Vydra nets twice as young Watford win 3-0 (From Watford Observer)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting WO to 80360, or email us
On-loan Udinese forward Matej Vydra scores twice as Watford beat Gillingham 3-0
9:27pm Tuesday 7th August 2012 in Watford FC News
By Frank Smith, Deputy Group Sports Editor
New signing Matej Vydra marked his first game in the yellow of Watford with two goals as a young Watford side beat Gillingham 3-0 tonight.
Vydra has been with the Watford squad for the whole of pre-season but has not been training for much of that time due to, what Gianfranco Zola described as, an unbalanced muscle.
The on-loan Udinese forward scored two goals in a matter of four minutes and could have had a first-half hat-trick before Connor Smith added his side’s third before the break.
Zola had said those who played the full 90 minutes against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday would not start tonight and that has indeed proved to be the case.
The Hornets had lined up in a fluid system which at times looked like a 3-4-1-2 which then became 3-4-2-1 when Vydra dropped deep, which happened on several occasions.
Lee Hodson and Craig Forsyth were wing backs, Ross Jenkins and Smith were in the centre of the park, with Piero Mingoia finding space in-between the midfield and striker Chris Iwelumo.
Watford were passing the ball around well and the changing of positions was causing Gillingham problems at times.
It was a little patchy but there were a number of players who will have impressed Zola in the first half; Thompson at the back was assured, Smith and Jenkins impressed and Mingoia continued his good pre-season form.
The level of performance dropped considerably in the second half but they were able to hang on to their three-goal advantage despite a mini flurry from the home side at the death.
The Hornets were first to go close when Mingoia’s in-swinging cross was headed back towards his own goal by Connor Essam and Tom Forecast had to parry away.
Charlie Lee had a volley saved by Jonathan Bond and Charlie Allen fired well over early on for Gillingham but Watford were the side on top in the first half.
Vydra grabbed his first of the night 11 minutes into the contest when a lovely passing move resulted in Forsyth picking out the forward to head the ball between Forecast’s legs.
The lead was doubled four minutes later when Vydra went in for a 50-50 challenge with Tom Flanagan and the ball rebounded off the loanee and over the back-tracking keeper.
Forsyth struggled for much of last season but he was a good outlet on the left in the first half and he should have had another assist when he picked out Hodson at the far post, four yards from goal, but the Northern Ireland international smashed the ball against the outside of the post.
Mingoia had a long-range effort saved and Vydra was inches away from a hat-trick with a 20-yard drive in quick succession and the Hornets did score their third when a counter-attack saw Mingoia release Smith and, with Watford four-on-two, he coolly slotted past the keeper.
Watford left-sided centre half Aaron Tumwa struggled at times and when he was beaten by Allen, Burton forced a decent stop out of Bond low to the keeper’s left.
Burton had another effort from distance but Watford were worthy of their three-goal lead at half-time.
There was a slower tempo to the second-half but Vydra did well to pick out Iwelumo with a quick free-kick and and Forecast had to deny the striker twice; first from the header and then low down from the follow-up.
Watford were not passing the ball around as well in the second half and it was a poor spectacle for long periods.
Thompson needed to twice make last-ditch challenges to deny Gillingham; blocking Allen and then Strevens. From the resulting corner, Kedwell headed wide.
Watford were fortunate to end the game with a clean-sheet as Forsyth smashed a clearance into Chris Whelpdale and Kedwell was in one-on-one. He beat Bond in Watford’s goal but hit the outside of the post.
Watford had struggled to create in the second half but Matty Whichelow, who on the whole had failed to make an impact after coming on, nearly beat Forecast at his near post from 18 yards.
Gillingham had another decent attempt in injury time but there wasn’t to be any more goals in the second half.
Gillingham: Forecast (Hawkes 88), Evans (Fish 59), Martin, Flanagan, Essam (Strevens HT), Davies, Allen (Miller 87), Montrose, Brown (Whelpdale HT) Burton (Kedwell HT), Lee (Payne 43 - Dack 58)
Watford: Bond; Bennett, Thompson, Tumwa; Hodson, Jenkins, Smith (Hamilton-Forbes HT), Forsyth; Mingoia (Anya 55); Iwelumo (Massey 77), Vydra (Whichelow 55).
Subs: Stack, Doyley, Murray, Buaben.
Referee: Gavin Ward.
Comments(26)
AngelHornet
says...
9:37pm Tue 7 Aug 12
D.unstable
says...
9:56pm Tue 7 Aug 12
Good start by the new boy, let's get him all balanced correctly and let him loose on the championship.
SAHornet
says...
10:10pm Tue 7 Aug 12
lutondown
says...
10:10pm Tue 7 Aug 12
Stranger things happen, except in Luton where it's consistently horrible
Hornet23
says...
10:13pm Tue 7 Aug 12
SAHornet wrote:Clearly hasn't been released has he.
Why was CI playing when he has been released?
lutondown
says...
10:14pm Tue 7 Aug 12
Hornet23 wrote:Mores the pity then
SAHornet wrote:Clearly hasn't been released has he.
Why was CI playing when he has been released?
D.unstable
says...
10:37pm Tue 7 Aug 12
Deeney misunderstood from his cell and has requested that if there was any stamping of anyone's face, he wanted to be involved.
cliff46
says...
10:43pm Tue 7 Aug 12
Harrydownunder
says...
2:00am Wed 8 Aug 12
D.unstable wrote:Brilliant
The Royal Mail have just announced that the day after Chris Iwelumo next scores a goal they will be bringing out a commemorative stamp of his face in gold, similar to those of the Olympic winners. They have not bothered to take a photo of him though as they do not think it is likely.
Deeney misunderstood from his cell and has requested that if there was any stamping of anyone's face, he wanted to be involved.
harry uk
says...
7:56am Wed 8 Aug 12
jimbuctu
says...
9:15am Wed 8 Aug 12
D.unstable wrote:Nice!
The Royal Mail have just announced that the day after Chris Iwelumo next scores a goal they will be bringing out a commemorative stamp of his face in gold, similar to those of the Olympic winners. They have not bothered to take a photo of him though as they do not think it is likely.
Deeney misunderstood from his cell and has requested that if there was any stamping of anyone's face, he wanted to be involved.
Boxhorn
says...
10:03am Wed 8 Aug 12
D.unstable wrote:Whatever you say about Big Chris things seem to happen when he's on the pitch.
Doesn't seem to matter what the level of opposition, Iwelumo cannot seem to score. I'm a big believer that you make your own luck and he just ain't making any. Good start by the new boy, let's get him all balanced correctly and let him loose on the championship.
It can't be a coincidence that we score goals when he's around. Something of the Heskey effect maybe?
worthing_hornet
says...
11:38am Wed 8 Aug 12
Rookery Veteren
says...
11:49am Wed 8 Aug 12
MINTYHORNET
says...
11:59am Wed 8 Aug 12
jimbuctu
says...
12:14pm Wed 8 Aug 12
worthing_hornet wrote:What do people reckon to Heskey on a free? I wouldn't be upset if we signed him. Doesn't exactly fit our new owners mould of signing up and coming youngsters but as a stop gap for this season he would probably be quite effective in the Championship. He's probably more expensive and less talented than quite a few others out there though. Thoughts?
If he has a Heskey effect then at least get the genuine article he is available on a free after all. We could have 2 big lumps up front then. They could barrell through defenders and mingoia could nip in and score the goals
mile high ron
says...
12:47pm Wed 8 Aug 12
jimbuctu wrote:Why, we’ve already got CI...
worthing_hornet wrote: If he has a Heskey effect then at least get the genuine article he is available on a free after all. We could have 2 big lumps up front then. They could barrell through defenders and mingoia could nip in and score the goalsWhat do people reckon to Heskey on a free? I wouldn't be upset if we signed him. Doesn't exactly fit our new owners mould of signing up and coming youngsters but as a stop gap for this season he would probably be quite effective in the Championship. He's probably more expensive and less talented than quite a few others out there though. Thoughts?
LSC
says...
12:54pm Wed 8 Aug 12
jimbuctu wrote:I'm sure cleverer people than I see something in him, but for a long time I thought his first name was 'Givenawayby'
worthing_hornet wrote:What do people reckon to Heskey on a free? I wouldn't be upset if we signed him. Doesn't exactly fit our new owners mould of signing up and coming youngsters but as a stop gap for this season he would probably be quite effective in the Championship. He's probably more expensive and less talented than quite a few others out there though. Thoughts?
If he has a Heskey effect then at least get the genuine article he is available on a free after all. We could have 2 big lumps up front then. They could barrell through defenders and mingoia could nip in and score the goals
Harrydownunder
says...
1:08pm Wed 8 Aug 12
smalon
says...
2:02pm Wed 8 Aug 12
jimbuctu
says...
2:11pm Wed 8 Aug 12
Harrydownunder wrote:Haha! That'll be a fairly resounding no all round then! Fair enough.
Heskey?? Serious??? Come on please.... We have had some donkeys at the Vic over the years but please let's not add to the list!
HemelWFC
says...
2:32pm Wed 8 Aug 12
Boxhorn wrote:thats true! When ever CI is on I usually end up p*#*#+€ myself with laughter!
D.unstable wrote: Doesn't seem to matter what the level of opposition, Iwelumo cannot seem to score. I'm a big believer that you make your own luck and he just ain't making any. Good start by the new boy, let's get him all balanced correctly and let him loose on the championship.Whatever you say about Big Chris things seem to happen when he's on the pitch. It can't be a coincidence that we score goals when he's around. Something of the Heskey effect maybe?
mkgoldenboys
says...
2:58pm Wed 8 Aug 12
Rookery Veteren
says...
4:10pm Wed 8 Aug 12
smalon wrote:He played against Spurs smalon but you can be forgiven for not noticing.Think he's got a lot to do if he's going to be a part of the big adventure.
Has Buaben played under Zola yet? Can't remember him getting a mention at all, has he been injured?
Boxhorn
says...
4:16pm Wed 8 Aug 12
Rookery Veteren wrote:Agree Rookery Veteran, our Prince was very poor against Spurs. Looked well off the pace.
smalon wrote: Has Buaben played under Zola yet? Can't remember him getting a mention at all, has he been injured?He played against Spurs smalon but you can be forgiven for not noticing.Think he's got a lot to do if he's going to be a part of the big adventure.
watford9140 says...
9:29pm Tue 7 Aug 12