Hornets hold on to sting Newcastle

Watford were made to sweat but eventually did enough to hold on to the three points as they edged Newcastle 2-1 at St James' Park on Saturday afternoon.

Newcastle 1 Watford 2
Ighalo scores quick-fire double
Cisse fluffs close-range sitter
Janmaat pulls one back on 61'

Match Summary

It took the Hornets just nine minutes to find the breakthrough as Odion Ighalo fired a low drive into the bottom corner of the net, before he added his second just before the half-hour mark after smartly rounding the goalkeeper and slotting home.

The Magpies finally found a way through just after the hour mark as Daryl Janmaat linked up with Moussa Sissoko to latch onto his team-mate's cross before neatly clipping the ball home.

Full Report

The Magpies looked destined to take the lead after eight minutes as Heurelho Gomes made a mess of his attempted interception at a delivery, but Papiss Cisse was unable to turn the ball home, despite having the whole of the goal at his mercy.

They were made to pay dearly for that miss just seconds later as the visitors stole in front, Ighalo finishing off a decent passing move with a smart finish into the bottom corner.

Cisse had a chance to make amends for his early miss after being put through by Moussa Sissoko after 15 minutes, but the Senegal international could only flash a low shot just inches wide of the upright.

Watford were soon two goals to the good, though, as Troy Deeney did brilliantly to hold up play before picking out the run of Ighalo, who smartly rounded the goalkeeper before rolling the ball into an empty net.

The forward then looked to repay his team-mate by setting him up for what would have been a wonderfully-worked goal, although he was unable to find Deeney with the final return pass as Newcastle were let off the hook.

Newcastle finally got themselves amongst the goal as Janmaat laid the ball off to Sissoko before carrying on his run to eventually receive the ball back from his team-mate and lift the ball over the keeper and into the back of the net.

The goal seemed to breath new life into the Toon Army, and Janmaat in particular as he came close to a stunning equaliser moments later, only to see Gomes brilliantly tip the forward's fierce shot round the post.

Steve McClaren's men continued turning on the pressure but Siem De Jong could only fire straight down the throat of Gomes, although there was to be no way back as the visitors eventually held on for the three points.