Swansea earn first away win
Swansea earned their first away win of the season with a 3-2 victory against Watford in the Championship last night.
Scott Sinclair, Stephen Dobbie and Frank Nouble scored the goals for Swansea while Troy Deeney and Martin Taylor replied for the hosts.
Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers returned to Vicarage Road and was given a frosty reception after his acrimonious exit from the club last year.
Swansea started the game well and Sinclair scored his eighth goal of the campaign in the first attack of the game. Sinclair controlled Dobbie’s chip and clinically fired Swansea into an early lead.
The second goal for the Welsh side came on the half hour. Dobbie hammered the ball past Scott Loach after a fine cross from the left by Joe Allen.
Watford came close to an immediate equaliser when Adrian Mariappa’s header was cleared off the line by Swansea defender Alan Tate. Marvin Sordell and Danny Graham had efforts on goal as Watford rallied to try and find some way back into the game.
In the second half on-loan striker Nouble scored his first goal for the club with his first touch after coming on as a substitute for Dobbie. Nathan Dyer provided the cross for Double to tap home.
The game seemed to turn when Rodgers took off Dobbie and Sinclair and Watford pushed forward in the hope that they could pull off an unlikely fight back.
Deeney headed home from close range after connecting with Sordell’s cross. Moments later Taylor headed in Lloyd Doyley’s cross to set up a nervy last few minutes for Swansea.
Watford believed that they equalised in injury time but John Eustace strike was ruled for offside and Swansea escaped with the three points.
After the match Rodgers spoke of his welcome back to Watford. "The supporters were fine. The guys will tell you here I had a real close relationship with people – the media, the players, the people – so I understand the frustration.
"It obviously wasn't as bad as it was maybe hyped up to be, but that's your job, but I've only got the greatest respect for them and this wasn't any more special for me coming here to win against Watford because I've got a big affinity for this club and
always will do," said Rodgers.
The Hornets manager Malky Mackay said: "I think the character we certainly showed in the second half, and latterly in the first half, and the amount of chances we had, I think merited that [disallowed] goal at the end there."
"But there were some great blocks and good saves by the goalkeeper. It wasn't to be."
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