Millwall 1-6 Watford

In recent season`s Watford`s away form has been far from impressive, yet once again on Saturday the Hornet`s upset the odds and were doubtless responsible for busting several coupons as they run out 6-1 victors at the New Den, beating a Millwall side who had previously been imperious at home, protecting a seventeen match unbeaten home stretch.

Malky Mackay made just one change from the starting eleven that convincingly beat Bristol City, bringing Lloyd Doyley back off the treatment table to replace Lee Hodson with Andrew Taylor continuing at left back.

Much like at Bristol City the Hornet`s got off to the perfect start, taking the lead through skipper John Eustace who was generously gifted the freedom of the eighteen yard box to stab home a seventh minute corner at the back post.

This sloppy defending was to set the tone for the afternoon and having seen Eustace grab his third of an already prosperous campaign, midfield partner Jordan Mutch snatched a second just six minutes later. The move, which started with Don Cowie down the left saw forward Danny Graham drift wide before driving a perfect ball in for the Birmingham loanee who hacked home at the second attempt after an initial block.

In the second-minute of first-half stoppage time the job was done for Mackay`s troops as Marvin Sordell continued his purple patch with a fifth of the season. Once again the move was instigated by Don Cowie whose cross was volleyed goalwards by the arriving Will Buckley. The shaggy-haired midfielder saw his effort blocked but as the Lions defenders paused for a split-second Sordell rolled in the third from six yards.

Half-time: 0-3

Just nine minutes after the restart Watford were at it again, centre-half Aidy Mariappa grabbed the fourth, powerfully nodding home a corner from the right, that man Cowie once again the provider.

In an otherwise smooth afternoon for the Hornets, former Ipswich midfielder Liam Trotter provided a minor blip as he pulled one back for the hosts just a minute after Mariappa had extended the lead to four. From the same side of the pitch as Don Cowie had previously been wreaking havoc, full back Scott Barron curled a perfect left-footed cross onto the toe of the arriving Trotter who tucked past Loach first-time and into the bottom left-hand corner.

However Trotter`s goal had little influence on the end result as Danny Graham joined the party with the Hornet`s fifth and his fourth of the season, thrashing home on the turn after Martin Taylor had set him through to the edge of the area with an inch-perfect slide rule pass.

Number six came from ‘Tiny` Taylor himself, picking out the same corner Aidy Mariappa had previously done with an almost identical header, Don Cowie unsurprisingly the man picking up the assist for the Hornet`s sixth and final goal of the afternoon.

Full-time: 1-6

Next Match: WATFORD Vs. Middlesbrough (H) – Sept 25t

Millwall: Forde; Dunne, P.Robinson (c), Ward, Barron; Schofield, Trotter, Abdou (Mkandawire), Henry (Hackett); Harris (T.Robinson) and Morison.

Watford: Loach; Doyley, Mariappa, M.Taylor, A.Taylor (Hodson); Eustace; Cowie, Buckley (McGinn); Mutch; Sordell (Deeney) and Graham.