RELIVE – Newcastle United vs Watford: Ayoze Perez header settles Premier League clash
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Newcastle United vs Watford: Missed opportunities disappoint Javi Gracia in Premier League defeat
IN PICTURES: Images from Watford’s defeat at Newcastle United
Adrian Mariappa: Wasteful Watford frustrate defender during Newcastle United loss
Newcastle recorded their first Premier League victory of the season as Ayoze Perez scored in a 1-0 win over Watford on Saturday. Having failed to win any of their opening 10 league games of a season for just the second time in their history, the relief around St James Park’ was clear to see when the striker headed home (64).
The Magpies rode their luck in the first half, with Watford duo Adrian Mariappa and Gerard Deulofeu both guilty of spurning excellent opportunities to put the Hornets ahead.
It might have been very different had Deufoleu been wearing his shooting boots but Fernández held Newcastle together commendably, his presence serving as a form of gloriously adhesive super-glue.
Yeah. Defeat, then. A bloody long way to come for an underwhelming outcome. If there was a consolation it was that there are worse places to visit than Newcastle with its admirable carpet of proper pubs. We visited a third before braving the train journey home.
There were a lot of angry Watford fans after the game. There was some justification for this as Newcastle had been very poor and were there for the taking. But the first half performance had been impressive and the Hornets should have been 3 or 4 up at half time. If the Pereyra shot that hit the crossbar early in the second half had gone in, we would have won the game. But Newcastle worked hard, managed to get a goal from a set piece and it seemed to be game over from that point. Still it is very dispiriting to hear so much anger directed at the players who have entertained us wonderfully so far this season. We are half way to safety with less than 30% of the games played, so are already on the way to having a great season. There will be the odd blip, but that shouldn’t derail the support as we are all in this together. It would be great if some of our more volatile supporters could remember that.
A game that we should have won comfortably but didn’t.
The definition of ‘doing a Watford’.
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BSAD report: So, as an early spell of Norwich pressing faded away, the Hornets began to show their credentials, not as cocky newcomers but as genuine First Division challengers. For me, watching the Bury goals on telly offered two moments of clattering realisation – the quality of Darren Bazeley’s goal, sure, but also the sheer big-kid-in-the-playground power of Allan Smart’s strike. Goddamn, this side has the potential to be as celebrated as any of its GT-assembled predecessors.
