You clever boys! Mackay's praise for resilient Watford
A first half strike by Tom Cleverley was enough to give Watford a shock 1-0 victory at Middlesbrough as the Hornets continue with their impressive form on the road.
Forward Heidar Helguson remained sidelined for the trip to the Riverside, but once again Malky Mackay's youngsters showed an abundance of maturity as they battled to their third away win of the campaign.
Already without Helguson, manager Mackay was given a further setback with John Eustace falling ill prior to the encounter, losing one of his most experienced players in an already youthful looking side.
However the Hornets seemed undaunted against their promotion-chasing opposition and after taking the lead showed much composure to claim victory.
Once more Cleverley showed his class with another match-winning goal and performance, the 20-year-old being hugely impressive since arriving on loan from Man Utd in August.
With Eustace absent, Jon Harley came into the team along with Henri Lansbury.
Boro started some talented players including former Watford loanee Adam Johnson.
The quality was there for all to see in the opening stages, with Mark Yeates coming close with a free-kick and Johnson seeing his goal bound strike blocked.
The Hornets were keeping possession well but aside from a Lansbury effort the main danger seemed to be on Scott Loach's goal.
Leory Lita missed a gilt-edged header for the hosts before Watford unexpectedly took the lead on 18 minutes.
Playing against his old club, Danny Graham fed Cleverley to slot past Brad Jones following a neat build up.
Loach was forced into saving another Lita header, but despite some promising moments from Boro, half time arrived with Mackay's men in the lead.
A fierce Yeates shot was turned round the post by Loach before Sean St Ledger found the back of the keeper's net – only for his header to be surprisingly disallowed for an infringement.
The Hornets had their backs against the wall as Tony McMahon struck the crossbar and substitute Julio Arca saw his shot deflected wide.
The home fans and their team were becoming frustrated as chance after chance went begging, eventually enabling Watford to close out the game for an unlikely three points.
"They showed immense courage and I'm delighted for them that we got three points today" declared Mackay after the win.
"At times we put some lovely moves together and but for the final pass, we could have had another couple.
"But, it was a fantastic goal and I will enjoy watching it again."
The manager credited his players for hanging on despite waves of pressure from the home team:
"Resilience is the word to be used when people stand up and be counted in those situations.
"To go out there and put their bodies on the line and block things, I thought it was immense and I think they deserved the three points."
The victory over Boro was the first of a run of three games in six days following the two week international break.
The Hornets travel to Roy Keane's struggling Ipswich on Tuesday evening, and entertain Sheffield Wednesday at Vicarage Road on Friday.
Mackay and his troops will have been expecting a positive result at Portman Road given Ipswich's dire form, and will look to give the Hornets fans something to cheer about against the Owls after consecutive home defeats.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Tring
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -3 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -0 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 6 mph
Wind direction: South west
