Watford slipped to their third straight away defeat at the hands of in-form Wigan Athletic this afternoon as the Hornets went down 2-1. Despite taking the lead through Lewis McGugan the home side came back to win it with goals from Jean Beausejour and Martyn Waghorn.
Beppe Sannino made just one change from the Hornets side that beat Barnsley comfortably last weekend with Essaid Belkalem returning after a long absence in place of Lloyd Doyley.
Uwe Rosler, meanwhile, handed a first professional start to former Watford academy player Rob Kiernan. Rosler also changed up his frontline with Marc-Antoine Fortune, Martyn Waghorn and James McClean all coming into the side following the Latics 3-3 draw against Yeovil on Tuesday.
Wigan started at a fast pace and caused the Watford defence a number of problems. Jean Beausejour forced Manuel Almunia into a fine save after 10 minutes when he latched onto a pass from Jordi Gomez which put the left sided player through on goal.
Almunia was in the thick of the action again just minutes later when he had to be alert to tip an over hit cross from Beausejour behind for a corner. From the corner Watford were lucky to survive again when Ivan Ramis saw a header cleared off the line by Marco Cassetti.
However, having seen off a strong first 15 minutes from the home side the Hornets grew into the first half and began to impose themselves as an attacking force. Daniel Tozser found Ikechi Anya in space in the Wigan box following a corner and the Scotland International shot just wide from a tight angle.
More good play on the break from the Hornets just moments later saw Lewis McGugan pick up the ball in space but he dragged his shot just wide of the post.
Wigan then came back into the match in a pulsating first half with James McClean breaking clear of the Watford defence following a through ball from Waghorn but his effort was saved by Almunia again.
The Latics came close again after 33 minutes when McClean was played in down the left and his cross was brilliantly blocked by Essaid Belkalem to prevent Waghorn from turning the ball in.
The Hornets then went on the attack again and took the lead through McGugan after 36 minutes. Gabriele Angella brought the ball out from the back and found McGugan in the Wigan half who reached the edge of the box before striking the ball cleanly into the bottom corner from the corner angle of the box.
However the lead only lasted four minutes as Wigan equalised through on of their most dangerous players Beausejour. A long pass from Ramis found Beausejour behind the Watford defence and despite Almunia saving his first effort he nodded the rebound into the net.
Half Time: 1-1
Second Half
The second half failed to live up to the high tempo of the first half but it took Wigan only until the 57th minute to take the lead. James McArthur lined up a long range effort which hit Waghorn inside the box. The striker was the first to react as he controlled the ball and fired past Almunia to give the Latics the lead.
Wigan looked dangerous on the breakaway as Watford looked for an equaliser and wasted opportunities to move two goals ahead. Beausejour wasted a great chance when he got behind the Hornets defence but picked the wrong pass.
Watford wasted an opportunity to equalise with 20 minutes left when a good move down the left found Daniel Pudil in space. He was tackled on the edge of the box and the ball broke to Anya who shot wide.
Anya had another great chance to equalise for Watford with just eight minutes left. A long ball forward was flicked on by Deeney and Anya found himself through on the Wigan goal but shot wide.
The Hornets continued to apply plenty of late pressure with Battocchio inches from reaching a cross from Deeney but could not quite find the equaliser they needed.
Full Time: 2-1
Wigan: Al-Habsi, Perch, Boyce, Ramis, Beausejour, McArthur, Kiernan (Rogne), Gomez, McClean (Powell), Waghorn (Collison), Fortune
Subs Not Used: Carson (GK), Tunnicliffe, McManaman, Maynard
Watford: Almunia, Belkalem (Ekstrand), Cassetti, Angella, Faraoni, Battocchio, Tozser, McGugan (Diakite), Pudil, Anya, Deeney
Subs Not Used: Bond (GK), Hoban, Doyley, Neill, Merkel
Att: 14,556
Ref: Mr Scott Duncan
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