Watford 2 West Brom 1: Albion's unbeaten run ended by Hornets

Loan striker Vakoun Bayo struck in either half - the second which looked a clear foul on Josh M

Carlos Corberan's side, not beaten since by Middlesbrough on October 1, lacked the composure late on to carve clear-cut openings and snatch a point from a competitive clash, though Watford might have run away with it after their second following the break.

The away end cried "you're not fit to referee" at Gavin Ward and his officials at full-time after the man in the middle allowed the second goal to stand and bought into clear Watford gamesmanship late on.

But, bar a late Darnell Furlong header, Albion did not create enough for a point and a proud unbeaten run was finally snapped and the Hornets leapfrogged their visitors into seventh to leave the Baggies two points from the top six.

Corberan and his troops will be deflated but no distraught in the wake of the midweek win over Coventry. Albion, started in a back five, performed well for large chunks but were ultimately undone and had no answer for Tom Cleverley's side, unbeaten at home since the head coach took over in March.

Albion's formation might have read 5-4-1 on paper - a back five to start for just the second time this season - but wing-backs Furlong and Callum Styles offered dangerous positions and a threat down either flank.

The visitors' threat came almost exclusively down the right where Watford were undone time and again. Furlong fed Tom Fellows to the byline three times in the first period and led to a decent opportunity on each occasion.

Unfortunately for the Baggies two efforts at goal fell to loan midfielder Uros Racic - back in the side for the benched Alex Mowatt. The Serbian skied a first effort from inside the box well over with his left before a better strike from 20 yards on his right side whistled narrowly wide of the left post.

Quite a watchable, competitive contest broke out and Watford went closest of either side of 16 minutes as left wing-back Rocco Vata's rising strike cannoned the crossbar after Furlong could only half-clear with a header. Molumby was busy in midfield and used the ball well on occasions. He wasted a decent chance after Watford lost the ball in their own third and the midfielder's effort struck Maja.

Watford's Georgian midfielder Giorgi Chakvetadze delivered on his reputation as a talent with some driving runs from midfield and one, 10 minutes before the interval, created his side's opener. Chakvetadze was the best player on the pitch by some distance and how he was not awarded man of the match is anybody's guess.

Chakvetadze fed Vata on the left and the latter's cross was met by striker Bayo who dispatched a good header into the far corner from 10 yards. Albion's frustration will be the space afforded to the Ivorian given three centre-backs were playing for the visitors.

The goal did not do too much to knock Corberan's side. Albion's Karlan Grant, fit to start as a fitness doubt, drew a parried Daniel Bachmann save from a very tight right angle.

The visitors grew before the break as Styles flashed a low cross-shot right across goal, not far from the bottom corner.

The Baggies should have equalised on the stroke of half-time following a flowing move. Racic fed Grant who found Styles, his cross picked out Maja six yards out and the striker set intelligently for Grant, but the latter could not get the ball out of his feet and it rolled tamely to a grateful Bachmann.

Corberan replaced Styles with Mikey Johnston at the interval to add some more natural threat as the hosts looked weak on either flank.

But Albion started the second period a pale shadow of the first half. Palmer was on hand to keep out handful Bayo from close range just after the restart and moments latter the Baggies paid.

Bayo rolled in a decent finish into the corner from the penalty spot but Albion had the right to feel aggrieved as Maja was bumped into when the cross came in. Live viewing and immediate replays showed a clear foul.

For 10 or 15 minutes Albion threatened to collapse as the Hornets played around the blue and white stripes. No third came as Kyle Bartley blocked well from Kwandwo Baah.

Corberan's triple change on 65 minutes helped and moments later Albion had one back as Molumby's left-footed strike this time beat Bachmann low to the keeper's left despite a soft hand on it after Johnston had a shot blocked.

Albion rallied and a couple of corners tested Watford, without anything clear-cut. Substitute John Swift had a 25-yard shot saved by Bachmann but clear chances would not come - until a Furlong header from a corner deep into stoppages.

The visitors paid for a lack of composure in the final third and the officials bought into gamesmanship as Albion departed empty handed.

Watford (4-2-3-1): Bachmann; Porteous, Pollock, Morris (Larouci, 81) Ngakia; Louza, Sissoko (c); Vata (Kayembe, 74); Chakvetadze, Baah (Sierralta, 74); Bayo (Jebbison, 86).

Subs not used: Bond, Ince, Dwomoh, Ebosele, Andrews.

Albion (5-4-1): Palmer; Furlong, Holgate, Bartley (Frabotta 65), Heggem, Styles (Johnston, 45); Fellows, Molumby (Wallace, 78), Racic (Mowatt, 65), Grant; Maja (Swift, 65).

Subs not used: Wildsmith, Diakite, Dobbin, Cole. 

Attendance: 19,774 (2,104 Albion fans)

Referee: Gavin Ward