Match ends, Watford 4, Millwall 0.
Watford 4-0 Millwall
- From the section Football
Watford ended a run of 10 league games without a win by beating Millwall in new Hornets manager Beppe Sannino's first home game in charge of the club.
The hosts went ahead when Millwall defender Danny Shittu was sent off for a foul on Troy Deeney, who picked himself up to score the penalty.
A Fernando Forestieri strike and an Ikechi Anya effort put Watford 3-0 up.
A Steve Morison handball allowed Lewis McGugan to then add a fourth with a penalty to round off a comfortable win.
Sannino recently replaced Gianfranco Zola, who resigned as Watford boss, and the win on his Vicarage Road bow will have come as a relief for his side after a run of five successive home defeats.
Watford's poor form had also seen them not score in their previous four home outings but that barren spell ended after 10 minutes, when Deeney scored his 11th goal of the season after converting a spot-kick following Shittu's challenge.
The Hornets made the most of their numerical advantage, soon doubling their lead when Sean Murray found Anya, who played in a first-time cross which Forestieri stabbed in.
Just after the break, Anya turned goalscorer in impressive style when he cut in from the left and sent a powerful strike into the top corner.
The game was more of a damage limitation exercise for Millwall, who only avoided conceding a fifth when Forestieri's strike hit the post.
Watford head coach Beppe Sannino:
"I'm very happy for my players, for the supporters, a thought goes to [former manager] Gianfranco Zola as well and we wait for the next game which, for sure, will be a tougher game [against QPR].
"We had the chance to play 11 versus 10. Normally with this type of game, if you don't play with your head you can have trouble.
"My players were fantastic because they were waiting for the right moment to go deep and to score. I would like to enjoy this moment but also to forget very quickly this win because soon we have to play again."
Line-ups
Watford
- 1Almunia
- 27Cassetti
- 21AnyaSubstituted forBellerínat 85'minutes
- 6EkstrandBooked at 70mins
- 4Angella
- 12Doyley
- 29ThorneSubstituted forSantos Da Silvaat 69'minutes
- 16Murray
- 9Deeney
- 11ForestieriBooked at 45mins
- 10McGuganSubstituted forBattocchioat 77'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Bellerín
- 7Battocchio
- 20Fabbrini
- 23Santos Da Silva
- 28Smith
- 30Bond
- 33Nosworthy
Millwall
- 1Forde
- 25Hoyte
- 12LowryBooked at 79mins
- 26Abdou
- 3ShittuBooked at 9mins
- 16Beevers
- 17MoussiSubstituted forRobinsonat 13'minutes
- 6TrotterSubstituted forSmithat 61'minutes
- 9Morison
- 8EasterSubstituted forChaplowat 55'minutesBooked at 65mins
- 11Woolford
Substitutes
- 2Dunne
- 5Robinson
- 18Chaplow
- 21Smith
- 27McDonald
- 28Malone
- 43Bywater
- Referee:
- Andy D'Urso
- Attendance:
- 15,471
Match Stats
Home TeamWatfordAway TeamMillwall
- Possession
- Home66%
- Away34%
- Shots
- Home19
- Away4
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away2
- Corners
- Home2
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away8
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Watford 4, Millwall 0.
Foul by Lloyd Doyley (Watford).
Richard Chaplow (Millwall) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt saved. Fernando Forestieri (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Marco Cassetti.
Corner, Millwall. Conceded by Lloyd Doyley.
Corner, Millwall. Conceded by Joel Ekstrand.
Corner, Millwall. Conceded by Manuel Almunia.
Attempt saved. Justin Hoyte (Millwall) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Steve Morison with a headed pass.
Offside, Watford. Marco Cassetti tries a through ball, but Cristian Battocchio is caught offside.
Offside, Millwall. Steve Morison tries a through ball, but Justin Hoyte is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Watford. Héctor Bellerín replaces Ikechi Anya.
Attempt missed. Fernando Forestieri (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Iriney.
Attempt blocked. Iriney (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Corner, Millwall. Conceded by Manuel Almunia.
Attempt blocked. Nadjim Abdou (Millwall) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Steve Morison.
Offside, Watford. Marco Cassetti tries a through ball, but Troy Deeney is caught offside.
Booking
Shane Lowry (Millwall) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Marco Cassetti (Watford) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Shane Lowry (Millwall).
Substitution
Substitution, Watford. Cristian Battocchio replaces Lewis McGugan.
Foul by Joel Ekstrand (Watford).
Steve Morison (Millwall) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Lewis McGugan (Watford) hits the bar with a right footed shot from the left side of the box. Assisted by Sean Murray.
Foul by Iriney (Watford).
Paul Robinson (Millwall) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Offside, Watford. Sean Murray tries a through ball, but Fernando Forestieri is caught offside.
Booking
Joel Ekstrand (Watford) is shown the yellow card for hand ball.
Hand ball by Joel Ekstrand (Watford).
Substitution
Substitution, Watford. Iriney replaces George Thorne.
Attempt saved. Fernando Forestieri (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Booking
Richard Chaplow (Millwall) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Ikechi Anya (Watford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Richard Chaplow (Millwall).
Attempt blocked. Lewis McGugan (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Fernando Forestieri (Watford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Mark Beevers (Millwall).
Attempt blocked. Lewis McGugan (Watford) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Troy Deeney with a headed pass.
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Nadjim Abdou.
Offside, Millwall. Justin Hoyte tries a through ball, but Steve Morison is caught offside.