Watford 4-2 Huddersfield Town
- Published
Championship side Watford scored twice after being reduced to 10 men to secure a 4-2 win against Huddersfield.
Keith Andrews headed in a corner after Gabriel Tamas's 65th minute sending off and Almen Abdi curled in a late right-footed strike to secure the points.
Watford's Troy Deeney calmly slotted past goalkeeper Alex Smithies to open the scoring on 15 minutes, before Harry Bunn equalised after the break.
Abdi restored the lead on 54 minutes, but Murray Wallace headed an equaliser.
The win keeps Giuseppe Sannino's team second in the league, just one point behind leaders Nottingham Forest.
Deeney, who signed a four-year contract extension on Wednesday, came into the game having scored 11 goals in his last 11 appearances at Vicarage Road.
He extended that run as he opened the scoring on 15 minutes when he calmly slotted home from a pin-point Daniel Tozser pass.
Watford, who went into the match off the back of a 2-1 defeat to League One Doncaster in the League Cup, held on until half-time, but within three minutes of the restart Huddersfield were level.
Hornets goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes failed to deal with a Sean Scannell cross and Bunn swept home the rebound to make it 1-1 for a struggling Terriers team looking for their second win of the season.
If that goal raised question marks about the Hornets' defending, six minutes later the focus was on Huddersfield's backline when, after the ball had broke Watford's way following a challenge, Abdi strode through a hole in the defence to net his first of the season.
But when Wallace headed in from a corner after 63 minutes and Tamas was sent off for a second bookable offence for a foul on Bunn, Huddersfield appeared to be in control.
However, the hosts rallied and after Abdi's free-kick had been tipped behind, substitute Andrews headed home from the resulting corner.
Abdi added his second goal of the game, and the season, as Huddersfield pushed forward looking for an equaliser.
Watford manager Beppe Sannino:
"I'm very happy for the result because I saw a team made by men today, great men.
"It's the first time for me that I've seen this (amount) of commitment and effort from my lads. I saw my face on the pitch today.
"I don't think I'm in a position to ask the club about my future because the results are talking clearly.
"I work always; this is my job, I love my job, I love Watford, I love everything about Watford."
Huddersfield caretaker manager Mark Lillis:
"It's mass disappointment because we've come here, we've had a game plan.
"I thought we were magnificent against a really top team who are going to do well this season - they're up there already.
"We're disappointed with the headed goal, we've got to take more responsibility, but we'll look at that on Monday and we'll have to name names and learn from it."
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