MATCH REPORT: WATFORD 1

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MATCH REPORT: WATFORD 1 - 2 BURNLEY

Flemming and Brownhill headers give Clarets all three points at Vicarage Road

2025-04-18T17:49:14.029Z

MATCH REPORT: WATFORD 1 - 2 BURNLEY

Flemming and Brownhill headers give Clarets all three points at Vicarage Road

2025-04-18T17:49:14.029Z

GALLERY: WATFORD V BURNLEY - Gallery Photo 25

Burnley continued their outstanding run of form on Good Friday, after coming from behind in emphatic fashion to defeat Watford 2-1 at Vicarage Road.

Zian Flemming’s header and Josh Brownhill’s winning goal after Mamadou Doumbia’s opener saw the Clarets claim all three points and extend their Sky Bet Championship unbeaten run to 30 consecutive matches.

Doumbia gave the Hornets an early lead through his header, before the Clarets hit back through Flemming’s 10th league goal of the season just before half-time.

The visitors then took the lead just before the hour mark, as Brownhill headed in from close range in front of the travelling Burnley supporters behind the goal to seal the win.

Head Coach Scott Parker named an unchanged XI from the side that beat Norwich City last weekend.

GALLERY: WATFORD V BURNLEY - Gallery Photo 14

After a quiet opening few minutes, Watford snatched an early lead, as Doumbia headed home into the bottom corner from a cross into the area.

The Clarets did create an opportunity to respond shortly after conceding, but Flemming could only strike over the target from a swift counter-attack.

Parker’s men had another chance with 15 minutes played, but Flemming’s effort was denied by Egil Selvik, before Josh Cullen saw his follow-up shot denied by the legs of Mattie Pollock.

The Hornets then came close to a second goal of the afternoon midway through the first-half, but Edo Kayembe could only guide his header over the crossbar from close range.

The game was really opening up, as a dangerous Marcus Edwards cross into the area was then crucially intercepted by Pollock, with Brownhill and Flemming lurking inside the box.

GALLERY: WATFORD V BURNLEY - Gallery Photo 18

Burnley were the ones on the front foot and pushing to grab an equaliser before the break, with Edwards cutting in from the right and seeing his fizzing effort caught by the hands of Selvik.

However, the Clarets did then pull the scores level through a fine team goal, after James Trafford had just excellently tipped a goal-bound strike onto the crossbar to keep the score at just 1-0.

CJ Egan-Riley played an exquisite long ball up-field to the feet of Jaidon Anthony out on the right, with the winger cutting inside and crossing straight into the area to the head of Flemming to crash home the equaliser.

That goal sparked up the visitors, as Parker’s side did then nearly take the lead a couple of minutes later, but Anthony’s stinging effort was denied well by the hands of Selvik.

A lively first-half saw the two sides head into the break level and with it all to play for in the second 45.

GALLERY: WATFORD V BURNLEY - Gallery Photo 21

Burnley came out on the front foot and pushing for a second and that’s exactly what they got just before the hour mark.

Edwards slipped in Connor Roberts overlapping him down the right, with the right-back crossing from the byline into the area for Brownhill to head home at the back-post to put the away side ahead.

Watford’s afternoon then got a whole lot tougher a minute after that goal, as Tom Cleverley’s side were reduced to nine men within the space of nine minutes, after Moussa Sissoko and Kayembe were both shown two yellow cards each.

With just under 20 minutes left to play, Parker turned to his bench and made a first change of the afternoon with Josh Laurent replacing Edwards.

There was a late chance for Brownhill to smash home his second and Burnley’s third in the 84th minute, but Selvik was equal to it and that proved to be the final opportunity of the game.

Burnley's attention now turns towards Monday's clash with Sheffield United at Turf Moor.

Burnley: Trafford, Esteve, Egan-Riley, Pires, Roberts, Cullen, Brownhill (Sarmiento 90+7), Hannibal, Edwards (Laurent 72), Anthony, Flemming (Barnes 88)

Unused substitutes: Hladky, Sonne, Worrall, Koleosho, Banel

Watford: Selvik, Ngakia (Ince 75), Louza (Sierralta 84), Vata (Bayo 75), Dwomoh, Sissoko, Doumbia (Andrews 75), Abankwah (Dele-Bashiru 84), Wiley, Kayembe

Unused substitutes: Marriott, Morris, Ramirez-Espain, Sanghrajka

Goals: Doumbia 7’, Flemming 43’, Brownhill 58’