It is a nice easy journey to Southampton and I was delighted when I booked the trip to discover that there was a direct train from London to St Denys. In the past, we have had to change at the Parkway or go into the city and come out again. I boarded the train at Waterloo to find Jacque and Adam were already on board. We arrived at St Denys just before midday and were first in the pub. Despite the doors being open, the landlord told us that he couldn’t serve us until 12. So we scoped out the beer and found a table. We were soon joined by the rest of our party. The pub was doing a football menu, which usually means that the choice and quality is poor, but my chili topped nachos were really rather good and the others all enjoyed their choices.
It was a gorgeous day, so the walk along the river to St Mary’s was in bright sunshine. We arrived at the turnstiles and there was only a cursory search of the bags before we were admitted to the ground.
Team news was that Cleverley had made one change from the Ipswich game with Dennis coming in for Andrews. So, the starting XI was Bachmann; Lewis, Hoedt, Pollock, Porteous; Dele-Bashiru, Kayembe; Dennis, Chakvetadze, Asprilla; Bayo.
The game started disastrously for the Hornets as they conceded in the first minute when Adam Armstrong crossed for Smallbone who was allowed a free header that found the net. The first chance for the Hornets came as Chakvetadze broke forward but his shot was straight at Bazunu in the Southampton goal. The next chance for the home side came as Dele-Bashiru was tackled, the ball came to Smallbone whose shot was well over the target. The Hornets had a chance to draw level when Bazunu failed to clear a back pass, but Bayo was unable to nick the ball and the keeper recovered. The Hornets were two down after 20 minutes and it was a defensive nightmare. Walker-Peters danced past Porteous and Pollock into the box, his low cross deflected to Dele-Bashiru whose miskick fell to Brooks who played a short ball to Adams who turned it past Bachmann from close range. It was not looking good for the Hornets at this point, but they launched the next attack as Bayo released Chakvetadze whose cross was blocked for a corner that came to nothing. Southampton could have had a third when a free kick was headed goalwards by Bree and needed a decent save from Bachmann to keep it out. At the other end Dennis found Asprilla whose shot was deflected wide of the target. The Hornets had a great chance to pull a goal back after another break from Chakvetadze who teed up Asprilla who broke into the box and beat a defender before taking a shot that flew just wide of the far post.
This was much better from Watford and they pulled a goal back after 34 minutes. The move started with Dennis exchanged passes with Chakvetadze before being closed down in the box, but the home side were unable to clear and the ball came to Kayembe who exchanged passes with Asprilla before breaking into the box, his shot was flicked away and the ball fell to Porteous who danced into the box and took a shot that was deflected over the keeper and into the net. The Hornets had a chance of a second when Bayo exchanged passes with Asprilla, but his shot was blocked. The first booking of the game went to Hoedt for a foul on Brooks. The Hornets had a chance to equalise when a free kick from Asprilla was met by the head of Dennis, but Bazunu was equal to the shot. The keeper’s throw launched a counter attack as Aribo broke forward and found Adam Armstrong whose shot cleared the bar. So, the whistle went at the end of the half with Watford a goal down. After a shocking start to the game, the Hornets had done really well to get back into it and could have been level at the break.
Cleverley made a change at the start of the second half bringing Koné on in place of Dele-Bashiru. The Saints had an early chance to increase their lead with a shot from the edge of the area by Brooks but it flew well over the bar. The first chance of the second half for the Hornets came as Chakvetadze crossed for Porteous whose effort also cleared the bar. The Hornets were close to an equaliser when Porteous met a cross from Lewis with a header that was cleared off the line. The next booking of the game went to Porteous for a foul on Adam Armstrong. The hosts made a double substitution at this point bringing Fraser and Stuart Armstrong on in place of Brooks and Aribo. Soon after, Cleverley made a triple substitution replacing Lewis, Dennis and Pollock with Morris, Martins and Andrews. The next chance of the game went to the Hornets as Chakvetadze played the ball out to Asprilla whose cross was blocked and the ball ran back to the Georgian whose shot cleared the bar. Watford threatened again as Morris crossed for Andrews whose header at the far post was easily gathered by Bazunu. The next yellow card was shown to Kayembe who was booked for what looked like a soft foul on Fraser. The Saints made another change at this point bringing Manning on in place of Bree.
The next chance for the home side was a shot from Adam Armstrong that was blocked by Porteous who needed a moment or two to recover. Fraser then had the ball in the net but had fouled Bachmann in the build-up and was booked for his trouble. The Hornets then had a great attacking spell but the Saints defence prevented any shots going in. Cleverley made another substitution as Bayo made way for Rajović. The home side made a double change as Mara and Bednarek replaced the goalscorers, Adams and Smallbone. Fraser had the ball in the net again but this time the flag was up for offside. At the other end Martins crossed for Asprilla who was closed down as he tried to shoot. The Hornets drew level on 85 minutes as a clearance was met by Hoedt who headed the ball back for Koné who turned, ran into the box and coolly finished past Bazunu. It was no more than the Hornets deserved and Pete pointed out that the big screen was showing an advertisement for a concert, so the goal was greeted with “TakeThat”. The Hornets looked for a winner as Rajović tried an shot from the byline, but the keeper gathered. There was seven minutes of added time. The home side had a chance to grab a winner with a shot into the ground from Adam Armstrong, Bachmann did well to tip the bouncing ball over the bar. At the other end, a long throw from Rajović was caught by the keeper. Then a corner from Manning was headed over by Mara. The clock was showing 99 minutes when the hosts won another corner that was headed on to Downes at the far post where he scrambled the ball home. The roar from the home crowd was deafening. The Watford players were complaining that Downes had controlled the ball with his hand, but the goal stood and the Hornets fell to their first defeat under Cleverley.
I was absolutely gutted at the end of the game. It was a cruel way to lose, we didn’t deserve that at all. After a disastrous start to the game and a first 20 minutes when the Hornets had struggled, the lads had done incredibly well to get back in the game and had the better of the second half. We deserved to come away with at least a point, so the celebrations in the home stands really hurt. The players were cheered off the field by the travelling Hornets, which was as it should have been. We have been greatly entertained in most of the games since Cleverley took over and, with such a difficult run of games, have done considerably better than I would have expected. All we need now is a home win (or two).
Fran's Watford Blog 