Match ends, Watford 3, Bolton Wanderers 0.
Watford 3-0 Bolton Wanderers
- From the section Football
Troy Deeney, Matej Vydra and substitute Fernando Forestieri were on target as Watford eased to victory over Bolton.
Deeney lifted the ball over Bolton goalkeeper Andy Lonergan after receiving Gabriele Angella's pass to give Beppe Sannino's team the lead.
Vydra made it 2-0 when he evaded Tim Ream's challenge and fired the ball home from 10 yards.
Then Forestieri burst clear to complete the scoring less than a minute after coming off the bench.
Watford have so far managed to resist bids for Deeney, who was named as captain for the season opener.
The 26-year-old striker scored 44 Championship goals in the past two seasons and had reportedly attracted interest from Premier League clubs such as newly promoted Burnley and Leicester City.
Deeney has been reunited with Vydra after a season apart. The two formed an effective partnership in 2012-13, scoring a combined 44 goals as the Hornets reached the Championship play-offs under Gianfranco Zola.
Former Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes made his debut for Watford, alongside fellow new arrivals Juan Carlos Paredes and Gabriel Tamas.
Bolton finished 14th last season - their lowest end-of-season position for two decades but manager Dougie Freedman has not made wholesale changes to his squad.
Full-back Dean Moxey was the only debutant in the starting XI but his first significant contribution almost cost his new team a goal.
His short backpass was intercepted by Deeney, but the Watford striker's low shot went tamely wide.
It was an uncharacteristic miss but the striker atoned for his error by scoring the opening goal in the 17th minute. It was his 10th in as many games at Vicarage Road.
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He latched on to Gabriele Angella's long pass and lifted the ball over goalkeeper Andy Lonergan to score.
The hosts doubled their advantage when Vydra skipped past Tim Ream's challenge and fired the ball beyond Lonergan from 10 yards after another long ball forward.
Paredes came close to marking his debut with a goal but his 20-yard drive crashed against the bar within two minutes of the restart.
Craig Davies blasted a volley over the bar as Bolton began to enjoy more possession, then Chung-yong Lee's long-range effort was tipped over by Gomes.
Vydra left the field to a standing ovation when replaced by Forestieri and the substitute took less than 30 seconds to make an impact, breaking free to apply a calm finish and complete a miserable afternoon for Bolton.
Watford manager Beppe Sannino:
"The performance was very good because we have to play a good game with passing short and passing long and we're building the situation which is very important.
"We hope that Troy Deeney stays with us for the rest of the season."
Bolton manager Dougie Freedman:
"Uncharacteristic lapses in concentration presented them with two opportunities and, when you're dealing with the best two strikers in the division, you can't do that.
"In the second half, I thought we gave it a right good go and created opportunities but we didn't take them."
Line-ups
Watford
- 1Gomes
- 4Angella
- 17Tamas
- 6Ekstrand
- 22Abdi
- 14Paredes
- 10McGuganSubstituted forMunariat 70'minutes
- 8Tozser
- 18PudilSubstituted forDyerat 83'minutes
- 9Deeney
- 20VydraSubstituted forForestieriat 79'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Munari
- 11Forestieri
- 12Doyley
- 13Ranegie
- 23Dyer
- 30Bond
- 31Hoban
Bolton
- 24Lonergan
- 2McNaughton
- 5Ream
- 4Mills
- 3MoxeySubstituted forDerviteat 60'minutes
- 44Kamara
- 6Spearing
- 27Lee
- 18DannsSubstituted forBeckfordat 68'minutes
- 21PratleySubstituted forFeeneyat 45'minutes
- 28Davies
Substitutes
- 1Bogdan
- 7Feeney
- 10Beckford
- 14Dervite
- 17Trotter
- 31Wheater
- 35Wilkinson
- Referee:
- Carl Boyeson
- Attendance:
- 15,546
Match Stats
Home TeamWatfordAway TeamBolton
- Possession
- Home50%
- Away50%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away16
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away4
- Corners
- Home4
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away18
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Watford 3, Bolton Wanderers 0.
Attempt blocked. Medo (Bolton Wanderers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Jermaine Beckford (Bolton Wanderers) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Tim Ream with a cross.
Attempt missed. Craig Davies (Bolton Wanderers) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Jermaine Beckford with a headed pass.
Attempt missed. Lee Chung-Yong (Bolton Wanderers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Jermaine Beckford with a headed pass.
Attempt missed. Troy Deeney (Watford) right footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Lloyd Dyer.
Substitution
Substitution, Watford. Lloyd Dyer replaces Daniel Pudil.
Attempt missed. Dorian Dervite (Bolton Wanderers) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Liam Feeney with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Bolton Wanderers. Conceded by Heurelho Gomes.
Attempt saved. Lee Chung-Yong (Bolton Wanderers) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Hand ball by Almen Abdi (Watford).
Goal!
Goal! Watford 3, Bolton Wanderers 0. Fernando Forestieri (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Gabriele Angella.
Substitution
Substitution, Watford. Fernando Forestieri replaces Matej Vydra.
Attempt missed. Jermaine Beckford (Bolton Wanderers) left footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Liam Feeney.
Troy Deeney (Watford) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Lee Chung-Yong (Bolton Wanderers).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Juan Carlos Paredes (Watford) because of an injury.
Juan Carlos Paredes (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Lee Chung-Yong (Bolton Wanderers).
Substitution
Substitution, Watford. Gianni Munari replaces Lewis McGugan.
Attempt missed. Dorian Dervite (Bolton Wanderers) header from the right side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Liam Feeney with a cross following a corner.
Substitution
Substitution, Bolton Wanderers. Jermaine Beckford replaces Neil Danns.
Corner, Bolton Wanderers. Conceded by Daniel Tözsér.
Corner, Bolton Wanderers. Conceded by Heurelho Gomes.
Attempt saved. Lee Chung-Yong (Bolton Wanderers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Attempt blocked. Gabriel Tamas (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Daniel Tözsér.
Almen Abdi (Watford) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Liam Feeney (Bolton Wanderers).
Attempt missed. Almen Abdi (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a corner.
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Kevin McNaughton.
Corner, Bolton Wanderers. Conceded by Daniel Tözsér.
Attempt missed. Craig Davies (Bolton Wanderers) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Foul by Troy Deeney (Watford).
Tim Ream (Bolton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Bolton Wanderers. Dorian Dervite replaces Dean Moxey because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Matt Mills (Bolton Wanderers) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Liam Feeney with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Bolton Wanderers. Conceded by Heurelho Gomes.
Attempt saved. Liam Feeney (Bolton Wanderers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jay Spearing.
