Bruising win a scream come true for Hornets keeper Dan

DANIEL BACHMANN was happy to lose his voice after Watford silenced Cardiff.

The Austrian, stopping everything at the moment including rival keeper Ben Foster, was loud and proud after the Hornets earned a seventh win in eight games.

A bruising battle with Cardiff ended with taunts, shoves and pushes near the tunnel. Bachmann admitted: “My voice usually sounds rough after games but I’m not going to lie, there was a lot of screaming going on in the dressing room.

“It’s great to see that togetherness from everyone. It was a nice moment and hopefully that can set us up for the next game.

“It’s a massive win, we knew how difficult it would be and the conditions didn’t help. But they had one shot on target, we dealt well with long balls into the box and to get the last-minute winner, there is nothing better.”

Adam Masina’s freekick deep into injury time deceived Cardiff keeper Dillon Phillips and gave Watford the points (right) – the second game in a row where the wing-back had scored the winner.

Phillips would have made a comfortable save had he stood still, but was left pawing at air. It was a first defeat for Cardiff boss Mick McCarthy after 11 games unbeaten.

Bachmann added: “Their goalkeeper will get criticised but as a goalkeeper it is very difficult from that angle with people in front of you.

“The wind made it very difficult in the first half, it was swirling around and making balls slow down in the air. I got caught out once and got away with it.”

Watford’s sucker punch may have come late, but it was no less deserved. They created more chances and dealt well with the threat of Cardiff striker Kieffer Moore.

They also showed resilience in equalising quickly through Nathaniel Chalobah after an own goal by Francisco Sierralta put the Bluebirds ahead.

Watford’s surge under Spanish boss Xisco Munoz has taken them to second in the table and they are the form team in the Championship.

They have a trip to struggling Rotherham tomorrow and with Joao Pedro and Ismaila Sarr proving a dangerous strike pairing, are not missing the injured Troy Deeney.

Cardiff are seven points adrift of the play-off places after one win in four games and McCarthy must find a second wind when they host Stoke City tomorrow.

“We’d won seven and drawn four and everything was going swimmingly, but it was going to end at some stage,” he said.

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