BUT DYCHE LEFT SEEING RED

IT MUST have felt like party time for Watford gaffer Walter Mazzarri as his men climbed into the top 10 after Burnley hit the self-destruct button at Vicarage Road.

Troy Deeney and M’Baye Niang gave the Hornets a healthy lead before the break and there was no way back for the calamitous Clarets. Or so it seemed.

A second-half fightback almost earned Burnley a point and an Ashley Barnes penalty gave Watford a case of the jitters.

Defeat arrived much to the frustration of Burnley boss Sean Dyche, who still expressed his pride at the way his players performed after being reduced to 10 men after just five minutes.

Burnley are almost imperious at home, but they are woeful away – and their cause was not helped by a moment of madness from Jeff Hendrick so early on.

“I am very proud of the way the players stuck to their task,” said Dyche, who did not question Hendrick’s dismissal.

Although he did wonder why Niang, having been booked earlier, was not redcarded for running into the crowd to celebrate his goal.

Dyche went to see referee Michael Oliver after the game, and explained: “I was only asking why M’Baye Niang wasn’t sent off.”

Irish midfielder Hendrick, a summer WATFORD: BURNLEY: MAN OF THE MATCH: REFEREE: signing from Derby, was dismissed for a reckless tackle on Jose Holebas.

Holebas was fit enough to continue – and get himself booked for the 11th time this season – after Deeney opened the scoring with 10 minutes on the clock, his third goal in four games.

The striker’s goal, his seventh of the season, was due in no small part to Niang, who found the target himself just before half-time when he converted Holebas’ cross. Mazzarri must have been privately delighted to witness Watford secure successive Premier League wins for the first time since September.

But he questioned his side’s second-half display which saw them just hang on to three points, although Deeney had a late ‘ goal’ disallowed.

The Italian said: “Our first-half performance was better than our second and this is why I’m very angry.

“The big teams close these games out 3-0 or 4-0 and we didn’t do it. We have to grow in this mentality.” The visitors showed great resilience and fight after Dyche’s half-time rocket.

Joey Barton and Scott Arfield both had chances before Barnes made no mistake from the spot after handball by Sebastian Prodl.