Five Of The Best: The Hornets And The Millers

Watford host Rotherham United this Saturday (November 11, 3pm KO) as the Hornets look to add to their points tally heading into the upcoming international break.

Ahead of another important Sky Bet Championship contest, we take a look back at five of the best matches between the Hornets and the Millers over the years, as the current crop of Golden Boys look to reproduce similar successes.

The visitors travelled to Vicarage Road managed by former Watford player Jimmy McAnearney on a matchday where the weather put the game in jeopardy.

An appeal from the club had led to supporters turning up to clear the pitch and terraces from snow. The fans were rewarded with a convincing 5-1 victory, with Walter Lees coming off the bench to score his first two goals for the club.

Watford earned a hard-fought three points during Gianluca Vialli’s second game in charge, picking up their first win of the season.

The Hornets were awarded a penalty in the first minute of the match after the referee spotted shirt pulling in the box, but it was a decision that bemused many spectators. Nonetheless, Tommy Smith stepped up and had his spot-kick saved by the Rotherham goalkeeper, but the ball came bouncing back to the forward to tap in the rebound.

The away side then equalised before Allan Nielsen put the Golden Boys back ahead on the stroke of half-time. Smith then earnt a two-goal lead with a hooked finish into the net to finish off a fluent move. Despite the Millers notching one back only six minutes later, it wasn’t enough to stop Watford from securing victory.

Watford cruised past a struggling Millers side as they moved within six points of the league leaders, Derby County, after a convincing 3-0 victory at Vicarage Road.

Odion Ighalo continued an impressive run of scoring form, bagging two goals which took his total for the season up to 17, whilst scoring 14 in his last 11 appearances for the club. The Nigerian’s first goal exhibited impressive composure as he rounded the keeper with his classic scoop turn to tap into an empty net.

Club captain Troy Deeney also got on the scoresheet after Joel Ekstrand played the ball across the box for the skipper to tap in.

A quick-fire double in the first 15 minutes of the game helped Watford up to third in the table after 17 games played, just one point away from Norwich City and Bournemouth in the automatic promotion spots.

Current Hornet Christian Kabasele scored the first within the opening four minutes of the game, after a Ken Sema corner was flicked on by Deeney for the Belgian to volley home from six yards.

The second came just 10 minutes later when a Kiko Femenía cross found its way through to the back post for skipper Deeney to tap into an empty net.

A big victory in a must-win game for the Hornets during their promotion charge saw them up to second in the Championship table, closing the gap and putting pressure on Norwich City at the top.

The first goal came in the ninth minute when a Philip Zinckernagel cross was converted by Francisco Sierralta - the Chilean’s first goal in yellow. Only 15 minutes later, another teasing ball by the Dane into the box was parried away and diverted towards Ismaïla Sarr, who volleyed well on his left foot into the roof of the net to double to Hornets' lead.

The Golden Boys weren’t done there when another Zinckernagel cross reached the edge of the box to Sema, who teed it up and smashed it into the bottom right corner. A penalty was awarded to the hosts on the hour mark, but Daniel Bachmann guessed correctly and got down well to his right to maintain the three-goal advantage.

Rotherham did get one back with a long-range strike before Watford went straight down the other end and Dan Gosling fired home to complete a comfortable victory.