Fern Mc Costigan: December 2019

Saturday, December 28, 2019

Nigel Pearson staging a turnaround in Vicarage Road

The turnaround continues at Vicarage Road under their new man Nigel Pearson in the helm, extending the Hornets run to perfection to three consecutive games, with today’s win over the Villains.

So far, the Hornets have a run with perfection and thanks to that 2-0 win over heavily favorites Manchester United, something that I must the state started the momentum for Pearson and Watford.

As in midweek with a draw against Sheffield United on Boxing Day and today standing strong with just ten men on the field, these delivered a valuable win over Aston Villa to continue the recovery that for sure can deliver salvation.

Still, we have quite a way for the league to over and with the second half in what seems to be a heavily contested one, the challenges will be abundant for the Nigel Pearson and Watford.

For now, the sole aim for the Hornets is to see their salvation as one of their utmost priorities.

Returning to the game and its man of the match in Troy Denney scoring in both halves, along with a late score from Ismailia Sarr, Watford raise to the occasion, lately looking like one unstoppable machine.

Putting on the field the seal that characterizes Pearson’s eleven with a 3-4-2-1, the outcome of this game was to become providential for the locals playing in what seemed to be a sort of Relegation Derby.

This formation put on Troy Denney alone in the front but with company in the back with Gerard Delofou and Will Hughes as his support, with a backline of four and a defensive three to counter the Villains attack.

Suddenly the home team Watford became displaying a strong game and pressing early in the game, alongside their pristine defensive game being so opportune and bright that made them prevailed.

The Hornets opened the score with Villa trying to start a counter with a clearance on their defensive side but Watford intercepting and starting a play that a shoot that occasioned a rebound that Troy Denney pushes to open the score in the 42’ minute.

In the second half, the Hornets went to 10 men down with Adrian Mariappa in the 57’ getting a red card leaving the team with ten men but that was not a cause to stop their momentum.

Ten minutes later came another score for Watford in the 67’ minute as PK was awarded to the home side with a foul inside the area and Troy Denney delivered the second goal and later in the 71’ minute, Ismailia Sarr scored the cushion goal.

Photos Credit and Property of © Copyright Premier League. com 2019

Friday, December 27, 2019

Boxing Day recap in the North Ireland Premiership

An upset on Boxing Day in the Danske Bank Premiership that uplifted another squad into prominence as the Cliftonville Reds netted a valuable win at Seaview and for the defending champions loss over the Glens.

As Institute is paving its way to the abyss of relegation, the Lurgan Blues delivered a goal-fest, the Bannsiders winning as the other Reds of Larne continuing adding points to their cause.

In the Oval, the local Glens of Glentoran got a valuable win over the defending champions the Linfield Blues with a clean sheet and the Belfast side getting catapulted on the top with this loss.

For the Glens, Elvio Van Overbeek opening the score in the 7’ minute with a brace from Croatian Hroje Plum in the 76’ and later to a penal in the 84’ minute to seal a valuable win and three golden points.

Glentoran 3-0 Linfield

Back in Seaview the local Crusaders never got their game back despite opening the score and the lead that just lasted four minutes and later succumb to the push of the Reds Conor McMenamin.

For McMenamin brace in the 6’ and later on the 79’ minute, uplifted the Belfast Boys to a valuable win and being in the top by just a point lead, for the Crues David Cushley, scored in the 2’ minute.

Crusaders 1-2 Cliftonville

With a Boxing Day Derby between Coleraine and Ballymena United, the Bannsiders displayed a top football in the Showgrounds and for the Sky Blues dominating in the early minutes of the game.

The Bannsiders got the better side of the coin with scores from josh Carson 9’ and later Jamie Glackin in the 17’ to seal an important win be within a point of first place Cliftonville by a point.

Coleraine 2-0 Ballymena United

In Mourneview Park the local Lurgan Blues got a valuable win with a goal-fest over decimated Dungannon that saw their efforts down by playing with ten men in the remainder of the match.

Scores from Conor McCloskey 1’, Jordan Jenkins 30’, Conor McCloskey 64’, Josh Daniels 77’ and Robert Garrett 88’ were enough to seal the deal and a clean sheet for Glenavon to earn three valuable points.

Glenavon 5-0 Dungannon Swifts

A premier and valuable win for Warrenpoint in Derry City colossus Brandywell, by defeating the Institute lads and coming close to in their race for salvation, the Point trails Stute by just a point.

For the Point Eamon Scannell in the 64’ minute lone score was enough for the visitors to rise to the occasion and net a valuable win in the relegation Derby at Derry City.

Institute 0-1 Warrenpoint Town

Back in Inver Park, the local Larne and Carrick Rangers drew a stalemate to zero goals, still the Reds are continuing to add points to their cause and within striking distance of Crusaders by eight points.

Larne 0-0 Carrick Ring

One amazing marching Saints side delivered in London Town

The Southampton Saints, indeed, marched in London Town over a suddenly decimated Chelsea Blues losing their fourth match out of five, leaving debutante manager Frank Lampard with many interrogatives.

However, for the Saints suddenly battling the demons of relegations, this heartfelt win rises this troubled club momentum as well by adding points to their cause in their effort of seeking salvation before annihilation.

With a clean sheet and scores in each half for the visiting Saints, these rose to a valuable win and three golden points that suddenly puts them in fourteenth place and three points out of the clear from Aston Villa.

Still, the long road to salvation is paved with a few obstacles, that for sure the Saints can deliver if these continue playing like this, for sure they can be in the top ten spots but for now the main mission is to stay as far possible from the bottom.

With a first-half score from the man of the match Michael Obafemi in the 31’ minute put Southampton in the lead that they never surrender adding to the Blues more misery with a clean sheet, exposing this team's inability to score.

As the second half the misery piled up for Frank Lampard team not able to produce game-changing plays, the Saints got their second goal via Nathan Redmond in the 73’ minute to pile to the dismay of the Blues Boss.

A team with a promising future, this is nothing for the Blues fans to worry but the need to take advantage of their young talent is imperative if the Pensioners are to return to the winning column and leave their panic behind.

If you recall the last win over Tottenham on the road was a show of recovery for a team struggling lately but somehow today these were outplayed by a team lacking depth but not determined in the end.

In the end, kudos to the Saints bravery and willingness not overshadowed in the house of horrors for many teams in Stamford Bridge, but today that promising team and eleven was completely out of sync and errors can be costly.