Planet Swans ArchivesReport – Chris Wathan, Wales Online
IT was a lot less comfortable than it should have been, but an away win seven months in the waiting was Swansea City’s last night.
Not since a 1-0 win at the same venue back in March had the Swans enjoyed the pleasure of three points on the road.
Coming back to the ground he used to call his own, Brendan Rodgers was finally able to bring back a victory with him over the Severn Bridge.
Rodgers is not a well-liked fellow in these parts for walking out on Watford for Reading last summer.
But, although he was able to silence the boo-boys, that was not the reason for his smile at the final whistle.
Revenge was not on the Ulsterman’s mind. Instead getting that first result away from the Liberty was key, Scott Sinclair and Stephen Dobbie bringing the penetration he admitted was missing from Saturday’s show at Nottingham Forest before sub Frank Nouble added a third.
It had all looked so simple; talk of curses, jinxes and hoodoos made to look daft as Swansea stormed to a three-goal lead with more than 20 minutes to go.
But whether it was jitters, Watford pressure, or a mixture of both, goals from Troy Deeney and Martin Taylor got all at Vicarage Road wondering if there really was a black mark against Swansea’s name away from the Liberty.
Nevertheless, the initial hard work and attacking ambition had been enough to ensure those oh-so-missed away-day celebrations, however nervy it got in the dying stages.
That’s what will have tasted sweetest for Rodgers, regardless of who it came against as the jeers greeted both his arrival and departure from the touchline by the Hornets fans.
Furthermore, heading back to fortress Liberty to protect a 100% record against Derby on Saturday, Swansea are currently just two points off the second spot currently occupied by a certain Cardiff City.
Of course, hopes of coming anywhere near of competing for such a lofty position in the long term will rely on improving this away record.
That was the aim here, with former Chelsea starlet Sinclair recalled after resting a hamstring problem and he certainly impressed
The 21-year-old had already been involved in Swansea’s enthusiastic start even before the he was off celebrating the 11th-minute opener.
It was his enterprise down the left and cross-field ball to find Nathan Dyer that provided the game’s first chance, the centre to Dobbie tempting the Scot to switch feet rather than shoot which allowed John Eustace to make a saving slide tackle.
But there was no last-ditch denial of Sinclair when he stormed through on goal three minutes later, Dobbie’s dinked ball atoning for his earlier hesitance and setting the winger free.
There was good fortune as the bounce of the ball took Sinclair away from the two yellow shirts surrounding him, and his touch before bearing down on goal wasn’t the greatest.
But the finish was faultless, leaving Loach well beaten and the travelling Swans support ecstatic.
Still, given Swansea’s rocky on-the-road record, it was imperative the early advantage wasn’t sniffed at as Watford looked for an immediate response.
And Dorus de Vries, in the first of a series of important saves during the contest, did well to make sure Will Buckley’s searching cross did not find its far-post target on 12 minutes.
Rodgers was equally aware of the need to be stronger away from home, hence why Ashley Williams had been pushed up the field to add muscle to a midfield too easily bullied and bustled off the ball at Forest at the weekend.
In Williams’ absence, Albert Serran was asked to deputise, but offered none of the Wales international’s confidence and calming ability under pressure.
However, with Joe Allen and Mark Gower doing their bit to win the midfield battle ground, Watford could not do much to bring that weakness under any real scrutiny.
And, when the two got on the ball, there was much more optimism about Swansea’s play than there had been at the City Ground, Dobbie offering himself well as the link man in attack.
Indeed, 30 minutes in and talk of away curses were made to look very daft indeed. Allen again starting the ball rolling with a crisp and cutting pass to find the feet of Dobbie, the former Ranger effortlessly turning his marker and then smashing it past Loach off the underside of the bar.
But, again, the Hornets looked to hit back and Tate needed to clear his goal-line when Adrian Mariappa beat Williams to Don Cowie’s corner, Mariappa threatening again moments later and de Vries needing to be brave to punch clear before getting inevitably clattered.
Then the impressive Jordan Mutch closed down a Tate clearance, the ball spinning towards the dangerous Danny Graham and Tate needing to throw himself at Marvin Sordell’s resulting shot.
But Swansea were standing firm and when de Vries saved with his legs when Graham shot from the edge of the box, they had earned the right to take their lead into the break.
Still, it should have been a three-goal lead rather than a two when Gower spotted Sinclair’s run from deep and set the pace ace off again – only for a heavy touch and a tad too much honesty from the youngster as Loach challenged to see the chance go.
Not that Rodgers would have been complaining as that first away win loomed large and Swansea looking as steeled as they were stylish, interchanging the two qualities when necessary.
And then there was the speed thanks to Sinclair, a 60-yard dash turning defence into attack and needing Andrew Taylor to block and stop Dobbie benefitting from the run.
On 63 minutes, though, Sinclair blotted his copybook when he was again played in by Gower and rolled the ball past Loach – and inches wide of the upright.
It was to matter little at the time. Dyer proved he was a threat of his own as he ghosted past Martin Taylor and took aim, with sub Nouble making good use of his first touch to provide a 69th-minute third.
It was job done. Or at least should have been.
With 14 minutes remaining a bouncing ball was not dealt with on the edge of the area and sub Troy Deeney flicked it over the helpless de Vries.
Then, as Swansea threw bodies behind the ball and in the way of Watford attacks, a second came to set up a nervous finish when Lloyd Doyley’s cross was headed home by Martin Taylor.
Somewhere five minutes of injury time was found, but Swansea looked to have done enough to celebrate. But hearts had to be removed from mouths before that could happen, a goalmouth scramble with 15 seconds to go ending up in the net – but ruled out for offside.
No matter, the away-day curse is over.
