Last Minute Limbs on a Boxing Day to Remember
Yesterday at 04:26 PM
I had a lovely family Christmas and we were to have a family Boxing Day at the match. It was very grey and misty when we left to drive to the West Herts. My usual route from my sister's house goes through Sarratt and I hadn't factored in the fact that they had a vintage car event going on, which meant that it was very slow going through the village. Once we were past that, it was plain sailing, and we were soon at our destination. My fear that the car park would be heaving was unfounded as I had my pick of spaces.
Our party already had a table full inside, so we moved another one over and soon had a lovely group gathered for pre-match drinks. I was not confident at all about this game. We are traditionally quite poor on Boxing Day going back to that awful game against them up the road that ruined my Christmas in 1979. It felt like it would be a very Watford thing to lose our brilliant home record to a struggling team on Boxing Day.
We headed to the ground at the appointed time and were in our seats well before kick-off with time to greet my dear friend, Paul, who is no longer a regular.
Team news was that Cleverley had made four changes from the Burnley game with Louza, Morris, Kayembe and Jebbison in for Dwomoh, Vata, Sissoko and Bayo. So, the starting line-up was Bachmann; Morris, Pollock, Porteous; Larouci, Louza, Kayembe, Ngakia; Chakvetadze, Baah; Jebbison. I was very happy to see Louza back in the team, but a little surprised at the inclusion of Jebbison.
The Hornets started brightly as, from a throw, Larouci crossed for Jebbison whose header was easily caught by the Portsmouth keeper, Schmid. There was an even better chance after Chakvetadze made an interception in the midfield and found Jebbison who flicked the ball over a defender's head before going on a terrific run and taking a shot that was straight at the keeper. The first chance for the visitors came after Murphy crossed into the box for Lang who was tracked by Porteous, Bachmann came out to meet him and he could only shoot wide, clattering Bachmann in the process. The visitors threatened again with a low cross from Lang that rolled along the face of the goal before drifting wide of the target. Portsmouth took the lead on 10 minutes after a ball into the box was met by Morris who could only deflect it to Swanson who found the bottom corner.
The Hornets had a chance to equalise after a low cross from Ngakia reached Chakvetadze, but his contact was poor, and the keeper gathered. At the other end a corner was headed out to Murphy whose volley flew wide of the far post. The next foray into the Watford box was stopped by some good work from Pollock who prevented a shot from Lang. Then Kayembe played a through ball for Chakvetadze, but Schmid was out to meet it. The next chance came when a corner was cleared to Ngakia on the edge of the box, but his shot was charged down. Then Bachmann caught a Portsmouth corner and started a counterattack with a quick throw to Baah who fed Chakvetadze whose shot cleared the bar. The first booking of the game went to Baah for winning the ball back. Chakvetadze then got on the end of a lovely ball over the top, but a defender was in close attendance and his shot rebounded and bounced off him and out for a goal kick. Then Chakvetadze played a short corner low to Porteous whose shot cleared the bar. The Hornets had one more chance to equalise before the break as a corner was cleared to Larouci, he crossed for Porteous whose header needed a good save from Schmid to keep it out, but the flag was up so it wouldn't have counted. So, we went into the break a goal down after a disappointing half of football from the Hornets.
The half time challenge on this occasion was to raise money for charity. Carl from Do Not Scratch Your Eyes took part representing the Community Trust. Sadly, he was unsuccessful. The final contestant was Tommy Mooney who stepped up for Cure Leukaemia to a chorus of "Mooney Wonderland." He blamed his shoes for his failure to find the net, but a donation was given anyway. The highlight of half time, though, was the cracking turkey, ham, stuffing and cranberry sandwiches that Rose had made for us all. They set us up nicely for the second half.
Cleverley made a change at the break bringing Vata on in place of Morris to go to four at the back. The substitute had a lively start, receiving a pass from Ngakia and taking a shot that was blocked. The visitors made a change of their own bringing Lane on in place of Ritchie, who had been assaulting our ears with his constant squealing. I was glad to see the back of him. He tried to walk across the pitch to the dugout but was sent back by Kayembe to leave at the closest point which meant that he had to walk past the Rookery where his antics were rewarded with some very unChristmassy greetings. The Hornets had another chance to hit back when a corner was repelled to Ngakia who, again, cleared the bar with his shot.
Another great run by Baah was stopped by a foul on the edge of the box. Initially it appeared that the referee was not going to give a free kick but, to protests from the Portsmouth players, he went to speak to the lino and finally pointed to the spot. I was surprised as the foul appeared from our vantage point behind the goal to have been outside the box. Kayembe stepped up and powered the penalty into the top corner, sending the keeper the wrong way. As if the goal wasn't enough there was a spate of handbags as Schmid kept hold of the ball when Kayembe tried to retrieve it. A number of players joined the scuffle. Baah went to pick up a ball from the sideline, but the original ball was eventually handed over and Schmid, Kayembe and the Portsmouth manager, Mousinho, were all booked for their parts in the altercation. There was a real niggle in the game now and Murphy was booked for a foul on Larouci, then Lang for a nasty foul on Pollock. The Hornets had a really good chance to grab a winner as Jebbison played the ball out to Baah who cut into the box and hit a lovely shot that Schmid did really well to push around the post. Cleverley made another change at this point bringing Andrews on in place of Ngakia.
The Hornets should have taken the lead soon after as Porteous stuck out a foot and diverted the ball into the path of Andrews who went on a great run before putting in a cross-cum-shot that looked as though it would fall for Jebbison at the far post, but the keeper got a hand to it, and he was unable to connect. The next chance came from a low Chakvetadze free kick towards Kayembe whose shot took a deflection, but the referee had blown up for a foul. Portsmouth made a double substitution with Devlin and Moxon replacing Swanson and Lang. The Hornets also made a change with Jebbison making way for Bayo, who took the field to cheers from the Vicarage Road faithful. The Hornets threatened again as Baah played the ball into the box for Vata who appeared to be pushed over. It was a much more convincing penalty shout than the earlier one, but the referee waved play on. Cleverley made a final change as Sissoko came on in place of Kayembe. The visitors almost grabbed a winner in the last minute of normal time as Moxon exchanged passes with Bishop and hit a weak shot that appeared to be rolling in, but Bachmann got a hand to it and Andrews prevented Lane from capitalising on the loose ball. There was five minutes of added time during which the Hornets were pushing for a winner but looked as though they had run out of time when Bayo played a lovely ball over the top for Sissoko in the box, his shot was closed down, but the ball rebounded to Vata who found the net, sparking manic celebrations in the home stands. I think the expression is "limbs" and it was an accurate description as we all leaped around hugging each other. I nearly fell into another row of seats on more than one occasion. The players' celebration was equally mad, and it appears that Vata does smile.
at a cornerThe final whistle went on a pleasing win for the Hornets, but the drama wasn't over. Baah decided to mock the Portsmouth fans, their players went to get involved. Bachmann and Pollock created an effective barrier and Cleverley belted over to tell him to behave himself. In the melee the referee showed a second yellow to Baah, so we will lose him for the next game, which is really irritating.
It was a very happy gang that gathered for the post-match discussion at the West Herts. It was not a classic performance by the Hornets but, after a much improved second half, I thought the win was well deserved. Louza was awarded man of the match, just reward after his wonderful return to form. He is a joy to watch as he orchestrates the midfield and demonstrates his skill on the ball. Cleverley has done brilliantly to get his head and attitude right. He is like a new signing. I was delighted that Vata got another goal. He works so hard and goes for everything, defences must hate facing him. The same is true of Baah. The foul for the penalty was outside the box, but he had tormented the defender to win it. It is just a shame that his silly baiting of the opposition fans means that he will miss the next game. The defence was solid again. But what pleased me most was that we triumphed against a team who didn't want to let us play. More of that please.
There is nothing better than a last minute goal, and it is even better when it is against opposition as unpleasant as Portsmouth were with their niggly fouls and timewasting. Pompey playing up got what they deserved.
