West Brom 0 Watford 1 - Report and pictures
Saido Berahino had two penalties saved by Heurelho Gomes today as West Brom lost a league game against Watford for the first time in more than 20 years.
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Ben Watson turned in a corner at the near post just before the half-hour mark to give the Hornets a first-half lead.
Even though the Baggies had plenty of chances to score against a poor Watford side, they were inexcusably wasteful in front of goal, and failed to hit the target more often than not.
Their carelessness was epitomised by Berahino's dreadful penalty in the 67th minute which goalkeeper Gomes - who gave away the spot kick by cleaning out the Albion striker - saved easily.
But Berahino was given another chance to score five minutes from time when Stephane Sessegnon fell to the floor under the slightest of touches from Etienne Capoue.
This time he put the penalty the opposite way and further into the corner, but Gomes once again guessed correctly and tipped it around the post.
The victory ended Watford's six-match winless streak in the league and lifted Quique Sanchez Flores's team above Albion in the table.
But it was a frustrating day for the Baggies, who have now picked up just one point in their last four games as their infuriating struggles against teams in the bottom half continue.
West Bromwich Albion (4-4-2): Foster, Dawson, Evans, McAuley, Chester (McManaman 68), Sessegnon, Yacob (Gardner 75), Fletcher (c), McClean, Berahino, Rondon (Anichebe 68).
Unused subs: Myhill (gk), Olsson, Sandro, Leko.
Watford (4-4-2): Gomes (gk), Nyom, Britos, Prödl, Ake, Guedioura (Suarez 65), Capoue, Watson, Jurado (Behrami 90), Deeney (c), Ighalo.
Unused subs: Pantilimon (gk), Paredes, Anya, Berghuis, Amrabat.[/breakout]
Tony Pulis made just one change from the encouraging performance away at Manchester City, reinstating Claudio Yacob in midfield in place of Sandro.
Salomon Rondon was passed fit after last weekend's minor back strain forced him off at the Etihad Stadium.
Flores promised to mix things up ahead of Watford's looming FA Cup semi-final and the Spaniard made four changes to his side.
He brought Allan Nyom, Sebastien Prödl, and Nathan Ake into defence and Adlene Guedioura into midfield.
After a lethargic start befitting two teams without much left to play for, the Baggies stepped up their pressure on the Watford box 10 minutes in.
Rondon wanted a penalty when Guedioura slipped on the ball but it was a half-hearted appeal for handball and referee Michael Oliver said no.
Craig Dawson was trying to make use of the space on the right wing, as Sessegnon drifted inside..
The full-back fizzed in a dangerous low cross minutes later, before Rondon had the first shot of the game, curling an effort high over the bar.
Guedioura then dragged Watford's first shot a foot wide of goalkeeper Ben Foster's post, but it was a rare foray up the pitch for the visitors.
Gomes wasn't really tested until the 24th minute when Sessegnon whipped a free-kick towards the near post,which the Watford goalkeeper managed to beat away with Dawson lurking.
When Watson turned in Guedioura's corner at the near post just before the half-hour mark, it was a goal very much against the run of play.
The former Baggies loanee made a simple near post run which caught the Albion defence napping, before helping the ball on with his right foot as Foster could only watch it bounce in off the back post.
Albion came straight back at the Hornets though and, a few minutes later, McClean danced through two challenges on the edge of the box before scuffing a shot wide.
Rondon was then brought down by Miguel Britos when he looked to be through on goal, but Oliver only showed the Watford centre-back a yellow card because Sebastian Prodl was covering.
The Baggies were well on top by this point, moving the ball around well and running at Watford but, like all season, they were far too wasteful in front of goal.
Berahino was the next player in blue and white to fluff his lines.
Sessegnon found him on the penalty spot, after Jose Manuel Jurado had inexplicably given away the ball in his own penalty area.
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Although he had his back to goal, it was a chance Berahino would expect to gobble up but he sliced his shot on the turn well over.
There was still time before the break for Sessegnon to graze the far post with a low drilled effort.
Five minutes after half-time, McClean burst into the penalty area but his right-footed shot found the side netting. The Baggies needed to start hitting the target.
Gareth McAuley - fresh from signing a new 12-month deal at the club - did just that with a header two minutes later, but Gomes tipped his effort over the bar.
The Northern Irish defender nearly gifted Watford a goal not long after, passing the ball directly to Nyom who fed Troy Deeney in the box.
Fortunately for McAuley, Foster was equal to the Watford captain's shot, tipping it around the post.
The chance galvanised the Hornets, who enjoyed their first brief spell of pressure after that.
But the game was starting to open up and Albion came right back at their visitors.
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In the 67th minute, they were given a golden chance to get back into the game when Gomes cleaned out Berahino in the box after Sessegnon had slipped the striker through.
It was a stonewall penalty, but Berahino's spot kick was an awfully tame effort nowhere near the corner which the goalkeeper easily saved.
Desperate to find some way of hitting the back of the net, Pulis then brought both Callum McManaman and Victor Anichebe on for James Chester and Salomon Rondon respectively.
Craig Gardner then came on for Claudio Yacob, as the Baggies spent the majority of the remaining minutes inside Watford's half.
They failed to carve out another golden chance until Sessegnon's dramatic fall inside the box five minutes from time when Capoue put his arm on the winger's shoulder.
Berahino stepped up again to take the penalty and this time he went right instead of left.
Even though it was much closer to the corner, Gomes guessed the correct way again and tipped the spot kick around the post.
