Charlton v Watford

FT 90 +7
HT 1-1

Watford secured successive league wins for the first time under Gianfranco Zola, despite Fernando Forestieri's controversial first-half sending off.

Tommie Hoban put the Hornets in front midway through the opening period, only for Ricardo Fuller to equalise for Charlton 10 minutes before half-time.

Watford suffered a further setback when Forestieri was shown a second yellow card for diving.

But they snatched the points thanks to Almen Abdi's 70th-minute free-kick.

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It was the dismissal of Forestieri that was the main talking point at the final whistle, however.

The on-loan Italian midfielder picked up his first booking early in the match and was handed his marching orders in stoppage time at the end of the first half as referee Mike Dean adjudged him to have taken a tumble in the box.

Forestieri had helped Watford go ahead after 29 minutes as his corner was nodded home by 18-year-old Hoban in what was only his third first-team appearance for the Hornets.

The lead lasted only six minutes, though, as Charlton struck back, Dale Stephens threading a defence-splitting pass to Fuller, who buried it in the bottom right-hand corner.

With Watford reduced to 10 men, Charlton's numerical advantage allowed them to dominate the majority of the second half, with Bradley Wright-Phillips denied by Manuel Almunia shortly after the restart.

Wright-Phillips curled over under pressure from Neuton as Charlton continued to press, before Almunia saved another effort from the striker with his feet.

Chris Powell's side may have bossed the second period but they fell behind with 20 minutes remaining when Abdi expertly curled home a 25-yard free-kick.

Troy Deeney then saw an attempt to double the Hornets' lead well saved as the game became an increasingly tense affair.

Charlton camped themselves in the Watford half as they pushed for a late leveller but could not find a way through, with Stephens coming closest from 20 yards.

Watford manager Gianfranco Zola: "I've seen the video and spoken to Fernando. He told me that he just slipped and that he didn't dive. If you watched the game we played at Huddersfield the other day, in the first half he kept slipping.

"I keep telling him off and telling him to change his boots. He is Argentinian and likes his boots without big studs and on this pitch it was slippy. He keeps doing the same mistake but I don't think he wanted to dive.

"It was a pity Mike [Dean] saw it as a dive and it was disappointing as he was playing a good match. I told him that I don't want him diving and if I find out he is diving he is not going to play, but he said he didn't dive and I have faith in my players."

Charlton manager Chris Powell: "I always knew it was going to be tough. That is just how this league is.

"It is unforgiving and tonight we have been hurt by two set plays. I think Ben Hamer only had two saves to make and we've lost the game. We've had 15 chances but only taken one so you have to try to be as clinical as you can. It is going to be a tough old season, no doubt about it.

"There will be a few ups, a few downs but you've just got to keep going."

Lineup, Bookings (8) & Substitutions (5)

Charlton Athletic

01 Hamer
05 Morrison Booked
20 Solly
28 Cort
07 Green Booked (Hulse - 79' )
08 Stephens
22 Hollands (Pritchard - 79' )
23 Wilson
10 Wright-Phillips
12 Kerkar
19 Fuller

Substitutes

27 Button
03 Evina
44 Dervite
11 Wagstaff
14 Pritchard
25 Razak
29 Hulse

Watford

01 Almunia Booked
05 Neuton Booked (Ekstrand - 75' )
06 Hall
18 Pudil Booked
27 Cassetti
31 Hoban
39 Chalobah (Doyley - 90' )
08 Hogg
22 Abdi Booked
09 Deeney (Iwelumo - 90' )
41 Forestieri Dismissed after an earlier booking

Substitutes

30 Bond
12 Doyley
40 Ekstrand
07 Yeates
16 Murray
10 Iwelumo
20 Vydra

Ref: Dean

Att: 15,585

Match Stats

Possession 49 51

Shots

16 10

On target

11 9

Corners

7 2

Fouls

11 14

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +6:34 Full time

Full Time The final whistle goes and the game is over.

90:00 +4:36

Lawrie Wilson takes the free kick.

90:00 +4:36 Substitution

Substitution Chris Iwelumo comes on in place of Troy Deeney.

90:00 +4:36

Unfair challenge on Dale Stephens by Jonathan Hogg results in a free kick.

90:00 +4:36

Lawrie Wilson restarts play with the free kick.

90:00 +4:36 Substitution

Substitution Troy Deeney goes off and Chris Iwelumo comes on.

90:00 +4:36

Dale Stephens fouled by Jonathan Hogg, the ref awards a free kick.

90:00 +3:44 Booking

Booking Manuel Almunia booked for time wasting.

90:00 +3:37

The assistant referee flags for offside against Bradley Wright-Phillips. Manuel Almunia restarts play with the free kick.

90:00 +2:31

Effort on goal by Dale Stephens from just inside the area clears the bar.

90:00 +1:31

Header on goal by Robert Hulse from inside the box goes harmlessly over the target.

90:00 +0:41 Substitution

Substitution Lloyd Doyley replaces Nathaniel Chalobah.