Fine contest ends in farce

Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 v Watford FC 2

Point gained or two dropped? As the game entered its final quarter it was Watford, with their superior polish, who looked the stronger. But in fairness either side could have nicked it, in what was an excellent game. It is just a shame that things ended as they did, first Tommie Hoban being dismissed for a second bookable offence when he clattered in to Rajiv van La Parra. And then in time added on theatrical diving from Fernando Foristieri , when reacting to a hand raised to his face by Bakary Sako, saw the Malian staring at red. Up until this point referee Brendan Malone had enjoyed an excellent game, rightly overruling numerous dives by allowing play to continue and getting most of his calls right. Just a shame that what will be remembered was his Sako dismissal.

But let us not dwell too much on the game’s final two minutes. What happened in the previous ninety made for excellent viewing, both sides intent on finding an opening, with plenty of goal mouth incident. The template for the game was established in an opening quarter of cat and mouse football. Chances were scant until in the 15th minute Kevin McDonald’s superb through ball picked out Benik Afobe just beyond the Watford back line. The £2m signing is looking a good investment as he gathered the ball and from ten yards slipped it neatly passed the advancing Manuelho Gomez and in to the net.

It would be another fifteen minutes before a further chance was created this time when Troy Deeney fed Matej Vidra with a fine ball. Though there was a hint of offside the Watford striker controlled the ball beautifully before firing it passed Tomas Kuszczak from the edge of the box.

The second half proved a mirror image of the first when, six minutes after the restart Kortney Hause’s shot struck Jack Price on the back. Wrong footed by a dramatic change in flight, a forlorn Gomez could only look on as the ball dribbled into his net. Wolves went close again five minutes later when a James Henry header slid agonisingly wide but within a minute of that Ben Watson struck the Wolves crossbar with a fine strike. Ten minutes later Wolves were undone by football redolent of the Graham Taylor era. From inside their half ex Wolves midfielder Adlene Guedioura launched a long punt upfield in the general direction of Deeney. Neither Danny Batth nor Richard Stearman could get a head to it and in failing to do so it fell to the Watford striker who controlled it well before sliding it passed Kuszczak.

In his post match comments Coach Jackett offered praise to both sides for the quality of their play. But he was less than enamoured with Foristieri whose antics caused Sako’s demise. Wolves will rightly lodge an appeal.

Wolves: Kuszczak 6, Doherty 6, Batth 6, Stearman 6, Hause 6 McDonald 7, Henry 6 Sub Doyle, Price 6, Sako 6 van la Parra 7, Afobe 7

Watford: Gomez 6, Paredes 6 Sub Motta, Angella 6, Cathcart 6, Hoban 6, Guedioura 6, Tozser 6, Abdi 5 Sub Munari, Watson 6 Sub Forestieri, Vydra 7, Deeney 8

Attendance: 23,146

Referee: Brendan Malone 8

MB