Watford 3-2 Peterborough Utd

Watford overcame their family day curse as they beat Peterborough Utd 3-2 to move out of the bottom three.

Making four changes from last weeks defeat to Hull, Sean Dyche brought Lee Hodson, loan signing Nyron Nosworthy, Craig Forsyth and Prince Buaben into the starting line-up in place of Lloyd Doyley, David Mirfin, John Eustace and Troy Deeney.

The Hornets started quickly and took the lead just five minutes in through Mark Yeates. Following a Watford attack on the left the ball was played into the box before a scramble which saw Marvin Sordell lay the ball off for Yeates to strike into the bottom corner from inside the box.

The game continued at break-neck speed and Yeates came close again breaking clear of the Peterborough midfield and firing his long range effort just wide.

Peterborough equalised after 15 minutes when Carl Dickinson failed to deal with a bouncing ball and Lee Frecklington had all the time to fire into the top corner from a tight angle. Watford were lucky not to fall behind just moments later when Grant McCann fired a 25-yard free kick against the post.

Watford re-took the lead on the half hour when the impressive Prince Buaben was upended in the box by Grant McCann and referee Andy D'Urso point to the spot. Marvin Sordell calmly slotted home after sending Paul Jones the wrong way.

Watford made it 3-1 moments later when Peterborough tried to play offside from Mark Yeates' in swinging free kick, but got it wrong, leaving Sordell the simple task of heading home.

But Peterborough pulled one back just before half time due to some more chaotic Watford defending. Peterborough picked up the ball on the right of Watford's penalty and proceeded to pass it across the Watford defence to the unmarked Emile Sinclair to poke home past Scott Loach.

Half Time

Second Half

After the frenetic first half things quietened down after half time as Watford looked to hold what they had.

Watford came very close to making it four when Mark Yeates curled a 25-yard free kick against the bar and Marvin Sordell smashed the rebound straight at the stranded goalkeeper Paul Jones.

Chris Iwelumo nearly rounded off a good performance with a goal but he could quite get the direction on his looping header from Craig Forsyth's cross.

The closest Peterborough came to an equaliser was when Paul Taylor had an effort saved by Loach through a crowd of players and George Boyd found himself some space on the left corner angle of the penalty area but his effort went out for a throw in as the Hornets held on for a much needed win.

Watford: Loach, Hodson, Nosworthy, Mariappa, Dickinson, Yeates (Deeney), Hogg, Buaben, Forsyth, Iwelumo (Jenkins), Sordell

Peterborough: Jones, Little, Zakuani, Bennett, Kennedy, Frecklington, McCann (Ball), Tunnicliffe, Boyd, Sinclair, Taylor

Prince Buaben - although Sordell will get the headlines for his goal, Buaben provided Watford with something they have been lacking. A pacey central midfielder prepared to push on, join the attack and get into the oppositions box.

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