Huddersfield 1 - 2 Watford Match Report.
Watford ran out 2-1 winners at the John Smiths Stadium on Saturday in the Sky Bet Championship and ended Huddersfields unbeaten start at home. Goals from Fernando Forestieri and Daniel Pudil secured the victory after initially going behind after Danny Ward scored for Huddersfield. Watford had numerous chances in the second half to kill the game off but could not put the ball in the back of Huddersfield net. Gianfranco Zola made six changes to the side that face Blackburn in the week. Essaid Belkalem, Marco Cassetti, Ikechi Anya, Iriney, Cristian Battochio and Javier Acuna all missed out. In came Lloyd Doyley, Joel Ekstrand, Daniel Pudil, Josh McEachran( to make his first league start), Sean Murray and Fernando Forestieri. Mark Robins made two changes to the Huddersfield side that drew with Middlesbrough in the wekk with Oliver Norwood and Danny Ward coming in. The opening 10 minutes was slow with neither keeper being tested with Lewis McGugan and Norwood seeing shots going well over. Then in the 17th minute, Huddersfield went ahead. Adam Hammill crossed the ball in from the right hand side and Danny Ward headered the ball into the corner of the net. But the Hornets werent behind for long and equalised two minutes later. Troy Deeney collected the ball before passing the ball to Marco Faraoni down the left flank and the Italians cross was brilliantly volleyed home by Fernando Forestieri for his second goal of the season. From then on the Hornets were on top. In the 29th minute, Josh McEachran picked up the ball before playing the ball into Deeney who then passed to Sean Murray whose shot was easily saved by Alex Smithies. Then the championships top scorer James Vaughan headered wide after Hammills cross. But in the 43rd minute Watford went ahead. Lewis McGugan saw his 25 yard free kick spilled by Alex Smithies and Daniel Pudil was first to follow up and calmly slotted the ball home. This was the Czech Republic wing backs second goal of the season and he has already bettered his goal tally from last season now.
Half Time - 1-2
Watford had the first chance of the second half. After winning the ball, McGugan strode forward and had other options with Deeney and Faraoni but he chose to go alone and his 20 yard effort went just wide of the post. The Hornets then should have had a third in the 62nd Minute. After Anthony Gerrard mis controlled a hoof upfield from Lloyd Doyley, Troy Deeney scampered through on goal but he blazed his effort over the bar when he only had the keeper to beat. The Hornets were well on top in the second half and had numerous chances to kill the game off. Alex Smithies made a good save from a Fernando Forestieri effort in the 69th minute. In the 72nd minute, Sean Murray missed the target after Watford counter attacked. Zola made use of his bench bringing on Ikechi Anya, Iriney and Diego Fabbrini for the final ten minutes. Manuel Almunia was called into action during the last six minutes but the Hornets held out for a 2-1 win.
Full Time - 1-2
Team Lineups
Huddersfield - Smithies (GK), Richards (Patterson 65), Clarke (C), Gerrard, Lynch (Scanell 85), Hammill, Hogg, Clayton (Holmes H/T), Norwood, Ward, Vaughan.
Subs Not Used - Bennett (GK), Woods, Gobern, Stead.
Goals - Ward (17)
Bookings - Ward.
Watford - Almunia (GK)(C), Doyley, Angella, Ekstrand, Faraoni, McEachran (Iriney 79), McGugan, Murray, Pudil (Anya 81), Forestieri (Fabbrini 87), Deeney.
Subs Not Used - Bond (GK), Belkalem, Battochio, Cassetti.
Goals - Forestieri (19), Pudil (43).
Bookings - Faraoni, McGugan.
Possesion - 54 % Hudderfield - 46 % Watford
Attendance - 14,311 (950 Watford Fans)
Referee - David Webb.