Watford not at the races as Ipswich Town make far stronger case for being promotion hopefuls
- By Yann Tear at Vicarage Road
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
Championship
Watford (0) 0
Ipswich Town (1) 2 Egeli 37, Hirst 77
Watford's hopes of building on an impressive weekend win against Derby were dashed by a way superior Ipswich side who proved far too strong.
Despite not turning a monopoly of possession into a mass of chances, the Tractor Boys did more than enough to get the win which keeps them in the mix for automatic promotion.
The Hornets are one of many in mid-table who can still dream of a play-off spot but it was hard to picture it on tonight's evidence.
Considering they had gone nine games without a win before the 2-0 victory over the Rams on Saturday, there was still a respectable level of optimism hanging in the breeze at Vicarage Road before kick-off.
After a dismal run at the start of the year which began with the 5-1 FA Cup defeat at Bristol City, Javi Gracia decided he'd had enough. The run of just one loss in 13 games suddenly seemed a distant memory with the season threatening to hit the buffers.
But it's amazing what a vibrant home win can do.
Ed Still is now the third permanent manager in charge of the Hornets this season and he inherits a side somehow still in contention for the play-offs. They started the evening in ninth place just three points adrift of Wrexham - holders of that all-important sixth place. Ipswich, fourth at start of play, were just six points better off.
Those numbers are less favourable now.
Watford looked like rabbits caught in the headlights early on as Ipswich weaved dazzling patterns befitting their status as one of the promotion favourites. Jack Clarke down the left side was the fulcrum of the aristocratic swagger which looked capable of blowing the hosts away.
The pity for them, however, was that the dominance did not extend to actually creating chances in the opening half an hour but they eventually led when a blocked Marcelino Nunez free-kick fell to Sindre Egeli on the right side of the area and he flashed the rebound past Egil Selvik.
For all the away side's strengths, Watford had maybe the opening half hour's most dangerous moment when Jeremy Petris intercepted a loose pass and raced upfield before firing just over with a defender closing in. Then Luca Kerrumgaard - scorer of one of the goals against Derby - glanced a header just over from Stephen Mfuni's cross.
It offered some hope amid the scant offerings.
The Hornets needed to find more. Giorgi Chakvetadze went off at the interval having looked out of sorts in the first half and maybe not fully fit. Roma midfielder Edoardo Bove came on for his home debut as his replacement and wasn't far off target with a bender from just outside the box, though it was mostly Nestor Irankunda carrying the fight.
In truth it seemed a second goal for Ipswich would be more likely.
Nunez wasn't far wide with a shot from just outside the area as the visitors looked to close the door on the Hornets. Ivan Azon blazed over with a lax effort when he had a player free to his right.
Finally, sub George Hirst got Ipswich their second when he chested in a ball cut back from the byline by Jacob Greaves.
When sub Tom Ince was pulled back by Darnell Furlong to earn a penalty with five minutes left, he promptly sent the left foot spot-kick too near Christian Walton, and the keeper made an easy save to snuff out any possibility of a late rally.
It pretty much summed up a sobering night for the hosts, whose ambitions have taken a big dent since the start of the year.
Hornets: (4-2-3-1) Selvik - Abankwah (Ince 72), Petris (Ngakia h/t), Pollock, Mfuni - Mendy, Louza (Ekwah 80) - Irankunda, Chakvetadze (Bove h/t), Bola - Kjerrumgaard (Doumbia 59)
Tractor Boys: (4-2-3-1) Walton - Furlong, O'Shea, Kipre, Greaves - Matusiwa, Neil (Cajuste 66)- Egeli (Burns 66), Nunez (Mehmeti 75), Clarke (Johnson 88) - Azon (Hirst 77)
Attendance: 18,249
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