The Lads went to Vicarage Road still smiling about last week's win over the Boro and lost out in a hard-fought game to a late penalty after the silliest of drive-ins. The sides were quite similar but the home side had that extra bit of strength and nous when it counted, although it has to be said that the ref was happy to accept wrestling by the home defence but not ours. The dark arts? Well, they looked pretty sunlit to me.
An early start (roadworks anticipated) meant a sight of a bonny sunrise, while it was initially colder on the bus than off it. Sleep shaken off, would Browne be in, would Poveda be on the bench, is Rigg really only just seventeen....all the usual questions. Would Watford revert to their season's initial promise or continue their iffy form? Ensconced in the Estcourt Tavern, tickets were passed on to grateful recipients as the place erupted at just after 1pm when Man City scored. More good craic with Watford fans in the Mad Squirrel followed - they described us as massive and on the way up, which is nice, and they did remember O'Nien from their academy as being the one who did countless press-ups before games. Mad.
Anyway, after taking twenty minutes to negotiate the last few yards I was in just in time to see Patto at our end, behind our first outing of the third strip on a sunny afternoon....
Patto
Hume O'Nien Mepham Cirkin
Neil(c) Bellingham Rigg
Roberts Isidor Mundle
..and with a bench of Moore, Rusyn, Hjelde, Poveda, Watson, Ba, Aleksic, Johnson, and Jones.
While we didn't deliberately sit back and let the opposition get on with it, like last Saturday, the opposition largely did just that. Two sort of similar sides but with the Hornets being extremely tight on our Lads and not being against leaving a bit in after each challenge. We did almost strike first, getting down the left via Mundle and hitting one into the side netting. We shaped up well at the back to force to home side to pass it back and across, which lesser sided might have found frustrating but they seemed patient to do it.
Roberts put in a cross from the right which beat their defence but our header flashed well wide of the far post - still, a positive response to their dominance. However, when the goal kick set them away down their left, the cross over our defence was met with a perfect volley which left Patto unable to do anything to stop it. Cracking finish, it has to be said. While it had our fans upset for a bit, it at least brought the first song from the the home crowd to add to the two (and both as unimaginative as you could imagine in their rhythm) bloody drums.
Mundle, who was causing his fullback a whole load of bother, was fouled for the third time and we headed the free just under the bar, only for the keeper to do his job and tip it over. Another free a few cards from the corner of the box on our right was clipped into the box, but a free was given against us In the ensuing scramble.
We continued to defend well, and a Roberts run ended with a shot that didn't curl enough (story of Paddy's life, I think) and the single added minute brought no joy. A tad unlucky to be beat the break? Perhaps, and we watched as Alec Chamberlain was one of the Watford boys reminiscing in the centre circle.
While neither side made any changes for the second half, we changed our attitude and went from full on Boro tactics to getting in their faces high up the field. Isidor's cutback from the line couldn't be controlled Rigg straight from the off, and that gave us something to sing about - not that we need an excuse. Soon after, Roberts worked his magic on the right to clip a waist-high cross to the near post, and Issy Wissy let's get busy applied a deft right-footed finish. Marvelous,and fully deserved for our change in tactics. Our much more positive approach had the home side on the back foot and a second would have been no surprise, but they slowed things down to take the initiative away from our attack play.
After a couple of Watford changes on 56, Jobe curled in a beauty from the left that was pushed away, and when we eventually won a corner, it was cleared. They were properly rattled at this stage and another from us would almost be certainly have win it, and when their sub Porteous ( who'd been sent off at our place last seat) sliced Jobe on the edge of the D, we had a real chance but hit the free into the wall - after the ref had sprayed a line in front of OUR players in the box.
Another home sub brought a bit more life to them, but a cracking Cirkin tackle had us away down the left and another free kick. Rusyn replaced Isidor and Poveda replaced Roberts with eighteen left, and our Ukrainian ran into spaces and didn't win a free despite having a defender putting both arms around him. I sometimes wonder what they tell referees to give fouls for, as we were penalised for doing far less. He managed to find enough space to shoot over before Rigg did likewise when Poveda was a better option on the side of the box. Don't always listen to us shouting, Riggy.
With eight to go to Watford pressed us back and we held them at bay until they hit into the box near the line on their right, and Dan Neil lost his composure and rather dived into the tackle,- penalty, which Patto guessed correctly but couldn't get across quickly enough and if was 1-2. Bugger. Poveda had one blocked and Neil hit one wide as we attempted to get straight back into things, but it just wouldn't come.
On came young Watson (AKA Jack Clarke version 2) and he set about their right back where Mundle, who he'd replaced, had left off, winning a corner. Then another, and eventually one on the right - and up came Patto to head it goalwards, but it was a straightforward save for their keeper.
The four added minutes were soon up, and that was that. Closed, but not close enough against a good side who withstood our change in tactics and tempo. You could say we were unlucky and that the ref was poor - I'd certainly argue the latter, but you generally make your own luck, and we weren't calm enough for me to argue for the former.
Man of the Match? A decent first start for Isidor, who'll certainly be a hit with the fans, and plenty about sub Poveda to like. Bellingham was good, and the defence was mostly sound but for me Mundle was our biggest threat, even if he did hold onto the ball a bit too long at times.
