Town failed to extend their winning run to three games as they left Watford on the end of a 2-1 defeat. The home side went in front after Henri Lansbury’s freekick beat everyone in the area and nestled in the corner of the net, Jack Colback equalised as the Blues improved after the break but Will Hoskins scored the winner for the Hornets.
Boss Roy Keane made three changes to the side which beat Scunthorpe at the weekend, Liam Rosenior came in for David Wright, Connor Wickham for Pablo Couñago and Grant Leadbitter returned in place of the rested David Norris.
Town started unusually slowly and the home side were awarded a freekick in the opening minute for a high boot by Liam Rosenior, who seemed unable to keep his feet.
Despite referee Graham Salisbury indicating that it was an indirect freekick, Tom Cleverley hit a shot which caught the end of the wall and curled on to the post, narrowly avoiding the Blues going behind to an unfortunate early own goal. Gareth McAuley blocked Heidar Helguson’s follow-up header.
The Blues had found it hard to get going and were putting themselves under pressure with an inability to clear their lines. On seven, the home side took advantage of more hesitancy in the Town defence, Lansbury’s curling freekick beating everyone in the area and then keeper Brian Murphy low to his left to put the Hornets in front.
It was a bad goal for Town to concede but Watford had been much the better side in the opening exchanges. On 22, with the Blues still making little impression, Roy Keane switched Owen Garvan for Lee Martin. Garvan seemed surprised to see his number on the board and didn’t appear injured. Jack Colback moved into the centre and Martin to the left.
The Hornets were close to going two in front a minute later when Lloyd Doyley crossed from the left and Helguson headed against the post.
Brian Murphy did well to get a low cross from the right after Helguson had got ahead of Gareth McAuley, then the on-loan QPR man struck a shot straight at the Town keeper.
The home side were continuing to have the better of the game and on 34 Will Hoskins got away on the right of the Town area and hit a shot which Murphy saved with his feet.
Town gradually started to come more into it as half-time drew close and managed the move of the half just before the break, Colback eventually crossing but too far ahead of Daryl Murphy.
The Blues were lucky to go in only a goal down at half-time. They had made a number of early errors and had immediately put themselves on the back foot and didn’t manage to get themselves into the game until the latter stages. The early substitution was a surprise, although it was little shock that Roy Keane, who looked distinctly unimpressed with his team and the over-fussy referee throughout, tried something to change around his side’s performance.
Town were almost in front in the opening minute of the second period. Connor Wickham was sent away down the right and played a low cross beyond the far post to Lee Martin, who could only scrape the ball into the sidenetting.
Four minutes later, the game erupted when John Eustace caught Jon Walters with a very late challenge. The Town skipper was particularly unimpressed with the tackle, while several members of each side confronted one another. Eventually the referee restored order and booked Eustace.
Soon after, Grant Leadbitter’s deflected freekick went wide, then Lee Martin and Damien Delaney both had shots blocked. At the other end, Brian Murphy did superbly to get across to save Tom Cleverley’s shot from the edge of the box.
Lee Martin had by now switched with Jack Colback and soon after the former Manchester United man won a corner on the left. Watford keeper Scott Loach did superbly to top Wickham’s flicked header over from another corner, from which the Blues would get on terms.
Leadbitter again took the kick, playing it short to Shane O’Connor, who crossed to the far post from where Daryl Murphy headed goalwards. Loach did well to save but Colback followed up to net his fifth goal of the season.
The Blues now looked like they had the momentum but failed to significantly test Loach, who was with the Town academy as a schoolboy.
On 76 the home side went back in front after another bad goal from a Town perspective. O’Connor lost the ball to Cleveley halfway inside his own half, the on-loan Manchester United man sent the ball forward to the edge of the area where McAuley found himself outnumbered. The pass struck Danny Graham and fell to Will Hoskins, who beat Murphy to put his side back ahead.
Pablo Couñago and David Healy replaced Daryl Murphy and Connor Wickham as the Blues went looking for another equaliser.
But, despite Damien Delaney joining the attack for the latter stages, no second goal was forthcoming, Jack Colback and Grant Leadbitter wasting freekicks in dangerous positions and Pablo Couñago hitting a shot straight at the goalkeeper after good work from the lively David Healy.
The Blues never really recovered from a dismal start on a poor surface which the home side adjusted to more quickly. The Hornets hassled and harried and allowed the Town players no time on the ball during a first half during which the Blues played as poorly as they have for some while.
There was an improvement in the second half and Town might have gone on to get a draw but for conceding a second goal even poorer than the first, while Couñago will feel he should have taken his late chance.
Overall, a performance and a result which were a throwback to the form of the early period of the season and which see the momentum gained by the two home wins grind to an abrupt halt.
Town: B Murphy, Rosenior, McAuley, Delaney, O'Connor, Walters, Garvan (Martin 24), Leadbitter, Colback, D Murphy (Couñago 78), Wickham (Healy 78). Unused: Lee-Barrett, Norris, Edwards, Smith. Att: 13,996.