Woking 0-2 Watford in FA Cup third round

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FA Cup: Woking 0-2 Watford highlights

Watford reached the fourth round of the FA Cup with a routine victory at National League side Woking.

Will Hughes was unmarked when he swept the ball into the bottom corner after 13 minutes at the Laithwaite Community Stadium.

Tom Cleverley hit the crossbar for the dominant Premier League side in a first half brimming with chances.

Troy Deeney slotted in Ken Sema's cross from two yards out - three minutes after coming on as a substitute.

Although Woking - the lowest-ranked team left in the competition - were resilient in defence, they failed to create any clear chances and Watford never looked like conceding.

Strange formations and toilet cubicles

A capacity crowd of 5,717 saw Woking host a team 110 places above them in the leagues.

They saw Woking's attacking players bizarrely line up on one side of the pitch when they kicked off, while during the game the ball had to be collected from a men's toilet cubicle.

Watford manager Javi Gracia spent time with the Woking mascots before the match and Deeney laughed with home supporters during a break in play following his second-half goal.

Watford dealt with the occasion well and put in a professional display to reach round four for the fourth year in a row.

Debutant Adalberto Penaranda was bright - he came close with a curling effort in the first half - while Isaac Success and Hughes caused problems for Woking's resilient defence.

'I like the attitude of my players' - what they said

Woking manager Alan Dowson: "I am proud of the team, the fans and the volunteers. They gave it a go. I think they (Watford) are a great football club. We needed to have confidence in ourselves but it was always going to be a big ask.

"I am very proud of the players. We have had a good start to the season and we are still up there (in the league) and fighting.

"Watford were great. Their manager was great and the way their players acted was fantastic, so we're really thankful for that."

Watford manager Javi Gracia: "We are happy with the performance and the result. We came expecting a lot of this team.

"We played with the same respect until the end. I like the attitude of my players. They showed they are available for the next games.

"Now is the next final - the next game [in the fourth round]. If we lose we don't play more games. If it is possible we will play five more finals and win the cup!"

The best of the stats

  • Watford midfielder Will Hughes scored his first goal in the FA Cup since January 2015 for Derby County against Chesterfield; he has now been involved in a goal in each of his last three appearances in the competition (two goals, one assist).

  • Troy Deeney has scored three goals in his last two matches for Watford in all competitions, as many as his previous 26 combined prior to this.

Image source, Getty Images
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Football commentator and Woking assistant manager Martin Tyler (left) was in the dugout

Image source, Radio 5 live
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This notice was spotted on the door of the Woking changing rooms

Image source, Getty Images
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In an entertaining game, the assistant referee fell over the advertising hoardings and was cheered by fans when he stood up giggling

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