ROB-BED AGAIN
Edwards rues inconsistency as Cats hit back
ROB EDWARDS is bracing himself for a big two weeks as he looks to address his inconsistent Watford start.
The Hornets are never shy in axing managers and their current streak of one victory in eight matches is bound to cause alarm amongst the hierarchy.
Watford were amongst the favourites for an immediate Premier League return but will go into the international break outside the top six, after Jewison Bennette denied them a crucial win.
Edwards said: “There’s always pressure at this football club but I won’t shy away from that.
“If you look at consistency of performances there are lots of good signs. We’ve seen that but not for 90 minutes.
“We will have a rest and then need to work hard. We have an opportunity to build something here and I aim to make that happen.
“I’d say we’ve been inconsistent overall and we saw that again. There is lots of potential. We have to see it now for the entirety.”
After a slow start this game came to life on 35 minutes.
Yaser Asprilla’s incredible pass found Hassane Kamara who crossed for Keinan Davis to score his first Hornets goal.
But Sunderland were level in first-half stoppage time in bizarre fashion.
Aji Alese netted his first goal for the club thanks to the aid of goal-line technology.
His scrambled shot was cleared off the line by Hamza Choudhury but ref John Busby’s watch beeped, with replays suggesting it was marginally over.
Watford started the second-half brightly but were lucky to take the lead on 63 minutes as Luke O’Nien, an ex-Hornets trainee, inexplicably headed into his own net after William Troost-Ekong had nodded on Joao Pedro’s free-kick.
But the hosts, without the injured Ismaila Sarr, faltered after that.
And after Jack Clarke had seen a goal disallowed for offside it was left to Costa Rica star Bennette, 18, to score his first goal in English football with a neat finish from Patrick Roberts’ classy 87th-minute cross.
Wearsiders boss Tony Mowbray, in his fourth game in charge, said: “Bennette is off to prepare for Costa Rica and the World Cup. He hardly speaks a word of English but comes in with a smile on his face.
“I think he is going to surprise a lot of people this season. He is one hell of a story. I want some of these lads to learn to speak English better.”
WATFORD: Bachmann 6; Cathcart 7 (Kabasele (84) 5), TroostEkong 7, Hause 6, Kamara 7 (Bayo (74) 6); Pedro 7, Kayembe 6, Choudhury 6, Sema 7; Asprilla 8, Davis 7 (Gosling (81) 5)
SUNDERLAND: Patterson 6; O’Nien 5, Batth 6, Alese 7; Gooch 6; Neil 6 (Dajaku (73) 6), Evans 6 (Matete (79) 6), Clarke 7 (Bennette (73) 7), Roberts 7; Pritchard 6 (Ba (79) 6); Embleton 6 (Diallo (63) 6)
STAR MAN: Yaser Asprilla – Sensational pass to set up Watford’s first.
REF: John Busby 7