Jimmy-Jay Morgan’s fifth goal of the season extended West Brom’s bright start with a 1-0 home win over Watford in the Championship. The 20-year-old, a £1.3million summer signing, scored in the 36th minute for his third Championship strike and first at The Hawthorns to extend Albion’s unbeaten home record to 10 matches. It was a game of two halves, with Morgan denied twice and Aune Heggebo once in the first half, while Watford missed two chances after the break. Watford are now winless away from home in their last nine trips, since February.
Intense pressing on Albion’s midfield saw Watford threaten first when Othmane Maamma forced goalkeeper Max O’Leary into a vital block with his leg. Maamma’s opportunity came when Hector Kyprianou dispossessed Ousmane Diakite and Martin Payero ran from deep before slipping in the Moroccan forward to his right. Albion responded when Morgan’s low shot was blocked by goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia after Chris Mepham’s long pass into the striker. Albion had the ball in the net in the 34th minute, but Morgan appeared to head the ball out of Ravaglia’s hands from Nolan Galves’ deflected cross and it was disallowed for a foul.
The cheers were somewhat muted but the booking for Morgan seemed harsh. But the hosts did not have long to wait to break the deadlock. Morgan tapped home Harry Whitwell’s cutback after the latter burst into the box from Isaac Price’s cross in the 36th minute. Watford, who introduced Edo Kayembe for left-back Jordan Zemura at half-time, twice threatened soon after the restart.
Spaniard Iker Bravo’s first-time shot was blocked from Luca Kjerrumgaard’s cross. Then Payero hooked over the bar from close range after Maamma headed down Edoardo Bove’s deep cross at the far post. Whitwell was showing his potential and Kayembe was booked for wrestling him to the ground as he charged down the right in the 63rd minute. Watford threatened again when Bravo could only glance weakly straight at O’Leary from Keben’s inviting centre.
But Albion missed the chance to double their lead in the 71st minute. Whitwell slid Heggebo clean through with a lovely reverse pass and the Norway striker tried to lift his shot over Ravaglia only for the keeper to smuggle it behind for a corner. Substitute Stephy Mavididi had the chance to level it but the forward blazed high over the bar after twisting inside his marker on the angle. Albion appeared to be denied a penalty at the death when substitute Felix Horn Myhre seemed to be pushed over on the ball from Keben.
In a melee seconds later, Bravo was booked after pushing substitute Jayson Molumby in the corner.
