Watford vs Blackburn Rovers; Sky Bet Championship
Watford vs Blackburn Rovers. Sky Bet Championship.
Vicarage RoadAttendance19,294.
Watford 1-1 Blackburn: Wesley Hoedt earns point for Hornets
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Watford and Blackburn at Vicarage Road as Bradley Dack put Rovers in front before Wesley Hoedy earned a point for the Hornets.
Saturday 11 February 2023 18:20, UK
Watford and Blackburn saw out a 1-1 draw at Vicarage Road that did neither side any favours in the race for the Sky Bet Championship playoffs.
A first-half opener from Rovers' Bradley Dack was cancelled out by a debut strike by Wesley Hoedt in the second period.
Apart from a first start for the goalscorer, Watford awarded a home debut to Ryan Porteous, who netted at Reading last week.
Blackburn made two changes, with Tyler Morton and Tyrhys Dolan starting the match.
Mario Gaspar fired well over the bar after eight minutes, in the first notable attempt in the fixture, while the returning Joao Pedro forced goalkeeper Aynsley Pears to collect from a shot outside the area.
Indeed, Watford settled into the game quicker, forcing a number of corners that failed to trouble Blackburn.
However, it was the visitors from Lancashire who opened the scoring first from their first meaningful attack of the half.
A well-worked move involving Sorba Thomas and Joe Rankin-Costello saw the midfielder shoot at Daniel Bachmann.
A parry by the goalkeeper found the feet of Dack, who kept his composure to slot home at close range - his 50th league goal for Rovers.
Pedro should have done better with a gift from Rankin-Costello in the 32nd minute when he picked up a loose ball outside the area only to hurry his shot and put it wide.
Pears was equal to a Ismaila Sarr effort two minutes before the break, after a move involving Matheus Martins and Henrique Araujo.
Watford started the second half on the front foot and Pears had to parry a fierce shot by Sarr five minutes in.
The home side continued to press, although they were often let down by their ball control and poor quality delivery from set-pieces.
Head coach Slaven Bilic bought on Tom Cleverley, who made his first appearance since Burnley in August 2022.
The change gave Watford a boost and they equalised in the 73rd minute. Blackburn failed to clear a free-kick, and Hoedt marked his debut with a fine first-time effort on the edge of the area which Pears could not deal with.
The hosts looked for a winning strike and Sarr put his effort over the bar soon after the equaliser.
With the game finely poised, and with the game drawing to a close, it was Watford who were more on top.
After five minutes of stoppage time were added, neither side were able to claim all three points.
The managers
Watford's Slaven Bilic:
"I'm pleased with the performance, not just possession. We were constantly in a good situation, on the wings or the final third. It was just a lack of quality - when it came down to crosses, when it comes down to reactions in the box, that was lacking. Then we conceded a goal from their only attack that looked dangerous. But that didn't kill us.
"We made some changes at half-time, and we continued to play well. All that was missing was goals. It's going to take a little bit for Pedro to last 90 minutes. He was excellent, and we know what he will bring."
Blackburn's Jon Dahl Tomasson:
"At the end of the day, coming away from Watford with a point, when you see their squad and the players they have at Premier League level, I think it's OK. With their quality it's a big compliment to our players, the team spirit, the work rate, and how they were fighting, it was extremely good.
"Maybe if we were a little better on the ball and showed more bravery, like we did in periods of the first half, we could have created something more. I'm pleased about Bradley Dack, I've been trying to get him back on track and he's getting closer and closer. He had a good performance, we know he can score goals and keep getting fitter."
