Heads you win! Colo and Carroll see off determined Watford.
Posted on February 28th, 2010 | 107 Comments |
A quick trip up to Watford for this North London dwelling Geordie, and my first visit to Watford’s Vicarage Road.
The last time I went to a game with today’s companion was the time we lost 6-1 to Leyton Orient, with my (Arsenal supporting) friend making some choice wisecracks right through the game. Though of course I felt very confident that another drubbing like that wasn’t on the cards, his presence still made me slightly superstitious. We found ourselves ensconsed in the Vicarage Road end, and indeed, the view doesn’t seem bad at all compared with what away supporters get at some grounds, and it seems like a decent enough place. Well it does on three sides anyway, with the currently closed East Stand looking a bit of a mess as it awaits the construction of a supposedly “state of the art” new stand. The supporters seemed fair enough too though perhaps not the most vociferous. On with the game though!
From the kick off it was a fairly respectable “all guns blazing” start from Watford in the first few minutes. Indeed, Watford had my Geordie ticker gannin’ fifteen to the dozen almost immediately with two chances. In the first, Danny Graham dragged a ball back for Don Cowie to shoot at goal. Luckily though, the shot seemed to be somewhat rushed and it looped over the goal. For the second, the Hornet’s Jon Harley also had a really good shot on target slightly later which was well saved by Harper.
However, just after Harley’s attempted strike in the third or fourth minute, bang! A few dramatics from Gutierrez after being brought to ground by Mariappa led to a Danny Guthrie free kick, which Watford failed to clear. Big lump, Andy Carroll, then managed to head the ball back into the danger zone, and that big ‘seventies perm we know and love soared above Watford’s Mariappa as Coloccini headed the ball down and past the Hornets’ keeper. More Argentinian pressure followed shortly afterwards as Jonas was again involved in the action, shooting wide but allowing Carroll to get in another header, which went the wrong side of the post.
However this wasn’t quite enough to put this fan’s mind at rest, and the goal certainly didn’t knock the stuffing out of Watford as they kept their composure and continued their endeavour. Newcastle meanwhile seemed to be inviting trouble a little, mainting a high line which gave Watford quite a few opportunities to go ‘over the top’. Gutierrez seemed to be a constant pain in the Hornet’s side though with some decent work down the flank. At around the twenty minute mark, A Guti cross finds Carroll again, but his attempt was wide of the mark, though it did bring a nervous scramble out of Watford’s keeper, Scott Loach. Things start to degenerate a little however as the game became more scrappy as the half time whistle loomed. The few minutes up to the break had Staffordshire ref, Tony Bates reaching for his pocket with disturbing regularity, with yellow cards for Toon’s Leon Best and Mike Williamson respectively, then a few minutes later, it was Watford’s turn as the previously mentioned Harley was booked too along with Henri Lansbury. Watford had a bit of a chance with a first corner lofted into the area, but luckily for us, it came to nothing and it was 1-0 at the break.
The second half started in a sinilar fashion as the first thankfully. Of course, with the yellow cards flowing freely, it has become almost de rigeur for Alan Smith to get a piece of the action, and he was duly booked for one of those delicate, artful little challenges of his which left Lansbury in a mangled heap on the deck. The Hornet’s come out on the attack again with some decent work, but, as in the first half, it is the Toon who get the second goal. An inswinger from Guthrie once again, though this time from a corner instead of a free kick, leads to ‘tower of power’, Andy Carroll, rising high once again to plant one firmly fimly in the back of the Hornet’s net with his nut five minutes into the second half, his eleventh goal of the season.
Despite the game being seemingly almost put away with a second goal, Watford were still fighting hard and causing problems for the Magpies, with other big lad, Mike Williamson, being worthy of special mention for another good defensive performance with the lads.
Rain was coming down, and by this point, the pitch was turning into something of a quagmire. Ranger trotted on for a familiar last quarter cameo, and the Vicarage Road fans whinged and moaned a bit about the pitch being “unplayable”. Two final Toon subtitutions were then made as Taylor and Pancrate are brought on in fairly quick succession to see out the final seconds. As I mentioned though, Watford were certainly no pushovers, especially on this quagmire of a pitch, and the Hornet’s finally show the sting in their tail as a fairly lucky deflected shot falls into the path of Waford substitute, Will Hoskins, leaving him with an easy shot which is duly converted for a consolation goal. Watford continued the pressure, and there was a bit of ‘siege mentality’ as Newcastle held on in the last seconds for a valuable away win.
Toon: Harper, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Van Aanholt, Nolan, Guthrie (Pancrate 89), Smith, Gutierrez (Ryan Taylor 88), Best (Ranger 74), Carroll.
Subs: Pancrate, R. Taylor, Krul, Hall, Kadar, Donaldson.
Booked: Best, Williamson, Nolan, Smith, Van Aanholt.
Goals: Coloccini 4, Carroll 50.
Watford: Loach, Mariappa, DeMerit, Taylor, Doyley, Lansbury, Cowie (McGinn 83), Harley (Hoskins 77), Eustace, Graham, Helguson.
Subs: McGinn, Hoskins, Lee, Jenkins, Henderson, Bryan, Hodson.
Booked: Helguson, Harley.
Goal: Hoskins 90.
Crowd: 17,120
Referee: Tony Bates (Staffordshire).
Update: Player ratings (for Bowburnmag): Harper 7.5, Simpson 6.5, Coloccini 8.5, Williamson 8, Van Aanholt 7.5, Nolan 7, Guthrie 7.5, Smith 7, Gutierrez 8, Carroll 8, Best 6.
What were the pies like and can we have some player ratings please gaffer?