Moore Pain for Hornets

By Longsider
August 30 2004

Press reports covering our victory at Vicarage Road yesterday. We have 3 reports for you and they come from the Sunday Mirror, Sunday People and the Sporting Life.

STEVE'S BURNLEY BOYS HAVE MOORE

Sunday Mirror

IAN MOORE'S winner put the seal on a commanding display by Steve Cotterill's new- look Clarets. With Watford showing little until late on, Cotterill's men always looked favourites to extend their unbeaten start. And the new Burnley boss was celebrating his first win after the home side's late rally ended with a string of misses.

But there was nothing fortunate about Burnley's triumph - and even in the closing stages the Clarets created the best chances. Defiant Watford keeper, Richard Lee, kept his side in it with two good late saves from Robbie Blake.

Micah Hyde was given a warm welcome on his return to Vicarage Road and made a lively contribution in the Burnley midfield. The ex-Hornet opened up Watford's defence with a quick ball to Blake who sent Richard Chaplow clear after the break. Chaplow dragged his shot wide. His miss followed a more direct start to the second half by the home side. Paul Mayo was denied by a super save from Danny Coyne when he served up a venomous strike from a short free-kick. Brynjar Gunnarsson narrowly headed wide Neal Ardley's corner seconds later.

But it was the Clarets who deserved to make a breakthrough. Lee's magnificent save from the vicious blast by Blake was in vain when Moore followed up to head the Clarets into the lead. It proved the defining moment of a contest that was slow to come to life.

The visitors set the pattern for the contest when they shaded a cautious first half. Frank Sinclair went closest to breaking the deadlock before the break, but sent his thumping header from Tony Grant's corner just wide.

MAN OF THE MATCH FRANK SINCLAIR Blunted Hornets' threat.

WATFORD: Lee 7, Darlington 7, Chambers 6, Cox 6, Mayo 6, Devlin 6 (Bouazza 5), Gunnarsson 6, Mahon 6, Ardley 6 (Young 5), Dyer 5 (Helguson 5), Webber 6.

BURNLEY: Coyne 6, Duff 6, SINCLAIR 8, McGreal 7, Camara 6, Moore 7, Hyde 7, Grant 6, Chaplow 6, Branch 6, Blake 7.

MANAGERS: Lewington 6; Cotterill 7

REFEREE: R Olivier 6

MOORE PAIN FOR HORNETS

Sunday People

IAN MOORE was the hero as he popped up to clinch battling Burnley's first Championship win. The Clarets have just 17 men on their playing staff, yet are still unbeaten three games into the new campaign. And Moore gave Steve Cotterill's side plenty to cheer about as he headed the 64th- minute winner after Watford keeper Richard Lee had blocked Robbie Blake's drive.

Cotterill began with the same starting eleven for the third successive match and their rapport was underlined as Graham Branch hit an early chance just wide. The visitors should have taken the lead on 19 minutes. Moore crossed for captain Blake but the striker headed well wide. Watford's Bruce Dyer tried his luck on 26 minutes but his shot failed to trouble Burnley keeper Danny Coyne. Cotterill's crew came close again ten minutes before the break when Frank Sinclair's powerful header from Tony Grant's corner flew past a post.

Five minutes into the second period Watford produced their first attempt on target. Paul Devlin was fouled and the Hornets' clever free-kick set up Paul Mayo to test Coyne. Micah Hyde, who joined Burnley from Watford during the summer, had a long-range attempt at beating his former team-mate Lee before Richard Chaplow fired wide on the hour. Four minutes later came the decisive goal. Blake hit a fierce drive which Watford stopper Lee did brilliantly to push away, but Moore followed up to nod home from close range and delight the travelling Turf Moor supporters.

Hameur Bouazza and Heidar Helguson were introduced for Watford late on and both had chances to salvage a point. But the home fans were left fuming in frustration as Bouazza poked a left-foot shot wide and Helguson fired another careless effort over.

WATFORD: .*LEE 8 - Mayo 6, Cox 6, Chambers 7, Darlington 6 - Gunnarsson 7, Ardley 6 (Young, 62mins), Mahon 6, Devlin 6 (Bouazza, 69mins) - Webber 6, Dyer 6 (Helguson, 55mins)

BURNLEY: Coyne 6 - Camara 6, Sinclair 7, McGreal 6, Duff 6 - Hyde, Grant 6, -Chaplow 7 (Roche, 90mins), Moore 7 - Branch 6, *BLAKE 8.

Ref: R Olivier 6.

COTTERILL WANTS MORE GOALS

Sporting Life

Burnley boss Steve Cotterill hailed his team after their 1-0 win at Watford in the Coca-Cola Championship. The Clarets put five across the middle of the pitch and suffocated Watford, who had come off the back of a 3-0 home win over QPR.

"I was extremely pleased with the second-half display and we could have scored more goals," said Cotterill. "You are never totally comfortable on the sidelines when you have a player like Heidar Helguson who you know is so good in the air, coming on against you. With the ball going into the box you know it takes a touch from him to set up a chance."

Watford boss Ray Lewington was extremely disappointed with the performance. "After QPR we tore up the script and forgot it. This was the other side of the coin and all the things we did on Monday we failed to do this afternoon. "Burnley had a gameplan which they stuck to and which we expected but we stumbled right into it and played into their hands. "I always felt whoever scored first would win the game. When they scored it made it particularly hard for us. Had we scored first they would have been forced to come out but that was not the case and I can't really remember us forcing their keeper into any real saves."

The heat took its toll on both sides and there was little in the way of goalmouth action in the first half. Watford dominated but it was Burnley who had the best chances when Tony Grant crossed from the right after 18 minutes and Robbie Blake glanced the ball wide having caught the defence flat-footed. Then Frank Sinclair came in on another Grant cross and headed powerfully down and wide. "Frank has been terrific in the three games this season as he was in the last half-dozen for Leicester in the Premiership last season", said Cotterill.

Watford did force keeper Danny Coyne to a save when Paul Mayo fired in a surprise shot following a free-kick. Then Brynjar Gunnarsson sent a header over the bar from a corner. A mistake in defence let in Blake and Richard Chaplow fired wide. Watford central defender Neil Cox had a nervous spell and was partially at fault in the 64 minute when Blake went through and his fierce shot was magnificently blocked by the keeper but as the ball dropped Ian Moore was there to head it home.

"That was a superb save by Richard Lee but I was glad the ball dropped to one of our players," said Cotterill.