Hot Hornets give Ismael high five

A WEEK after challenging his Watford side to shoot more, Valerien Ismael was treated to a glut of goals in a 5-0 mauling of struggling Rotherham.

Ismael was unhappy with his side’s blank at Huddersfield a week earlier, but praised the Hornets’ response as they thumped five past their travel-sick opponents.

Mileta Rajovic scored twice in the first period before second-half goals from Edo Kayembe, Tom Ince and Matheus Martins extended Watford’s unbeaten run to six games.

“We have to cross more, to shoot more, to force the opponent to defend more, just to keep the pressure on,” said Ismael.

“We are moving in the right direction. With the feeling we’ve had from the beginning that we are on the right path and now the results are showing, it will build our confidence.”

Rotherham remain four points adrift of safety and without an away win for more than a year – a run stretching 21 league games.

Even more worrying was the loss of Cafu, Daniel

Ayala and Sam Clucas, who all suffered hamstring injuries to add to an already lengthy list of absentees.

“The result is a big blow but to lose three players of that calibre, for a team like Rotherham, is massive,” said manager Matt Taylor.

“We’ve not been good enough away. Last season we ground out enough points for survival. I didn’t see enough of that grind and stubbornness today.

“It’s tough at the moment. If you get anything away from home for Rotherham you’ve done really well.”

WATFORD: Hamer 7; Andrews 8, Porteous 8, Hoedt 8, Lewis 7 (Ince (68) 7); Livermore 8 (Chakvetadze (68) 7); Kayembe 7, Kone 7 (Dele-bashiru (88) 6); Asprilla 7 (Martins (67) 7), Rajovic 8 (Healey (84) 6), Sema 8 ROTHERHAM: Johansson 5; Lembikisa 6, Peltier 5 (Kelly (70) 5), Morrison 5 (Ayala (52) 5), Bramall 5, Revan 5 (Onyedinma (52) 5); Rathbone 5, Tiehi 6, Clucas 5 (Cafu (33) 6); Hugill 5 (Odoffin (70) 5), Nombe 5 STAR MAN: Ken Sema - The creator of two goals and a constant menace. REF: Stephen Martin 8