Watford 1-0 Sunderland: Hurley tributes, missed chances, red-card call and dismal form continues

Sunderland’s dismal Championship form continued as Ryan Andrews’ second-half strike secured a narrow 1-0 win for Watford.

Here’s the story of the game and its key talking points from a Sunderland perspective...

SUNDERLAND FANS PAY TRIBUTE TO HURLEY

The opening five minutes of this game were played out to the non-stop din of Sunderland fans in the away end singing, ‘Who’s the greatest half the world has ever seen?’ The tributes to Charlie Hurley had begun long before kick off, with a cardboard cutout of the great centre half serenaded in the concourse ahead of the game.

Watford also delivered a classy tribute to Hurley in the moments before the two teams came out onto the pitch, with both sets of supporters coming together in a moment’s applause. They would repeat that gesture in the 87th minute, with Hurley’s picture displayed on the big screens at the ground. Sunderland players also wore black armbands in Hurley’s memory.

ANOTHER FLAT CONTEST

Mike Dodds had said he in build up to this game that he didn’t want to be ‘bored’ again watching his side but in truth there was little change to the general stalemate of a week previous against Millwall. Dodds had stuck with a back five, the only significant change being that Adil Aouchiche replaced Bradley Dack in leading the line.

Dack and Mason Burstow were both left out of the squad as Tommy Watson was promoted in the matchday 18, signs perhaps of the club beginning to look towards the future. Neither side was able to carve out any meaningful early chances in a low-quality game, with Sunderland again sitting deep and looking to break on the counter.

There was one half chance for Watford on the quarter hour mark when Edo Kayembe worked some space on the edge of the box, blazing an effort over the bar. Sunderland’s best chances were coming from set players, with Aji Alese utilising his long throw. Sunderland almost took the lead when Jack Clarke whipped a free kick to the back post, Dan Ballard rising highest but seeing his header cleared just in front of the line by Ryan Porteous.

SUNDERLAND GO CLOSE TO TAKING THE LEAD

Watford had probably edged territory and possession through the first 40 minutes of the game without really testing Anthony Patterson in the Sunderland goal. It had been another poor Sunderland performance in possession but in fairness, they carved out two big chances approachung half time and should have taken the lead.

The first came when Asprilla lost possession just inside his own half, allowing Clarke and Aouchiche to break forward at pace. Aouchiche carried it all the way through the heart of the pitch abd picked out the run of Chris Rigg perfectly. Rigg took a touch but could only drag his effort wide of the near post - though replays suggested that Daniel Bachmann had in fact made a decent stop with his trailing foot. There was no doubt about the goalkeeper’s involvement at the start of stoppage time, Trai Hume making a clever late run into the box to meet Bellingham’s flick on but seeing his effort bounce onto the roof of the next after Bachmann’s block.

CLARKE MISSES ANOTHER BIG CHANCE

Watford made a double substitution at the interval but Sunderland started the half looking to push higher up the pitch and should again have taken the lead when Jack Clarke was able to pounce on a defensive lapse and break into the box. The winger cut across his marker with ease and looked certain to score, but could only drive his effort wide of the far post.

The home side then enjoyed their best chance as the game threatened to break open at last, Sema getting to the byline and standing up a cross that Kayembe met with a thunderous first-time volley. Patterson had little time to react but managed to make the block on his line, the follow-up effort drifting wide of the post.

WATFORD CALL FOR RED - BUT SCORE SHORTLY AFTER

Watford were damant that that the referee should have shown a red card just before the hour mark when a chipped through ball was cut out by Luke O’Nien, who almost caught it as he chucked two hands in the air. The home side were convinced that he had denied a goalscoring opportunity with that was a deliberate handball, but only a yellow card was given.

The deadlock was broken shortly afterwards when Watford broke down the right flank, substitute Andrews able to run in on goal after getting ahead of Callum Styles. Andrews drove an effort across goal and though Patterson should probably have saved, the ball found the bottom corner. Dodds had already been planning to introduce Ba and Roberts, something he promptly did.

SUNDERLAND STRUGGLE TO CREATE - BUT MISS ONE BIG CHANCE

Sunderland enjoyed more possession as the game entered its final stages, though they would miss one big chance as the game edged towards stop time. The visitors were able to break quickly as Clarke drove through the middle of the pitch, working the ball out wide to substitute Luis Hemir. The striker tried to find Roberts but the winger couldn’t get the ball out from under his feet, allowing Bachmann to race off his line and block the follow up from Styles.

It meant that Sunderland’s attacking woe continues with another poor showing, though in fairness they did create more openings in this game and probably had hte better of the chances over the course of the 90 minutes. That will be little consolation to supporters, though, as a miserable end to the campaign continued with another performance that brought little enjoyment.

Sunderland XI: Patterson; Hume, Ballard, O’Nien, Alese; Ekwah, Styles; Rigg (Roberts, 64), Aouchiche (Ba, 64), Clarke; Jobe

Subs: Bishop, Evans, Pembele, Hemir, Mundle, Hjelde, Watson

Watford XI: Bachmann; Porteous, Hoedt, Pollock, Sema (Lewis, 68), Kayembe, Kone, Asprilla (Livermore, 89), Bayo (Rajovic, 79), Dennis (Martins, 45) , Grieves (Andrews, 45)

Subs: Hamer, Sierralata, Ince, Livermore, Morris

Attendance:

Bookings: Kayembe, 10 O’Nien, 58 Lewis, 85