2 weeks Ago
For vast swathes of this match – the first half, in particular – any spectator would have been hard-pressed to identify the Premier League-destined team on the verge of an all-time Football League clean-sheet record. Not only did Watford score – to make it just the 14th of Burnley's 43 Championship matches in which they have conceded – but James Trafford endured a torrid afternoon preventing the hosts from becoming the first team to put two goals against him in the Championship this season. Alas, a collective loss of Watford heads precipitated a flurry of cards and in effect brought the game to a premature end, allowing the thoughts of Scott Parker's side to return once again to potential top-flight football.
By the time Watford were reduced to nine men soon after the hour mark, they had relinquished their early lead and found themselves 2-1 down to goals from Zian Flemming and Josh Brownhill. Whether they could have found a route back with parity of numbers will remain unknown. While Watford's fans made their feelings towards the referee Matt Donohue clear at full time, Tom Cleverley laid the blame firmly at his senior players as the game descended into mayhem with 11 second-half cards issued, including those crucial two reds in the space of nine minutes.
Given he had already been booked, Moussa Sissoko's decision to return Flemming's gentle push with a heftier shove of his own was nothing short of stupidity from the captain. Edo Kayembe could count himself slightly harder done, shown a second yellow when he put his arm out to fend off a challenge and inadvertently connected with Marcus Edwards' neck. "We were certainly the bull and they were the matador," said Cleverley.
"We need to be more streetwise. I..
. Ben Bloom.
