|
|
The Guardian
|
Watford (1) 1-0 (0) Fulham
Slavisa Jokanovic believed Watford showed what is needed to have a champion mentality after they battled to a narrow victory over Fulham to move to within a point of the top of the Championship.
A Troy Deeney goal after nine minutes proved to be enough to move level on points with second-placed Derby County, but only after Kit Symons' side pushed them all the way.
Jokanovic said: "Fulham gave us many problems but it's positive for us because we're now suffering altogether and they're working altogether. I must be positive and optimistic when we win some games like this. Today was difficult for us but to have a champion mentality you must suffer altogether and win games like the kind of game we won tonight."
Despite seeing his side move to the brink of the automatic promotion places, Jokanovic is refusing to think too far ahead. "I'm thinking about Wolves [Watford's next game]. There's many times you want to ask me and I'm going to answer similar."
Watford headed into the match as the top-scoring team in England's four senior divisions with 69 goals and it took just nine minutes for No70 to arrive.
An Almen Abdi corner was flicked on at the near post and Fulham's defenders failed to react after Marcus Bettinelli clawed the ball away, and it sat up invitingly for Deeney to thump a half-volley into the roof of the net to score his 15th of the campaign.
Ross McCormack had Fulham's first chance of note but Heurelho Gomes stood up well to his rising left-footed strike. That was to be one of few opportunities the visitors created in the first half although they had the majority of possession and stretched their opponents defensively on more than one occasion.
Watford had to settle for playing on the counter for much of the first half but they did twice go close to extending their lead in the final 10 minutes of the opening half.
First Abdi sent a superbly struck first-time shot whistling narrowly wide from 20 yards before the hosts went even closer when Adlène Guedioura, making his first appearance since returning on loan from Crystal Palace, set up Matej Vydra whose shot on the turn looped over Bettinelli but rebounded away off the crossbar.
Fulham maintained their positive approach after the restart but they were perhaps fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men after 57 minutes when Jazz Richards retaliated after being bundled over by Vydra, getting to his feet and shoving the Hornets striker to the ground. But the referee, Trevor Kettle, decided the offence was worthy only of a yellow card.
Craig Cathcart had headed an Abdi corner tamely at Betenelli before Abdi fired wide from the edge of the area and then directed a half-volley from a similar range at the Fulham goalkeeper after a cross from the substitute Miguel Layun had been half-cleared.
Fulham's best chance of an equaliser arrived with 10 minutes remaining when a ball into the middle was flicked through to McCormack who got a clean strike at goal from 12 yards but was denied by a fine save from Gomes.
Source .