WATFORD suffered their fourth straight home defeat and stretched their winless run to six games after suffering a heavy home defeat to bottom-of-the-table Yeovil Town.
Gianfranco Zola made five changes to his injury hit Watford side following last weekend’s defeat to Bolton, with Jonathan Bond, Hector Bellerin, Sean Murray, Lewis McGugan and Troy Deeney coming in for Manuel Almunia, Davide Faraoni, Josh McEachran, Cristian Battocchio and Javi Acuna respectively.
Yeovil included all of their three deadline day loan signings with Ishmael Miller, John Lundstram and Adam Morgan all included in the starting line up.
There was no place in the squad for recently transfer listed striker Paddy Madden.
Watford started the game brightly and looked to move the ball much more quickly than in recent outings. Deeney headed the first chance of the game over when he met a McGugan corner after losing his marker.
The Hornets continued to look lively and both Fernando Forestieri and George Thorne went close with efforts after good forward play.
Murray also tested the Yeovil defence with a long range volley but saw his goal bound effort deflected behind.
Forestieri missed the best chance Watford created to give themselves the lead midway through the first half. After stealing the ball off a Yeovil defender, Forestieri ran clear on the edge of the box but took too many touches before seeing his effort blocked superbly.
The chances continued to come for Watford, McGugan next to go close when he put a 25-yard free kick inches wide of the far post.
However, Watford came unstuck from Yeovil’s first corner on the stroke of half time.
Liam Davis’ corner found Byron Webster unmarked six yards out and his header found the back of the net via a deflection.
Half-time: 0-1
Watford started the second half positively as they looked to get back into the game and were very unlucky not to equalise on 50 minutes. A long ball forward caught Webster unaware in the Yeovil box and his back header nearly caught out keeper Chris Dunn who pushed the ball inches wide of Deeney following up.
However, the Hornets then found themselves two down moments later as Yeovil scored from their next attack on 53 minutes.
After Daniel Pudil gave the ball away midway inside the Watford half, Joel Ekstrand’s missed interception saw the Hornets outnumbered at the back with Joe Edwards crossing for Miller to head home on his debut.
Watford continued to come close to getting themselves back in the game. Forestieri saw a goal bound effort blocked as did substitute Javi Acuna.
Hornets’ debutant Bellerin also saw an effort blocked inside the box and McGugan struck just wide following a scramble on the edge of the box.
Watford, though, could not find their way through and saw their day get even worse in the final moments when they conceded a third.
Following a Watford corner, Yeovil broke away, and with the Hornets having committed bodies forward found plenty of space to counter attack with Lundstram playing Edwards through to finish from the edge of the box.
Full Time: 0-3
Watford: Bond; Cassetti, Nosworthy (Fabbrini), Ekstrand; Bellerin, Murray (Acuna), Thorne, McGugan, Pudil (Faraoni); Deeney (c) & Forestieri.
Subs Not Used: Woods (GK), Hall, Iriney & Battocchio.
Yeovil Town: Dunn; Ayling, Webster, Duffy, Davis; Edwards, Lundstram, Upson, Grant (Dawson); Miller (Hayter) & Morgan (Hoskins.
Subs Not Used: Stewart (GK), Fontaine, Ofori-Twumasi & Foley.
Attendance: 15,263
Referee: Mr Scott Mathieson
