I had some things to do on Saturday morning including finally delivering Kate Lewers’ Trust award as Equality Champion, so I was very late on parade. Luckily the timekeeping steward was distracted, so I snuck in without being reprimanded. The woman who does the tremendous catering wasn’t there and none of the things that I like on the menu were on offer, so I decided to wait until I got to the ground for lunch. When we arrived at the Rookery turnstiles, there were no female stewards on duty, so we were not searched, which always brightens my day.
Saturday was designated as the Junior Hornets matchday, so there was a fanzone outside. They also had a number of youngsters involved inside the ground. Some were helping out the ground staff, one read the team out, and another was helping Jon Marks on commentary. What a lovely idea. Ann Swanson was interviewed before the game and spoke with pride about how well the Junior Hornets were doing including recently welcoming the 5000th member.
Team news was that Cleverley had made three changes from the Southampton game with Andrews, Koné and Sierralta coming in for Dele-Bashiru, Chakvetadze and Pollock. So, the starting XI was Bachmann; Hoedt, Sierralta, Porteous; Lewis, Kayembe, Koné, Andrews; Dennis, Asprilla, Bayo. Former Hornet, Tufan, started for the visitors. He was welcomed back with boos.
The visitors had the first chance of the game with a low cross from Philogene that was easily saved by Bachmann. There was consternation among the home fans when Hoedt tripped Carvalho in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Tufan stepped up to take the penalty and was roundly abused by those behind the goal in the Rookery. The penalty was struck to Bachmann’s left, the Watford keeper got down to make the block and then gathered the loose ball. The first chance for the Hornets came soon after when Bayo met a cross from Lewis with a header that flew wide of the target. There was a better chance soon after as Asprilla met another cross from Lewis, but his header was also wide of the target. Another cross from Lewis found Dennis in the box, he turned and shot well wide when he should have passed to Asprilla who was in a much better position for a shot. Then Lewis and Asprilla moved upfield, exchanging passes as they went, before the Colombian’s shot was blocked.
The visitors then had a decent chance from a corner which Greaves headed down to Tufan who tried a back heel which Bachmann did really well to keep out of the net. At this point, there was enthusiastic applause greeting King Ken’s warm-up. The next chance for the visitors came as a corner from Ömür was met by Morton whose downward header was blocked. Hoedt was the first player to be cautioned, the card was earned for telling the referee what he thought of his decision to give yet another soft free kick to the visitors. Greaves was then booked for a strong tackle on Sierralta. There was a minute of added time at the end of the half and Kayembe had a chance to break the deadlock with a shot from just outside the box, which was deflected for a corner that came to nothing. So, we went into the break with the game scoreless after a half of scrappy football in which the Hornets failed to muster a shot on target. The visitors didn’t help with the entertainment value as they fell over at the slightest contact and the referee blew up for every incident.
The half time guest was Aidy Boothroyd, who was given a tremendous reception and spoke very positively of his time with the Hornets. It was lovely to see him back and remember those tremendous play-off games including the fracas with Fitz Hall.
The first chance of the second half fell to the Hornets as Porteous took a shot from the edge of the area that flew well over the bar. Porteous was then in action at the other end and was booked for a foul on Tufan when my first reaction was that the card was being shown for simulation. I had watched the first half, so should have known better. Andrews was then shown a card for another soft foul. At this point I wondered whether we would finish the game with 11 players on the pitch. The visitors had the ball in the net on 52 minutes after Tufan broke forward and beat Bachmann, but the flag was up for offside well before the ball hit the net. At the other end Asprilla went on a great run into the box where he passed to Dennis whose shot was blocked. From the resultant throw-in, Asprilla hit a shot from distance that flew wide of the target. A mistake by the Hull keeper, gave the ball to Dennis while Allsop was out of position, but the Watford man seemed unaware that he had an open goal to aim at, so didn’t shoot. The move ended with Asprilla crossing for Bayo who headed down to Andrews who shot wide of the near post. The visitors made their first change at this point bringing Delap on in place of Tufan. The next chance for the Hornets came from Koné whose shot was straight at Allsop. Cleverley then made a change of his own, bringing Ngakia on in place of Andrews.
The next chance for the Hornets came as Lewis crossed for Bayo but the header was so far off target that it nearly hit the corner flag. The Hull keeper caused problems for himself from a drop ball that he kicked straight to Bayo, but the Watford man wasn’t expecting it, so failed to find the net. There was then a booking for each side with Morton cautioned for a foul on Asprilla and Sierralta for a foul on Delap. The Hornets made a double substitution as Dennis made way for Rajović and Lewis was replaced by Sema, who came on to a massive cheer from the Hornet faithful. Rajović made an instant impact winning a free kick on the edge of the box and hitting a tremendous strike that needed a great save from Allsop to keep it out. Sema was making a difference as well, with a couple of great crosses into the box, but nobody got on the end of them. The visitors then launched a dangerous counterattack that finished with Philogene finding Delap in the box, his shot was just wide of the far post. The visitors then made a triple substitution with Sharp, Traoré and Giles replacing Ömür, Seri and Slater. For the Hornets, Bayo made way for Martins. The visitors won a free kick on the edge of the box, and it took a brilliant save from Bachmann to keep Carvalho’s shot out. Then Sema went on a surging run to the byline and pulled the ball back for Martins who just failed to connect.
The Hornets should have opened the scoring after Martins played a great cross-field ball for Asprilla who returned the favour, but the Brazilian’s first-time shot was just wide when he should have taken a touch to steady himself. The visitors were immediately up the other end, where Bachmann was equal to a shot from Jacobs, and then smothered the ball stopping Sharp burying the rebound. There was four minutes of added time during which Greaves broke forward and unleashed a low shot that was straight at Bachmann. Asprilla then shot over the bar when he really should have hit the target. The visitors had one last chance to break the deadlock when Traoré crossed for Greaves, but his effort flew wide of the target and the game finished goalless.
So, the Hornets are still waiting for their first home league win since November. After a poor first half, the second was much better and the Hornets had some decent chances, but didn’t test the keeper. Hull City were very annoying opponents, going down far too easily. I spent a large part of the game turning the air around me blue at their antics. Thankfully none of my neighbours reported me to the stewards. Dan Bachmann comes in for a lot of criticism that I have never really understood, but he had an outstanding game saving a penalty and making a couple of other decent saves to preserve his clean sheet. Another positive from the game was the return of King Ken, which was very welcome. I am not in the camp that abuses Lewis, but Ken offers so much more. Seeing him running at players quickens the pulse and he always looks as though he will create something.
So, we have our final home game of the season next Saturday. One final chance for a long-awaited home win. Let’s hope that we finish the season in style.
Fran's Watford Blog 