Cleverley dreamed of victory

................... 0 ........................ 1 Dennis 44

WATFORD

TOM CLEVERLEY managed to stop the rot, but the football gods certainly gave him a helping hand.

The 34-year-old has been put in temporary charge at Watford after a dismal run of one league win in 10 games led to Valerien Ismael being sacked a week ago.

Cleverley conjured up a win in his opening match in charge and it really doesn’t matter how they come.

But his delight was mixed in with more than a fair share of relief as Birmingham shot themselves in the foot.

Cleverley said: “That’s what I dreamt of last night but it wasn’t as perfect as I would have liked.

“First and foremost it was the result that mattered because we were starting to look over our shoulders. Hopefully the shackles are off now.

“I thought Birmingham were excellent. In 16 years in the game I don’t think I’ve ever wanted three points more than that.”

In the end it was Emmanuel Dennis who made it a happy journey home with the 44th-minute winner which had been handed to him on a plate.

Dennis cashed in after a needless lapse in concentration which plunged hapless Brum even closer to the relegation zone.

Cody Drameh hurled a throw-in across the face of his own box and Emanuel Aiwu got himself in a fix and ended up leaving the ball loose 18 yards out.

Dennis took up the unexpected invitation and smashed the ball into the roof of the net.

Birmingham’s stand-in boss Mark Venus groaned: “I felt for him. It was avoidable.” BIRMINGHAM: Ruddy 7; Laird 6 (Hall (83) 5), Aiwu 5, Drameh 5, Buchanan 7; Sunjic 6 (Gardner (83) 5), Paik 6; Miyoshi 6 (T Roberts (71) 6), James 6(Jutkiewicz (71) 6 - Hogan (90), Bacuna 7; Stansfield 6 WATFORD: Bachmann 7, Andrews 6, Porteous 6, Pollock 6, Morris 6; Chakvetadze 7 (Ince (78) 5), Kayembe 7; Dele-bashiru 6, Asprilla 7 (Sierralta (89) 4), Kone 6 (Martins (78) 5); Dennis 8 (Bayo (63) 6) STAR MAN: Emmanuel Dennis – Came up trumps with a clinical finish to clinch three crucial points. REF: Matthew Donohue 7