Malky Mackay is still looking for his first victory as Latics boss, despite a more spirited display than of late, his team left Vicarage Road with no more to show for their exploits than a Chris McCann headed goal which was sandwiched between a Troy Deeney double as Watford took all the points.
Marc-Antoine Fortune dropped down to the bench with Shaun Maloney and Maynor Figueroa also missing from last week’s defeat against Norwich, in came Don Cowie, Roger Espinoza and Emmerson Boyce meaning the Latics started the game without a recognised striker, James McClean taking the ‘up front’ role.
Watford started the game the brightest and had Latics on the back foot, both Munari and Tozser testing Carson before Deeney gave the Hornets the lead on 20 mins. The goal had a bit of schoolboy football feel to it as the Latics defence failed to deal with an Anya header that Deeney finished off at the near post with an angled drive, 1-0.
Latics equalised on the stroke of half-time against the un of play, a right wing corner was taken by James McClean, his in-swinger was met six yards out by Chris McCann who produced a towering leap and powered a header home, 1-1.
Latics had a great spell after the break and dominated play but couldn’t find the goal that would have given them the lead, this led to Watford coming back into the game and Deeney struck again on 82 minutes, Anya chased a ball to the bye-line and clipped over a cross, Deeney came in under pressure from Perch but managed to get his head to the ball and prod home from four yards, 2-1.
Andy Delort was thrown into the fray with four minutes remaining, too little time to make any impact and the Latics headed home with another defeat under their belts, we are on a torrid run at the moment and it is getting quite desperate down at the bottom.
Teams
Watford – Gomes,Cathcart, Bassong, Angella, Paredes (Dyer 46), Munari, Tozser, Abdi (Guedioura 85), Anya, Deeney (c), Vydra (Ighalo 77)
Unused subs – Gilmartin, Forestieri, Doyley, Pudil
Latics – Carson, Perch, Barnett, Boyce (C), Taylor, McCann, Watson, McClean, McManaman (Maloney 61), Espinoza (Delort 86), Cowie
Unused subs – Al Habsi, Tavernier, Forshaw, Figueroa, Fortune
Match Highlights
Tough times