Watford 3-2 West Brom - Report
Albion's play-off hopes were stung by another blow as they fell to a third away Championship defeat on the spin in a breathless 3-2 defeat at Watford.
A fourth straight reverse on the road in all competitions saw Slaven Bilic's Hornets claim the spoils against the home boss' former employers in the top-six race.
Four goals in a chaotic second half at Vicarage Road saw the 2,000 travelling fans leave disappointed with their side sliced open time and again. Conor Townsend and Jed Wallace equalisers were in vain.
Ken Sema's brace, including a fortunate deflected winner, and Ismaila Sarr struck for the hosts for Bilic, the 2020 Baggies promotion-winning boss.
The Croat reaffirmed his largely joyous time at The Hawthorns in his programme notes - while also adding the belief he was axed just as the Baggies were building up some form in the Premier League at the back end of 2020.
Corberan named an unchanged XI - and indeed selection of substitutes - from the side that succumbed to that late share of the spoils at home to Blackburn last Wednesday.
That meant the visitors were boosted by the availability of former Watford promotion-winner Nathaniel Chalobah after the midfielder took a bang to his knee against Rovers.
Josh Griffiths, for his second Baggies start, kept his place in goal and Brandon Thomas-Asante continued to lead the line.
Bilic made just one alteration to his side as left-back James Morris, 28, replaced the unavailable Hassane Kamara.
The home stands were quiet at Vicarage Road and nothing inside the opening 20 minutes helped the Watford faithful add to the tepid atmosphere.
Albion fans were in the mood to make noise after a midweek journey, but their was little to shout about from their side's perspective until Thomas-Asante was fed for the contest's first opening.
On-loan Leicester City winger Marc Albrighton whipped in an appetising near-post cross from the right and the former Salford frontman's movement was good, but his header was a few feet the wrong side of Daniel Bachmann's top left corner.
Moments later and Bilic's side made their visitors pay for being wasteful.
The Baggies were guilty of failing to clear in their own left-back area after Okay Yokuslu mopped up with a pass to Townsend.
The latter's hooked clearance was insufficient and fell to home right-back Mario Gaspar. The former Villareal stalwart worked his way forward and a deflected low cross found Keinan Davis.
On-loan Villa frontman Davis spun six yards out but his strike cannoned off Darnell Furlong in a crowded area. Griffiths was only able to punch the ball sideways while prone and into the path of midfielder Sema, who lifted into the roof of the net.
Watford tails lifted and Albion were fortunate not to go into the interval two goals down.
Skipper Dara O'Shea owed Griffiths a pat on the back after he lost the ball and Davis was played through on goal. Academy graduate Griffiths stormed one to keep out the one-on-one opportunity.
Corberan's men were poor at best in the first period but still might have had something to show for it but Swift's first-time curler inside the box from Wallace's low cross flew well over.
The head coach responded to heavy jeers from the away end by, for the first time in his Baggies tenure, making changes at half-time in the Championship. On came Grady Diangana and Molumby for Albrighton and Chalobah.
It paid off with Albion immediately better and level 10 minutes after the restart.
Bachmann parried Swift's shot from Wallace's cross for a corner and, from the set-piece, Yokuslu climbed at the far post, before busy sub Molumby hooked goalwards and Townsend expertly flicked beyond the goalkeeper from close range.
The Baggies' relief was brief as Sarr raced into the box and clipped the outside of Griffiths' post.
The contest had cracked into life. Bachmann saved well low to his right to deny Thomas-Asante before Yokuslu headed a fine Swift cross narrowly over.
Albion were on top but Watford edged ahead again. Sema's tame shot from 18 yards was misjudged by Molumby and it dropped to Sarr, who flashed a fine finish past Griffiths.
The rollercoaster action swung this way then that and Albion were level five minutes later on 71 minutes.
Bachmann was at fault but Molumby was excellent. He robbed an unsuspecting defender before a genius back-flick fed Wallace. The winger's finish was unerring for 2-2.
The visitors were fortunate as Sema found the net but was flagged for offside seconds later but with 12 minutes left of a breathless second half the killer blow was struck.
There was even more luck in this one as Erik Pieters deflected a Sema strike in at the near post with Griffiths rooted.
Albion couldn't muster a final clear-cut chance. Griffiths kept them in it with a stunning save but Molumby could only fire over a final sighter at the death.
Teams
Watford (4-2-3-1): Bachmann; Gaspar, Hoedt, Porteous, Morris; Choudhury, Sema (Louza, 84); Sarr, Pedro (c), Kone (Bacuna, 81); Davis (Assombalonga, 90).
Subs not used: Hamer, Araujo, Kabasele, Martins.
Albion (4-2-3-1): Griffiths; Furlong, O'Shea (c), Pieters, Townsend; Chalobah (Molumby, 45), Yokuslu; Wallace, Swift (Grant, 80), Albrighton (Diangana, 45); Thomas-Asante (Dike, 62).
Subs not used: Button, Ajayi, Reach.
Attendance: 18,364
Referee: Tim Robinson
