Watford 1-2 Burnley: Two late goals lift Clarets five points clear of relegation zone

Watford 1-2 Burnley: Jackson 'delighted' with Burnley fightback

Burnley scored twice in the final seven minutes to complete a dramatic comeback that pulled them five points clear of the Premier League relegation zone and left hosts Watford on the brink of the drop.

Jack Cork's diving header from Charlie Taylor's left-wing cross cancelled out James Tarkowski's early own goal, before Josh Brownhill found the bottom corner from the edge of the box to spark jubilant scenes among the travelling fans and in the away dugout at Vicarage Road.

Watford had taken a deserved early lead when Juraj Kucka's fierce effort struck the crossbar before rebounding off the unfortunate Tarkowski and into the unguarded net.

The Hornets carried the greater threat in the first half, Kiko Femenia striking the near post from an inswinging corner and Joao Pedro blazing over the crossbar after escaping the Clarets defence.

Aaron Lennon and Ashley Barnes forced fine saves out of Ben Foster in the second half, but there was little the veteran goalkeeper could do about either of the visitors' late goals, which came in the space of three minutes and stretched Mike Jackson's unbeaten start as Clarets caretaker manager to four matches.

The Hornets' 11th consecutive home defeat leaves them 12 points adrift of Burnley and Leeds with only four games remaining.

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Late fightback continues Clarets' resurgence

Watford 1-2 Burnley: Watford struggled with "massive fear factor" - Ray Lewington

Before Saturday, the only side in the top four tiers of English football to have lost more than 10 consecutive home league games were Rochdale, who suffered 14 straight defeats in Division Three North between 1931 and 1932.

It was all going so well for Watford, who were full of energy in the early stages and could have added to Tarkowski's own goal.

Burnley's captain had to fling himself in the way of another Kucka strike minutes after putting into his own net, before the returning Pedro blazed over.

The visitors thought they had won a penalty when Dwight McNeil's heels were clipped by Moussa Sissoko. However, the Frenchman's challenge was deemed to be outside the box and McNeil struck the subsequent free-kick straight into the Hornets wall.

Emmanuel Dennis forced Nick Pope into a smart save at his near post following yet another Tarkowski deflection, as Watford continued to threaten.

Burnley improved after the interval, though, and a lapse in concentration early in the second half from Ismaila Sarr almost gifted Lennon an equaliser, but Foster produced a fine save low to his left to snuff out the danger.

The home side had opportunities to add to their lead on the counter-attack, but a combination of poor passing and wasteful finishing set up a nervous finish as Burnley slowly turned the screw.

Foster managed to tip Barnes' powerful header on to the crossbar, but the warning went unheeded as Cork's header restored parity with seven minutes remaining.

Brownhill completed the turnaround three minutes later, guiding a right-footed strike into the bottom corner after Watford had failed to properly clear McNeil's free-kick.

This is the first time Burnley have won three Premier League games in a row since 2019, while Jackson also becomes the first manager to stay unbeaten in his first four top-flight matches in charge of the Clarets.

The last manager not to lose any of their first four league games with the club was Owen Coyle in 2007.

Player of the match

LowtonMatthew Lowton

with an average of 8.17

• WatfordWatfordWatford
• BurnleyBurnleyBurnley

Watford

Avg

1. Squad number1Player nameFoster

   Average rating

   6.38
2. Squad number25Player nameDennis

   Average rating

   5.42
3. Squad number10Player nameJoão Pedro

   Average rating

   5.17
4. Squad number19Player nameSissoko

   Average rating

   5.10
5. Squad number21Player nameKiko Femenía

   Average rating

   5.05
6. Squad number33Player nameKucka

   Average rating

   5.03
7. Squad number6Player nameLouza

   Average rating

   5.01
8. Squad number27Player nameKabasele

   Average rating

   4.96
9. Squad number23Player nameSarr

   Average rating

   4.95
10. Squad number22Player nameSamir

    Average rating

    4.93
11. Squad number14Player nameKamara

    Average rating

    4.93

Burnley

Avg

1. Squad number2Player nameLowton

   Average rating

   8.17
2. Squad number16Player nameStephens

   Average rating

   8.16
3. Squad number10Player nameBarnes

   Average rating

   7.98
4. Squad number1Player namePope

   Average rating

   7.68
5. Squad number8Player nameBrownhill

   Average rating

   7.67
6. Squad number4Player nameCork

   Average rating

   7.66
7. Squad number11Player nameMcNeil

   Average rating

   7.50
8. Squad number22Player nameCollins

   Average rating

   7.49
9. Squad number3Player nameTaylor

   Average rating

   7.47
10. Squad number9Player nameWeghorst

    Average rating

    7.44
11. Squad number17Player nameLennon

    Average rating

    7.44
12. Squad number14Player nameRoberts

    Average rating

    7.44
13. Squad number27Player nameVydra

    Average rating

    7.44
14. Squad number5Player nameTarkowski

    Average rating

    6.47

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Watford

Formation 4-3-3

1Foster

21Femenía27Kabasele22Samir14Kamara

19Sissoko6Louza33Kucka

23Sarr10João Pedro25Dennis

• 1Foster
• 21Femenía
• 27Kabasele
• 22Samir
• 14Kamara
• 19Sissoko
• 6Louza
• 33KuckaBooked at 87mins
• 23Sarr
• 10João Pedro
• 25Dennis

Substitutes

• 2Ngakia
• 5Troost-Ekong
• 7King
• 11Masina
• 12Sema
• 16Gosling
• 26Bachmann
• 28Kalu
• 39Kayembe

Burnley

Formation 4-4-2

1Pope

14Roberts22Collins5Tarkowski3Taylor

11McNeil4Cork8Brownhill17Lennon

27Vydra9Weghorst

• 1Pope
• 14Roberts
• 22CollinsBooked at 90mins
• 5TarkowskiBooked at 48mins
• 3Taylor
• 11McNeil
• 4Cork
• 8Brownhill
• 17LennonSubstituted forLowtonat 89'minutes
• 27VydraSubstituted forStephensat 90+2'minutes
• 9WeghorstSubstituted forBarnesat 60'minutes

Substitutes

• 2Lowton
• 10Barnes
• 13Hennessey
• 16Stephens
• 25Norris
• 26Bardsley
• 28Long
• 37Thomas
• 44Costelloe

Referee:

Craig Pawson

Attendance:

20,738

Match Stats

Home TeamWatfordAway TeamBurnley

Possession

Home46%

Away54%

Shots

Home13

Away17

Shots on Target

Home1

Away6

Corners

Home5

Away6

Fouls

Home13

Away9

Live Text

1. Post update

   Match ends, Watford 1, Burnley 2.

2. 90'+4'

   Full Time

   Second Half ends, Watford 1, Burnley 2.

3. 90'+3'

   Post update

   Attempt missed. Imrân Louza (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by João Pedro with a cross.

4. 90'+2'

   Substitution

   Substitution, Burnley. Dale Stephens replaces Matej Vydra.

5. 90'+2'

   Booking

   Nathan Collins (Burnley) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

6. 90'+1'

   Post update

   Foul by Nathan Collins (Burnley).

7. 90'+1'

   Post update

   Moussa Sissoko (Watford) wins a free kick on the left wing.

8. 90'

   Post update

   Attempt missed. Ashley Barnes (Burnley) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

9. 89'

   Substitution

   Substitution, Burnley. Matthew Lowton replaces Aaron Lennon.

10. 88'

    Post update

    Attempt missed. Juraj Kucka (Watford) left footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Ismaïla Sarr with a cross.

11. 88'

    Post update

    Attempt saved. Matej Vydra (Burnley) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

12. 87'

    Booking

    Juraj Kucka (Watford) is shown the yellow card.

13. 86'

    Goal!

    Goal! Watford 1, Burnley 2. Josh Brownhill (Burnley) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Matej Vydra following a set piece situation.

14. 85'

    Post update

    Ashley Barnes (Burnley) wins a free kick on the left wing.

15. 85'

    Post update

    Foul by Imrân Louza (Watford).

16. 83'

    Goal!

    Goal! Watford 1, Burnley 1. Jack Cork (Burnley) header from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Charlie Taylor with a cross.

17. 81'

    Post update

    Attempt missed. Juraj Kucka (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.

18. 77'

    Post update

    Aaron Lennon (Burnley) wins a free kick on the right wing.

19. 77'

    Post update

    Foul by Juraj Kucka (Watford).

20. 76'

    Post update

    Attempt blocked. Josh Brownhill (Burnley) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.

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