Ricardo
Active Member
I cycled off to CR just after mid day and still bathed in the week long afterglow of the victory at Charlton. It certainly made a change from the misery of recent weeks and I expect I wasn't alone in thinking we were now off on a run that would see us in a challenging position by the next International break. It all started so well with City pinging the ball about and coming close several times in the opening minutes. We looked dangerous down the the right and quickly earned a couple of corners and the visitors were lucky to get away without conceding as Field nipped in and somehow the ball flicked away off the foot of the post.
There were several nearly moments as most of the early play was compressed in the Watford half and it felt like just a matter of time before the breakthrough came. Just before the ten minute mark a Watford midfielder did well to come through several tackles and when he switched the ball to the left wing there was an open field for the attacker to run into. A nice ball inside found Boadu outpacing a defender and sliding the ball past the advancing Grimshaw to give the visitors an unlikely lead.
The goal seemed to burst City's bubble and for a while things became very scrappy and some niggly fouls tended to break up the home sides passing game. The ref Mr Speedie, appeared reluctant to get his card out and consequently it all became very messy and did little to enliven the crowd.. Maghoma was a bright spark when he got on the ball and was a shade unlucky not to get on the scoresheet after some neat footwork but his short went a couple of feet wide with the Watford keeper scrambling.
An already quiet Carrow Road lapsed into further despondency just before the half hour when City were caught square again and Boadu was able to spring away towards goal with only Cordoba in attendance. I thought the City defender was going to marshall him away from goal but he did enough to work himself a shooting chance from a narrowing angle. Its hard to be critical from my end of the pitch but I thought Grimshaw should have done better than let a scuffed shot go past him and trickle into the far corner of the net. Therr were groans and then a deathly silence form all around me in the Upper River End.
It needed a response but despite a couple of corners and a free kick the Watford defence seemed to have all the answers as attacks floundered with a poor final pass or failing to get past a defender. At the halftime whistle there were boo's and there was that feeling that every time we make a step forward we get knocked back. Once again there had been plenty of effort with Field and Kvist putting in decent shifts but far too often we found ourselves going back instead of forward.
HT CITY 0 WATFORD 0
I wouldn't have been surprised to see changes but PC stuck with the line up and when things settled a bit there did seem to be a bit more link up between back and front. Maghoma put Musaba in on the City left but although he got a shot away from a narrow angle the ball was deflected for a corner. The Watford keeper made a point blank save from Cordoba's goalbound header as the visitors struggled to get the ball away and then after some head tennis the ball fell to Chrisene who did well to keep his shot down and volley the ball into the net.
It woke the crowd who at last felt there was something worth singing about and suddenly the game developed a different complexion with the home side looking much more the team we expected to see. As City took up the cudgel there was very little coming back the other way and down our end Grimshaw was a virtual spectator. Maghoma and Musaba were causing all sorts of trouble down the left while Kvistgaarten was consistently fouled to keep him in check. There were a couple of shouts for a pen as the the little man went but down but Mr Speedie didn't look like being swayed by anything less then armed assault.
You could feel an equaliser was coming and just after the hour it arrived. Kvistgaarten out wrestled a defender and lifted a ball into the path of Musaba who raced away before wrong footing a defender on the edge of the area and powering a shot past Ravaglia and into the roof of the net to bring the house down. Its funny how games change and now I could only see one winner from here.
Its nice when Carrow Road gets noisey and we have not had enough of it lately but it lifted everyones spirits and the players certainly responded. With twenty minutes to go Field put Kvistgaarten away on the right and the little man delivered a perfect cut back for Maghoma who confidently cracked a low first time shot into the corner to finally give City a lead. The warm glow that was drifting away at halftime seemed to return and increase in intensity. I have been waiting a long time to see us turn a corner and I have a feeling this might finally be it.
Maghoma and Brooks were withdrawn for Mahovo and Makarma City now appeared to assume total control. I think Watford might have won a corner but I don't recall Grimshaw being called into action much. Markama immediately became a different proposition for the Visitors defence and a couple of times nearly broke through on power alone and near the end almost dribbled his way into the area before his shot was swamped by numbers.
Musaba and Kvistgaarten (my MOM) were subbed for Slimane and Yongwa and even Fisher mad a short cameo just before the end.
FT CITY 3 WATFORD 2
It stared badly but ended well, you can't ask for more than that. My dear late son used to say on days like this " Dad, what wonderful game football is". He would have loved today, I know I did.
There were several nearly moments as most of the early play was compressed in the Watford half and it felt like just a matter of time before the breakthrough came. Just before the ten minute mark a Watford midfielder did well to come through several tackles and when he switched the ball to the left wing there was an open field for the attacker to run into. A nice ball inside found Boadu outpacing a defender and sliding the ball past the advancing Grimshaw to give the visitors an unlikely lead.
The goal seemed to burst City's bubble and for a while things became very scrappy and some niggly fouls tended to break up the home sides passing game. The ref Mr Speedie, appeared reluctant to get his card out and consequently it all became very messy and did little to enliven the crowd.. Maghoma was a bright spark when he got on the ball and was a shade unlucky not to get on the scoresheet after some neat footwork but his short went a couple of feet wide with the Watford keeper scrambling.
An already quiet Carrow Road lapsed into further despondency just before the half hour when City were caught square again and Boadu was able to spring away towards goal with only Cordoba in attendance. I thought the City defender was going to marshall him away from goal but he did enough to work himself a shooting chance from a narrowing angle. Its hard to be critical from my end of the pitch but I thought Grimshaw should have done better than let a scuffed shot go past him and trickle into the far corner of the net. Therr were groans and then a deathly silence form all around me in the Upper River End.
It needed a response but despite a couple of corners and a free kick the Watford defence seemed to have all the answers as attacks floundered with a poor final pass or failing to get past a defender. At the halftime whistle there were boo's and there was that feeling that every time we make a step forward we get knocked back. Once again there had been plenty of effort with Field and Kvist putting in decent shifts but far too often we found ourselves going back instead of forward.
HT CITY 0 WATFORD 0
I wouldn't have been surprised to see changes but PC stuck with the line up and when things settled a bit there did seem to be a bit more link up between back and front. Maghoma put Musaba in on the City left but although he got a shot away from a narrow angle the ball was deflected for a corner. The Watford keeper made a point blank save from Cordoba's goalbound header as the visitors struggled to get the ball away and then after some head tennis the ball fell to Chrisene who did well to keep his shot down and volley the ball into the net.
It woke the crowd who at last felt there was something worth singing about and suddenly the game developed a different complexion with the home side looking much more the team we expected to see. As City took up the cudgel there was very little coming back the other way and down our end Grimshaw was a virtual spectator. Maghoma and Musaba were causing all sorts of trouble down the left while Kvistgaarten was consistently fouled to keep him in check. There were a couple of shouts for a pen as the the little man went but down but Mr Speedie didn't look like being swayed by anything less then armed assault.
You could feel an equaliser was coming and just after the hour it arrived. Kvistgaarten out wrestled a defender and lifted a ball into the path of Musaba who raced away before wrong footing a defender on the edge of the area and powering a shot past Ravaglia and into the roof of the net to bring the house down. Its funny how games change and now I could only see one winner from here.
Its nice when Carrow Road gets noisey and we have not had enough of it lately but it lifted everyones spirits and the players certainly responded. With twenty minutes to go Field put Kvistgaarten away on the right and the little man delivered a perfect cut back for Maghoma who confidently cracked a low first time shot into the corner to finally give City a lead. The warm glow that was drifting away at halftime seemed to return and increase in intensity. I have been waiting a long time to see us turn a corner and I have a feeling this might finally be it.
Maghoma and Brooks were withdrawn for Mahovo and Makarma City now appeared to assume total control. I think Watford might have won a corner but I don't recall Grimshaw being called into action much. Markama immediately became a different proposition for the Visitors defence and a couple of times nearly broke through on power alone and near the end almost dribbled his way into the area before his shot was swamped by numbers.
Musaba and Kvistgaarten (my MOM) were subbed for Slimane and Yongwa and even Fisher mad a short cameo just before the end.
FT CITY 3 WATFORD 2
It stared badly but ended well, you can't ask for more than that. My dear late son used to say on days like this " Dad, what wonderful game football is". He would have loved today, I know I did.
