Too easy for young Hornets

NIGEL CLOUGH admitted he picked the wrong formation after Watford avoided a slip-up against his Burton side.

Christian Kabasele and Jerome Sinclair (above) struck in either half to ensure the Hornets’ safe passage.

And despite eight minutes of added time after Burton debutant Luke Varney suffered a nasty-looking rib injury, the Brewers weren’t able to haul them back.

Clough said: “We started with the wrong formation which was my fault.

“We changed it after 20, 25 minutes but unfortunately we were 1-0 down by then.

“Once we got to a back four we were much better, there were too many spaces with the back three. For an hour after that we played very well indeed.”

Varney was given oxygen as he was carried off on a stretcher midway through the second half after clashing with Watford keeper Costel Pantilimon.

The 34-year-old only joined Burton last week after his contract at fellow Championship side Ipswich was cancelled.

Clough added: “Luke’s on his way to hospital, he just took a nasty knock in his rubs, innocuous challenge, no one to blame, he’s just struggling to catch his breath.”

Watford did enough to shade a disappointing first half, the two sides separated by Kabasele’s goal from defender Brandon Mason’s low Possession Shots On Target Shots Off Target Blocked Shots Corners Fouls Conceded Offsides Yellow Cards Red Cards 54% 46% 6 0 3 2 0 2 3 2 12 10 2 3 0 3 0 0

centre from the left.

Burton were much better after the break and Clough said: “The message at half time was just go out and have a go, it’s the FA Cup, there’s no point sitting back, just try and get a goal and we nearly did that.

“We had two good chances but that’s the story of our season where we have created good chances but not been able to finish them off.”

Varney had the first of them but nodded wide from Tom Flanagan’s cross and moments later Marcus Harness couldn’t get on the end of another good centre from the same player.

Varney was then carried off before Liverpool trainee Sinclair (above) sealed it for Watford with a fine strike.

Watford boss Walter Mazzarri said: “My players played very well and Mason did wonderfully on his full debut with an assist for the goal.”