Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
HORNETS BUZZING TO GET DUO BACK
Foster looking up with Deeney and Gray on the attack
BEN FOSTER hopes the return to action of strikers Troy Deeney and Andre Gray can inspire Watford to underline their promotion credentials.
The Hornets are tucked in just behind leaders Reading after they secured their second 3-2 home win of the week by beating Coventry.
A good sign, claims Foster, because they are winning without being at their best.
Th e keep er said: “Thi s league is so hard to pick up wins in, you’ve got to find a way sometimes.
“Momentum has so much say in where you finish in the league and if you can just keep rolling along picking up wins, regardless of the performances, it is amazing what it does for you.” Gray scored his first goal of the season to give Watford the second-half lead.
But two goals in as many minutes, a remarkable 25-yard header by Gustavo Hamer and a low drive from Tyler Walker, put the Sky Blues in front.
Wi l li am Tro o st-ekong ’s header got Watford back on terms before Ismaila Sarr’s penalty seven minutes from time sealed the points.
Fost er said of Hamer’s header : “It was so far out, I thought there was no way he was going to try to put it on the goal. But without a doubt he meant it. It’s the life of a goalkeeper, if anything like that ever arises again, you will have a little inkling not to be so advanced.”
The arrival of Deeney from the bench , for hi s 400th Watford appearance and first since September, was a boost after his future at the club was in question in the summer.
“It was nice to have Troy back,” Foster said.
“With 10-15 minutes to go, you know you can just put the ball on him and he holds it up so well. That is just brilliant to see when you need to conserve your lead.
“He is fit. The manager has had him working seriously hard for the last month to six weeks.
“For strikers, like Andre and Troy (below), it’s about getting a bit more game-time and just getting that sharpness back, especially when you have been out for a long time like them.”
Coventry boss Mark Robins hopes the international break wi l l h elp hi s y oung si d e consolidate for the busy spell up to Christmas.
He said: “They are giving me ever ything they have and when they have been playing at the top of their game, we have not been able to get what I consider our strongest team out on any occasion yet.
“Young players are learning on the job and that is where you can come unstuck from time to time.
“If we can start picking points up, we will be OK.”
Foster 5, Kabasele 6, Troost-ekong 6, Cathcart 5, Femenia 5 (Ngakia 67, 5), Garner 6 (Chalobah 87), Capoue 6, Cleverley 6, Sema 6, Sarr 7, Gray 6 (Deeney 74, 5)
Marosi 7, Mccallum 6 (Dacosta 90), Rose 6, Ostigard 5, Hyam 6, Giles 5, Hamer 7 (Allen 90), Sheaf 6, O’hare 6, Biamou 6, Walker 6