U21 REPORT: WATFORD 2-3 BURNLEY

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Clarets round off season with victory against Hornets at Vicarage Road

2023-05-09T12:00:00.000Z

U21 REPORT: WATFORD 2-3 BURNLEY

Clarets round off season with victory against Hornets at Vicarage Road

2023-05-09T12:00:00.000Z

Burnley’s U21 side ran out 3-2 winners at Vicarage Road against Watford in the last game of their Professional Development League campaign, coming from behind to secure all three points.

After the hosts took an early lead, the Clarets hit the front foot come the break with goals from Wiktor Gromek & Joe Bauress. And despite a Hornets leveller midway through the second half, Seb Thompson struck for the third game running to rubber stamp victory.

There were three changes to Burnley’s side from the one which beat Blackburn Rovers 3-0 in the semi-final of the Lancashire Senior Cup last Friday. Charlie Casper, Brad Grant & Gromek were the trio to come into the 11.

The bench at Vicarage Road consisted of five scholars, with Callum West & Rohan Vaughan amongst them. Hosts Watford meanwhile named Shaq Forde in their side with the forward recently returning from a loan spell at York City in the Vanarama National League which saw him net eight times.

First Half

Burnley had the first chance of the contest as captain Dan Sassi glanced over from Thompson’s free-kick delivery, but it would be the hosts who grabbed the opener on 12 minutes through striker James Collins.

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Leading a counter-attack, he combined well with Adrian Blake to curl home into the bottom corner from just inside the area.

‘Keeper Casper saved well soon after when Forde’s strike took a deflection off Jack Grieves, tipping over, before the Clarets levelled via Polish youth international Gromek.

Bauress found space on the left to pick out Gromek in the middle, and he made no mistake with a pinpoint header past Hornets shot stopper Jonathan Macaulay.

And after Thompson had sent a free-kick over the bar, Bauress himself got on the scoresheet as Burnley hit the front foot.

Young midfielder selected to represent country

The midfielder curled home from circa 15 yards out to put the seal on a wonderful passage of build-up play involving numerous intricate passes in and around the hosts’ area.

Burnley could’ve had a third before the break as Hornets captain George Abott sliced a dangerous low cross wide that Jez Davies had sent in from the left edge, though it remained just the one-goal advantage.

Second Half

Action-packed at both ends throughout, the second 45 began with two tremendous saves from Casper.

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First tipping a header from Collins over at close range, the ‘keeper then pulled out a simply marvellous stop to tip Michael Adu-Poku’s strike around the post. The Watford man had taken aim from inside the six-yard box, and it took a wicked deflection off the boot of Tom Tweedy before Casper pounced to keep it out.

Striker Collins would level things up on 67 minutes though, beating Casper on the half volley when a corner wasn’t dealt with.

Despite that setback, the Clarets went straight on the hunt to get back in front, coming inches away when Will Hugill drilled a low shot at goal which Macaulay tipped around the post.

It wouldn’t be long before the goal to win the game came though, as just three minutes later Thompson sent a rasping strike at goal from range which was too powerful for Macaulay to hold onto, and hit the back of the net at force.

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Composed in the closing stages to secure a win in the final game of their campaign, Burnley were able to use the last minutes to give minutes to the scholars on the bench.

Burnley: Casper, Healy-Byrne, Sassi ©, Turner (Otegbayo ‘87), Grant, Bauress, Hugill, Davies (West ‘80), Tweedy, Thompson (Vaughan ‘80), Gromek (Tioffo ‘87)

Unused Sub: Moss

Watford: Macaulay, Trialist (Touray ‘78), Amass, Davis (Fankwe HT), Abbott, Mullins (Delyfer HT), Forde (Adu-Poku ‘34), Coyne, Collins, Grieves, Blake

Unused Sub: Ortelli

Goals: Collins, ’12 & ‘67, Gromek, ‘22, Bauress, ’32, Thompson, ‘77