Three home wins on spin for Hornets (From This Is Local London)

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Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee Michael Kightly sets Watford on way to win over Portsmouth

5:02pm Saturday 19th November 2011 in Watford FC - Match Reports By Anthony Matthews

Three home wins on spin for Hornets

Watford recorded their third straight home victory this afternoon with a deserved and largely comfortable 2-0 win over Portsmouth.

The Hornets got off to the ideal start when the returning Michael Kightly fired home the opener inside two minutes and after missing a number of other opportunities to double the lead, the second arrived at the end of the first half when Marvin Sordell volleyed in a Mark Yeates corner.

Apart from the occasional moment, Watford were comfortable at the back and were good value for a clean sheet, while they had a number of other opportunities to increase their lead.

Sean Dyche made just the one change from the side that was beaten at Middlesbrough last time out, with Kightly making his first start in five games at the expense of Troy Deeney. John Eustace was fit again after his back problem but he had to settle for a place on the bench.

Kightly was involved from the off, attacking Greg Halford down the left before sending over a deep cross that Yeates headed back into the danger zone but Chris Iwelumo, with his back to goal, couldn’t make a good enough contact on his attempted flick.

But the on-loan Wolves winger’s next contribution was decisive.

Kightly again attacked the Pompey right-back, this time going inside before hitting a right-footed shot that bounced before beating the very late dive of the presumably unsighted Stephen Henderson at his near post to give the Hornets the lead after just 80 seconds.

The visitors responded, with Luke Varney hitting a dangerous low cross from the left across the six-yard box before striking a tame right-footed effort that was comfortably dealt with by Scott Loach.

Watford’s next opening came in the tenth minute when, following a throw from the right, Lee Hodson’s ball into the box was laid off by Prince Buaben to Sordell, who returned it to the midfielder but his rising left-footed strike cleared the bar.

It took a good defensive header from Jason Pearce to prevent Iwelumo from having a clear header from a Hodson cross before Kightly wasn’t far away from doubling his and his side’s tally with a right-footed snap-shot that went just the wrong side of Henderson’s right-hand upright after a Carl Dicksinon throw from the left had been half-cleared.

The Hornets’ good start continued, with Sordell seeing an early strike deflected through to the diving Henderson and then Dickinson did well to find Kightly before the latter played a great centre across the six-yard box that only needed a touch. Sordell also struck a decent opportunity over the top as the hosts’ search for a second goal continued.

Henderson was pressed into action in the 31st minute when he had to tip what started out as a cross from Yeates over his own bar but Nyron Nosworthy made a superb tackle soon after to prevent Varney from being clean through on goal after being played in by Dave Kitson.

However, the Sunderland loanee almost paid the price for going to the other end of the spectrum moments later when his lapse left Varney free on goal but, fortunately for the Hornets, the flag went up for offside, even though the Pompey striker put the opportunity wide.

Adrian Mariappa also did well to clear a dangerous flick-on from a Portsmouth free-kick as the opening period drew to a close – but there was still enough time for Watford to deservedly double their lead in the last minute of the first 45.

It came from the Hornets’ second corner of the match which, from the right, was hit beyond the far post to the edge of the six-yard box where Sordell connected with a controlled first-time left-footed volley to beat both Henderson and Halford, who got the last touch, at the near post to make it 2-0.

Kitson did badly scuff an effort wide in stoppage time but the Hornets were largely decent value for their two-goal advantage at the break.

New Portsmouth boss Michael Appleton made a change at the interval, bringing on Benjani for Tal Ben-Haim, with Joel Ward switching to left-back, but it was the home side who were straight out of the blocks as Iwelumo and Sordell combined well before the latter struck an ambitious curler wide.

Next, Buaben had a shot from the edge of the area deflected area after a lovely incisive clipped pass from Kightly had given Iwelumo the chance to bring others into play.

Yeates had a piledriver blocked on the edge of the area and then Sordell fired over the top from the right side of the area.

Portsmouth did have a rare opportunity to half the deficit in the 63rd minute when they were awarded a free-kick centrally and around 25 yards out, but Halford’s set piece comfortably cleared the bar.

The next free-kick was awarded to Watford and although this was further out, Yeates’ whipped-in effort with his right foot may well have only needed a touch to take it past the keeper but it bounced through to Henderson.

But Watford really should have scored a third with 20 minutes remaining when a Yeates corner from the right was half-cleared to Hodson, who delivered the ball back into the box and Sordell had a free header, but put it over.

Jonathan Hogg picked up a yellow card in the 75th minute for a robust challenge on substitute Abdul Razak but then Loach was forced into his first real save of the match to save an on-target header from a corner.

Kightly deservedly received a warm round of applause when he was replaced by Deeney with six minutes left but Pompey had another opportunity when a free-kick into the box was headed back across goal by Ricardo Rocha but Kitson headed down and wide of the near post.

Loach ensured he would keep a clean sheet by diving to his right and making a fine save to keep out a Halford free-kick in the first minute of stoppage time but Watford finished strongly, with Deeney having a shot blocked and Yeates curling an improvised effort wide.

The Hornets also had a strong penalty appeal turned down when a Yeates free-kick appeared to be blocked by a Pompey arm in the defensive wall but they finished the contest as worthy victors to move further away from danger at the wrong end of the table after a fourth home win in five.

Watford: Loach; Hodson, Nosworthy, Mariappa, Dickinson; Yeates, Hogg, Buaben, Kightly (Deeney 84); Iwelumo, Sordell. Not used: Eustace, Gilmartin, Mirfin and Beattie.

Portsmouth: Henderson; Halford, Rocha, Pearce, Ben-Haim (Benjani 46); Ward, Mullins, Norris (Razak 71), Huseklepp; Kitson, Varney. Not used: Ashdown, Mokoena and Kanu.

Bookings: Kitson (57); Hogg (75).

Attendance: 12,864.

Referee: Graham Scott.

Comments(86)

SAHornet says...
5:12pm Sat 19 Nov 11

Well done all the lads. Sounds like a desrved win and takes us up to 19th.