King at the double as Bournemouth thrash 10-man Watford

Posted Sunday, October 07, 2018 by PA

Joshua King’s 12-minute brace propelled Bournemouth to their biggest Premier League away win as they thrashed 10-man Watford 4-0 at Vicarage Road.

The Norway forward took his top-flight tally to four goals in eight games as Eddie Howe’s side overwhelmed the stunned Hornets.

David Brooks and Callum Wilson also found the net as Bournemouth took full advantage of Christian Kabasele’s red card for two bookings.

Kabasele walked for a second yellow when upending King in the Watford area, with the Cherries striker firing home the resulting penalty in the 33rd minute.

Belgium defender Kabasele had been fortunate to avoid a straight red card for a clumsy elbow to the head of Cherries goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, so could have precious few complaints on his eventual dismissal.

Bournemouth now boast 16 points from just eight league games this term – last season it took them 16 matches to reach the same margin.

Watford actually started the brighter, forcing the issue in the driving rain.

Kabasele was lucky to escape with just the yellow card for elbowing Begovic in the face, but Bournemouth shortly shook off any frustrations thanks to a clinical counter-attack.

Ryan Fraser’s incisive pass sent King haring down the inside left and the forward conjured a teasing low cross to the far post.

Wilson slid in expecting his tidy deflection to open the scoring, only for Ben Foster to pull off a fine save.

Onrushing Wales star Brooks finished the job, however, sweeping home the rebound to hand the Cherries the lead against the run of play in the 14th minute.

Watford kept pressing and should have levelled when Craig Cathcart sneaked free from a corner but the unmarked defender headed wide from six yards.

Wilson nodded wide from a teasing Brooks cross as Bournemouth continued to press too in an open encounter and then the visitors took full control.

King drove into the Watford area, pursued by Kabasele, and the Watford defender’s constant attentions eventually stretched too far.

Kabasele wiped out King, forcing referee Jonathan Moss into awarding not only the penalty, but also a second yellow card.

As a shell-shocked Kabasele trudged off towards the tunnel, King stepped up and coolly slotted the spot-kick, cementing the Cherries’ grip on the game.

King’s deft header then extended the Bournemouth lead further on the stroke of half-time, the Norway hitman taking the pace off Wilson’s inch-perfect cross, to leave Foster over-committed and nod his second goal in the half.

No sooner had the second half started than Bournemouth made it 4-0, Wilson latching onto Fraser’s cross to chip Foster, then tap into the unguarded net.

The visiting supporters almost begged Bournemouth for a fifth, but despite dominating the remainder of the contest, Howe’s men were already more than content.