Wolves 1 (Armstrong 35) Watford 0
Adam Armstrong scored the only goal as Wolves got back to winning ways at Molineux with a battling 1-0 victory over Watford.
After recent frustrations on home soil, the result was imperative and Armstrong, back in the team after injury, squeezed home the only goal of the game of 35 minutes, and while a bigger cushion would have been welcome, the victory gets Cesar Peixoto’s side back on track.
A positive start was much needed after recent home results and that’s what Cesar Peixoto got out of his side. Within the first ten minutes both Rafiki Said and Jordan James came close from distance, while Said’s early header forced a save out of Federico Ravaglia.
Crosses were causing the Hornets problems in the first 45 and Marshall Munetsi turned Said’s delivery wide and will have hoped to do better, before Andre’s effort took a huge deflection and trickled agonisingly wide.
Finally Wolves’ dominance was rewarded on 35 through a welcome Armstrong strike. Andre switched to Kieran Tripper, whose first time cross almost forced an own goal, before Armstrong pounced on the rebound to squeeze home.
The striker grew in confidence immediately and shot wide from the edge of the box following a smart turn, as the hosts went in a goal to the good at the break.
Half-time | Wolves 1-0 Watford
Wolves knew a second goal would be crucial, and went about finding it after the break, but it was Hector Kyprianou who would have found his own net, had it not been for his goalkeeper saving his blushes on 52 minutes.
While it was still 1-0, the Hornets always had a hope and Edo Kayembe’s effort from distance needed saving by Jose Sa. For the hosts, the introduction of Mateus Mane injected life into the performance and his mazy run set up a chance to James which was well blocked.
As the game entered the business end, both Andre and substitute Tommy Doyle tried their luck from distance, with the former shooting over and the latter having his effort blocked behind. Then Ladislav Krejci’s bullet header was kept out by Ravaglia, as Wolves fialed to add to their lead, but registered three valuable points.
Full-time | Wolves 1-0 Watford
Wolves | Sa, Trippier, Mosquera, Krejci, Bueno (Toti 90), Andre, Munetsi, James (Doyle 78), Bellegarde (Neave 90) Said (Mane 61), Armstrong (Chirewa 78).
Unused subs | Virginia, Tchatchoua, Rawlings, Lopez.
Watford | Ravaglia, Diatta (Maamma 62), Keben, Pollock, Mlacic, Bola (Zemura 61), Kyprianou, Kayembe, Bravo, Kjerrumgaard (Doumbia 72), Boadu (Payero 72).
Unused subs | Bachmann, Vata, Nabizada, Traore, Mavididi.
