadership

Fran’s Watford Blog: It was another poor performance. We missed Louza again, his control of the midfield brings a calm to proceedings that wasn’t in evidence as we constantly gave the ball away. On the positive side, Baah was excellent, constantly running at the QPR defence, putting in dangerous crosses and taking the chance to shoot. Sadly, having looked solid earlier in the season, the defence was completely porous, conceding goals that they really should have stopped. I think a Robbo masterclass is needed.

From the Rookery End: It was a wet and drab start to Watford’s 2025, but Colin, DCW and Mike made the trip to Loftus Road to see the Hornets go behind early (yes, that’s not going away) and they stay there. With the enforced changes to Tom Cleverly’s starting XI, how did the guys think the team put up with another physical side and another heavy away defeat!

1st January 2024- Championship, Plymouth Argyle 3 Watford 3

https://www.skysports.com/football/plymouth-argyle-vs-watford/teams/485008

WFC.Net Jon Marks Goal Commentary: 1 2 3

Sky: Ryan Andrews’ second-half equaliser secured Watford a 3-3 Championship draw from a topsy-turvy New Year’s Day thriller at Plymouth.

BBC: Edo Kayembe’s effort into the bottom corner gave the Hornets an early lead, but Finn Azaz’s superb volley levelled the scores soon after. Azaz turned provider as he teed up Morgan Whittaker to blast the Pilgrims ahead before Ismael Kone’s superb effort made it 2-2, only for Ryan Hardie to get a third for Argyle in a pulsating first half.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Plymouth 3 Watford 3

Watford come back twice to take point in a wet, windy and wild game in the west

‘We made a lot of mistakes and errors in defence in first half’ – Ismael

BHappy: The football, then. As already discussed, and whilst bearing in mind once again that probably and definitely aren’t the same thing… this team probablywon’t get promoted and probably won’t get relegated. This being the case, surely stupid basketball-like end-to-end football with all that this entails is vastly preferable to any alternative that yields a similarly inconsequential haul of points.

Fran’s Watford Blog: The travelling fans were full of smiles on the way out of the ground. It had been a tremendously entertaining game. It was one of those days when you would have loved to be a neutral, but we had all enjoyed it just the same. The Hornets had generally been great going forward, although Rajović had a poor game, but we could not cope with the pace of the Plymouth forwards who seemed to break forward at will needing great last-ditch tackles and excellent saves from Hamer to keep them out. There had been some wonderful goals, with Koné’s an absolute belter. Andrews had a great game, and his goal was a thing of beauty. The nerves had been jangling at the end of the game, but there was a great atmosphere among the Watford fans, much more positive than we have seen at many games this season and they were in good voice cheering the lads on with much less of the negative chanting that I hate so much.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67818354

1st January 2022- Premier League, Watford 0 Tottenham Hotspur 1

Attendance: 20,391

BBC Sport: Davinson Sanchez scored a 96th-minute winner as Tottenham continued their push for a Premier League top-four place with a last-gasp victory over struggling Watford at Vicarage Road.

Sky Sports: Watford had conceded 15 goals during a five-match losing streak, but Kane and company were frustrated by an inspired Daniel Bachmann before Sanchez’s very late intervention.

BHappy: It wasn’t to be. And you can focus on Kucka’s ill-judged foul as Spurs once again tried to find a way into our penalty area, or Sierralta being outjumped by Sánchez, or Bachmann flying out and getting nowhere near the cross. There was always a chance of this happening… tickets, raffles. The strategy of ceding possession and blocking space relied on absolute concentration and a bit of luck and in the 96th minute, after an interlude for a fan to receive treatment, both failed us. The defeat also owes a lot, in fairness, to the relentless focus of the visitors – something not always associated with Spurs teams in the past. Very few histrionics here, very few tantrums as the frustration at lack of progress must have built, not much in the way of testing the referee after he’d set a tone in the first half. Just a concentrated belief in what they were doing, something that was true of both sides.

Fran’s Watford Blog: It was a heart-breaking end to the game. Watford had done really well to contain the Spurs attack and had had a couple of decent chances themselves. The second half had been much more positive from the Hornets. Joao Pedro had been a menace and, had he been allowed to continue his run, may well have grabbed a goal. The man of the match award was given to Kucka, but I thought the midfield three all did well with a decent showing from Louza and the sort of impressive performance that we have come to expect from Sissoko.

1st January 2020- Premier League, Watford 2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1

Referee: Andy Madley
Attendance: 20,584

1-0

2-0

Watford continue improved home form against Wolverhampton Wanderers

Ten-man Watford beat Wolverhampton Wanderers to continue revival under Nigel Pearson

Nigel Pearson praises Watford’s desire after Wolverhampton Wanderers win

Watford’s Christian Kabasele felt harshly treated by Wolverhampton Wanderers red card

Watford players pick up points over Wolverhampton Wanderers

Watford players praise Nigel Pearson as fans are given renewed hope

Christian Kabasele will miss two Watford games after Wolverhampton Wanderers red card

Watford head coach Nigel Pearson says players such as Gerard Deulofeu need the freedom to express themselves

Midlands rivalry made Watford’s win over Wolverhampton Wanderers sweeter for Ben Foster

Images as Watford make it 10 points from 12 with Wolverhampton Wanderers win

Nigel Pearson surprised Watford are in a relegation scrap

Watford boss Nigel Pearson hails Nathaniel Chalobah following Wolverhampton Wanderers display

Watford defender Christian Kabsele suspended for Tranmere Rovers and Bournemouth games

Ten-man Watford held on to beat Wolves 2-1 at Vicarage Road and boost their Premier League survival hopes in the process.

Goals from Gerard Deulofeu and Doucoure gave Watford a 2-0 lead before Pedro Neto reduced the deficit.

Normally teams in trouble fall apart when things go against them but Watford are doing the opposite, with this game being the second in a row they have won despite being reduced to 10 men.

We’ll draw a veil over the final twenty minutes. Twenty minutes of bloody-mindedness, bodies thrown in the way, discipline, nerves, sore throats, fist punching, defiance. It features Ismaïla Sarr, whose strength is as striking as his speed, emulating Gifton Noel-Williams’ efforts of twenty-one years ago by taking part in a game of keep ball in the corner before being slowed down by his team mates as he makes his away across to be subbed. Troy is booked for time wasting, slightly harshly. Ben is booked for time wasting, less harshly. Wolves huff and puff, Foster saves from Doherty. And it’s done.

It had been a terrific game and a very impressive win against a Wolves team who are very good indeed. Femenía had done a tremendous job in keeping Traoré quiet and we were under the cosh a bit after the double blow of his injury and the dismissal of Kabasele, but the team worked hard to keep their shape and were well worth the three points. Deulofeu appears to be a new player under Pearson, an arm around his shoulder has given him more confidence in both himself and his team mates to the benefit of all of us. Capoue was magnificent running the midfield and Chalobah put the disappointment of the early withdrawal on Saturday behind him to put in an assured performance. Birthday boy Doucouré was back to his best and topped it off with a goal.

1st January 2017- Premier League, Watford 1 Tottenham Hotspur 4

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clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary
Goal 1

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WO image

Relive Watford v Spurs: New year, no hope for Hornets against Champions League chasers

Horrendous Hornets hammered by Tottenham Hotspur

Watford boss Mazzarri defends record after Spurs hammering

Hornets boss Mazzarri believes any Premier League team would struggle with their injuries

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