A six point swing leaves Watford a mere point from relegation.
The match opened to the roar of visiting Eagles fans and the knowledge that neither side has lost this year when they were first to score. Watford rose to the challenge pressuring Palace in the first half, especially after Paul Hart’s squad moved to a 4-3-3 following Shaun Derry’s injury in the 20th minute.
The Hornets hammered the Eagles for the next ten minutes – a Tom Cleverley shot hit the underside of the post, an attack off a corner kick nearly netted Watford a goal, but an Adrian Marriappa error opened the door for Stern John to head in the first goal (assist Johannes Ertl).
A different Crystal Palace left the dressing room after the half and proceeded to dominate the remainder of the match. Neil Danns caught two rebounds and converted them into goals in the 52nd & 65th minutes. By contrast, both Jay DeMerit & Tom Cleverley knocked shots off the post, but the rebounds went clear of any Hornet players.
A late (some felt too late) substitution after the third goal brought Danny Graham into the match and Graham salvaged a little bit of pride for Watford, right-footing a Will Buckley pass into the upper right corner of the goal for Watford’s only score.
As has been our form of late, defensive errors and poor luck on the other end of the pitch have left us without points.
The next match is Saturday, April 3rd at Preston North End. The Brits have sprung ahead as well so we are back on a six hour difference. Kickoff is 9:00 am St. Louis time.
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