VITAL GOAL GIVES WAGNER’S BOYS HOPE

and celebration of the first home win in four months were the release of tension that had built like bubbles in the magnums of champagne Lewis Hamilton loves spraying.

They had been waiting to pop since fans inside the stadium celebrated Chelsea’s earlier fightback against Southampton.

That was all they were really able to cheer about for two hours, apart from yelling for a penalty for Alex Pritchard’s blatant dive and substitute Laurent Depoitre’s tumble under challenge from Craig Cathcart.

A skimmed Jonathan Hogg shot from 20 yards quickened the pulses, but Ince’s introduction, after being dropped for the more direct properties of Collin Quaner, did not raise hopes.

Pritchard’s good run and low cross saw the sub get his feet tangled up and his weak shot was blocked at the near post.

Just when a sixth away game without a goal for Javi Gracia looked to have at least earned a point for the visitors, Ince reacted quickest when Mathias Zanka squared Terence Kongolo’s hopeful punt across the six-yard box.

“The game is being cruel to us. They only had one shot on target and won the game,” said Gracia.

“It was fair for a draw and we did not deserve this, but we need to improve and we need to win points in our next games.”

The manager’s nifty flick-up of the ball for Adrian Mariappa to take a thrown in was a rare moment of invention and quality from his side.

Not since fireworks lit up the sky last November have they tasted away success and that may have been different if Troy Deeney’s shot from just inside the box was not deflected wide of the far post.

Abdoulaye Doucoure had another effort turned away at the near post by Jonas Lossl and the keeper calmed shredded home nerves with a well-timed dive at the feet of Will Hughes. ■■Tom Ince has scored in four of his last five league games against Watford, scoring exactly once on each occasion. ■■Only against Bristol City (8), Rotherham (7) and Millwall (5) has the English winger scored more league goals.