The views of a pessimist

Last updated : 01 October 2008 By Will O'Neill
Wade Elliott
Wade Elliott - scored the winner with a poweful header
But no matter if you are a pessimist or a serial optimist, it's hard to ignore the air of anticipation that an 8 game unbeaten run brings and a game under the lights on a wet and miserable Tuesday night.

Unsurprisingly Burnley gaffer Owen Coyle started with the same X1 that powered past PNE on Saturday and once again went for the two pronged attack of Messrs Paterson and Thompson upfront that was sure to give Watford debutant Darren Ward plenty to think about.

There was the usual murmuring during the course of the afternoon "will the match be on", "what time are the covers coming off at" but from my seat in the Bob Lord the pitch looked in very good condition considering the continual downpour that had battered Burnley for most of the day.

The Hornets started the match on the front foot and certainly didn't look like a side who had failed to win on the road thus far in the Championship. It took only 6 minutes before we the heard the groans from the Longside as Will Hoskins somehow managed to tangle free from a clumsy looking Clarke Carlisle to race through on the Clarets goal to slip the ball under Jensen to give Watford a dream start even beyond a very static but no doubt pleased Aidy Boothroyd's wildest dreams.

Watford had a couple more chances as the groans from the Burnley end got louder, however, slowly but surely we started to tip toe our way back into the match spear headed by the ever improving Chris McCann who seems to have so much more freedom to roam forward and assist the front pairing with the reassurance that the in form insurance policy that is Graham Alexander is protecting the back four at every opportunity.

Anyone who has seen Burnley since the opening two games of the season will know that we are made of much sterner stuff these days and from my seat in the Bob Lord I could see Boothroyd getting more animated as the Clarets now had the lion's share of the play.

McCann had a couple of shots to test Richard Lee making his first start of the season before the Clarets had the perfect opportunity to get back level, Wade Elliott's trademark back post cross was heading to Stevie Thompson when Watford's Leigh Bromby threw out an arm that referee Bratt has no hesitation in pointing to the spot and giving Burnley yet another penalty.

As with the previous penalties this season there was no doubt as to the eventual outcome, the evergreen Alexander slammed the ball into the roof of Lee's net and just over halfway through the 1st half it was game on again.

Now Burnley had their tails up and still buoyant from his wonder striker on Saturday Gudjonsson tried his luck from all of 30 yards which Lee made hard work of with Clarets livewire Paterson breathing down his neck.

With the 1st half drawing to a close Watford managed to secure themselves a corner which the untidy Burnley defence only half cleared and the resultant ball across the six yard box resulted in the former England Youth striker Hoskins netting his 2nd of the match to send Watford into the break 2-1 up.

The second half with Burnley in the ascendancy, possibly feeling slightly aggrieved at Hoskin's 2nd and no doubt their ears still ringing from Mr Coyle's half time team talk. It took no more than 35 seconds for the Gaffer's pep talk to bear fruit, Elliott darted forward on the right, slipped a ball into the box that our very own "fox in the box" Paterson swivelled, turned his man and fired high past Lee, 2-2 game on once more.

As with last seasons corresponding fixture this was edge of the seat stuff, and Watford's hottest asset John-Joe O'Toole had a wonderful chance to pile more misery onto the nervy Clarets defence but he wasted Mariappa's cross. Stevie Thompson's night was over 10 minutes into the 2nd half and it was time for the introduction of Eagles, I think it shows how far we have come on this season that we can take someone who has been so effective in recent weeks as Thompson off and replace him with someone of the talent off Eagles.

A little over 10 minutes from his introduction Eagles managed to somehow keep a cross field pass in play, it looked like he managed to control the ball on his Adam's apple then fed the ball to Chris McCann who was on his bike rampaging down the left and his measured cross was powerfully headed past Lee at the back post by the onrushing Wade Elliott.

3-2 Clarets surely job done now, not a chance, Hoskins had a glorious chance to get his and Watford's 3rd goal of the evening but he somehow managed to pull his header wide when it seemed easier to score.

Watford continued to huff and puff but rarely threatened after Hoskins had fluffed his big chance, the Clarets introduced Rodriguez and Blake to run the clock down and that was it from Mr Bratt.

In my eyes this victory was just as significant as the two derby victories that we have managed at home in recent weeks. Watford aren't the side they were last season minus Henderson and Shittu however, it still bodes well that this Clarets team has managed to come back from being a goal down in the last 2 matches and I feel that our team of last season that was so devoid of confidence would have buckled and not taken 6 points.

A 9 game unbeaten run and 4th place in the table, all roads lead to free scoring Reading on Saturday, but I am just going to enjoy the last week before thinking about a daunting October for the Clarets.