West Brom 2-1 Watford: Baggies bounce back as Tom Fellows shines

WEST BROM 2

Grant 11, Johnston 60

WATFORD 1

Louza 76

Tony Mowbray said he was delighted with Tom Fellows’ performance and commitment after the West Bromwich Albion manager watched the winger provide two key assists in their win over Watford at The Hawthorns.

Fellows starred with two identical assists for Karlan Grant and Mikey Johnston, helping the Baggies defeat the Hornets for the first time since December 2016 and move up to seventh in the table.

Moussa Sissoko pulled one back for Watford late on.

But it wasn’t enough, as the visitors suffered a third loss in five games and slipped to 11th in the standings.

Dream

“Fellows is a wonderful, wonderful player,” Mowbray said.

“He is a very unassuming boy.

“He never knocks on my door saying, ‘Why am I not playing? I feel like I deserved to play.’

“He just accepts my decisions and gets on with it.

“He’s a dream footballer to manage, really.”

BREATHING SPACE: Mikey Johnston scores West Brom’s second goal against the Hornets
PICTURE: Alamy

Match action

The match began slowly, with both sides struggling to create clear chances.

But West Brom broke the deadlock in the 11th minute when Grant finished first-time from a low-driven cross by Fellows.

Watford grew into the game and began dominating possession, but failed to test West Brom’s backline.

Their closest chance in the first half came when Edo Kayembe struck the woodwork from long range.

Isaac Price also tested Baggies goalkeeper Egil Selvik from distance, forcing a good save that preserved the hosts’ lead heading into half time.

EFFORT: Watford’s Caleb Wiley

Second half

West Brom began the second half with more attacking intent.

Johnston twice tested Selvik with efforts from the edge of the box.

His third attempt – a close-range strike – was deflected heroically by Jeremy Ngakia.

Johnston eventually found the net in the 60th minute, scoring his third goal of the season after another low cross from Fellows.

The goal prompted Watford manager Tom Cleverley to make his first substitutions, bringing on Rocco Vata and Francisco Sierralta for Tom Ince and James Abankwah.

Despite the changes, West Brom continued to threaten.

Fellows remained a key outlet, delivering dangerous crosses that forced Selvik into several crucial saves in the final 20 minutes.

Watford clawed one back in the 76th minute when Sissoko latched onto a through ball from Imran Louza and slotted home, giving the visitors hope.

Grant nearly restored West Brom’s two-goal lead late on after being played through by Johnston, but Selvik denied him.

Sissoko’s goal lifted Watford’s intensity, and they pushed for an equaliser, Louza firing narrowly wide from distance in the 89th minute.

Their last opportunity came in stoppage-time, as Mattie Pollock’s shot from inside the box forced a brilliant save from Griffiths, sealing all three points for the Baggies.

Cleverley: We were better

Watford head coach Tom Cleverley said he thought his side were the better team, but West Brom the more effective one.

“I felt like we had more,” he said.

“We had more control of the ball, but I feel like sometimes it doesn’t always have to be perfect football.

“I thought they were more effective than us, and I think you could argue we were the better team, but they were the more effective team.

“We didn’t use the deep balls as much as we should have today.

“I thought there was a desire to run in behind. We just need to play that ball in a bit more often.”

Cleverley also talked about how Watford could have done much more in the final third.

“Today, we lack the level of clinical nature in the final third, and a bit of quality to add to that as well,” he said.

“There’s a lot to like about the foundations and stability of how we’re playing for next season, but ultimately, you’d rather be the most effective team.

“We’re expecting a lot from Mamadou Doumbia, who has come from Mali, and 19-year-old Rocco Vata, who’s started in the last three games.

Star Man – Tom Fellows (West Bromwich Albion)

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