Coventry City vs Watford. Sky Bet Championship.
The Coventry Building Society ArenaAttendance27,078.
Coventry City 2-1 Watford: Victor Torp double steers Frank Lampard's Sky Blues to victory
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Coventry City and Watford at the Coventry Building Society Arena on Saturday; Victor Torp scores twice to seal victory for Sky Blues.
Saturday 25 January 2025 18:17, UK
Victor Torp's brace earned Coventry their third successive win with a 2-1 victory over Watford at the CBS Arena.
The Danish midfielder opened the scoring when he latched onto Jack Rudoni's cross in the first half before lashing home a free-kick with just under 15 minutes left.
Liam Kitching's own goal gave the visitors hope but they were unable to force an equaliser.
The Sky Blues had prevailed against Bristol City seven days ago before an impressive win at Blackburn in midweek, as Frank Lampard's men rounded off a perfect week against the Hornets.
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The defeat piled more pressure on Watford manager Tom Cleverley as his side slumped to a sixth defeat in eight matches in all competitions, including the 2-1 defeat at home to Preston in midweek.
Watford issued a statement dismissing rumours that Cleverley was about to be sacked earlier in the week following reports he was set to be replaced by former Villarreal boss Jose Rojo Martin, before Frank Lampard sympathised with the former Manchester United midfielder during his pre-match press conference.
Cleverley made five changes from the defeat to North End on Tuesday with Ryan Porteous and James Morris coming into the back three, while there were recalls for Yasser Larouci, Tom Dele-Bashiru and Giorgi Chakvetadze.
The opener came just past the half-hour mark when Torp met Rudoni's right-footed cross and prodded in his first of the afternoon.
It was a well-deserved lead for the Sky Blues, who could already have been ahead through Kitching, but the defender failed to keep his effort down at the back post.
Brandon Thomas-Asante had found the net in both of Coventry's wins in the last week and saw his effort deflected a whisker wide of the post after Torp's improvisation.
Sky Blues stopper Oliver Dovin was almost left red-faced when he kicked the ball at Watford striker Vakoun Bayo, who retrieved the loose ball and picked out Rocco Vata before the midfielder hooked his effort wide.
The Swedish goalkeeper had already beaten away Dele-Bashiru's effort before saving Bayo's follow-up header.
Rudoni netted his second of the afternoon and gave the Sky Blues daylight when he stepped up and lashed his free-kick over the wall and beyond Watford goalkeeper Jonathan Bond.
Watford were back in it with eight minutes of normal time remaining when Moussa Sissoko's effort hit Kitching and rolled into the corner of the Coventry net.
That spurred Watford on to find a leveller, and Dovin pulled off a remarkable save to deny Chakvetadze as he pushed his deflected effort round the post.
But Lampard's men were able to hold on for their third win in a week, making it seven unbeaten at home in all competitions.
The managers
Coventry's Frank Lampard:
"His all-round game in these last few games since we've been in is growing and growing and he's low maintenance, he doesn't get above himself and he's a very, very good player, so it's rightly his day today.
"When I came into the job I knew of him, I'd watched games coming in, you never know until you're close up but he's really, really impressed me from day one.
"It's normal to take time in the Championship coming over here mid-season and trying to get a foot in, understand the speed and aggressive nature of the game from the league he was playing in before, and now he's adapted to that he's showing even more qualities I think and he's a really important player for us."
Watford's Tom Cleverley:
"I always got into this role because of my passion of developing football players. I feel like in the last couple of weeks that's not been the main part of my job, which I have to accept, it's the industry I am in and there's always going to be speculation with poor results.
"I have still managed to focus on the team and prepare the team. I am obviously disappointed with today's result but I'm hoping the next 48 hours will be less turbulent.
"I am never relaxed on a match day but to have the backing (of Watford hierarchy) means that I can do what I feel that I am good at, which is focus on preparing the team.
"I was pleased with the statement; I'm ready to roll my sleeves up and get through this tough period that we're getting through as a club.
"I feel that I am the right person to do that. The statement obviously calmed speculation and hopefully that's the end of that, and I can really focus on the team in what's an important period for us."
