Captain Troy Deeney's two late goals lifted
Watford to a come from behind 3-2 win over 10-man
Aston Villa in the Premier League at Vicarage Road on
Saturday.
Almen Abdi levelled at the end of the first half after Ciaran
Clark put already relegated Villa in front, then Deeney
struck twice in the dying minutes after Jordan Ayew had
put Villa back in command after the restart.
The result left Watford in 12th place and condemned
hapless Villa to a club record 11th consecutive defeat.
Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores made four
changes from the side that lost last Sunday's FA Cup
semi-final 2-1 to Crystal Palace.
Keeper Heurelho Gomes, Juan Carlos Paredes, Ikechi Anya
and Mario Suarez came on for Costel Pantilimon, Allan
Nyom, Nathan Ake and the injured Etienne Capoue.
Villa's caretaker boss Eric Black also made four changes
from the team that fell 4-2 at home to Southampton last
time out.
He called up Mark Bunn, Kevin Toner, Ciaran Clark and
Rudy Gestede for Guzan, Micah Richards, Carlos Sanchez
and Scott Sinclair.
Villa, playing for pride and only their fourth win of the
season, were fortunate not to fall behind after quarter of
an hour when Watford striker Deeney's header rebounded
off the post.
On 25 minutes it was Ben Watson's turn to shake the Villa
woodwork when his dipping 30-yard volley from outside
the box hit the crossbar.
Villa took the lead against the run of play three minutes
later when Clark turned Ashley Westwood's corner home.
Only the woodwork prevented Ayew from doubling the
visitors' lead but Watford went into the break all square
after Abdi curled a freekick around the Villa wall and past
Gomes in first half stoppage time.
Three minutes after the restart and Villa were back in
front after a neat one-two between Ayew and Gestede
with Ayew shooting low into the far corner.
Villa had to play the final quarter of an hour a man down
after Aly Cissoko was sent off for tripping Ikechi Anya.
They managed to hold on until the 90th minute, with only
their second away win of the season in their grasp, when
Deeney headed in a Steven Berghuis cross before firing
home from the edge of the area three minutes into time
added on.