Florin Andone scores with first touch just 56 secs after coming off bench as Seagulls squash Hornets
GRAHAM POTTER worked his magic with two daring substitutions as the new Brighton boss enjoyed a winning start to Premier League life.
The decision by the Englishman, 44, to bring on Florin Andone and Neal Maupay in the second half paid dividends as the Seagulls thrashed Watford and enjoyed their best opening-day triumph for 20 years.
The pair, introduced into the action on 64 minutes, both scored against a ponderous Watford defence to earn the South Coast club a rare away celebration – only their second victory on their travels this calendar year.
Andone’s in particular proved a masterstroke – just 56 SECONDS after climbing off the bench he netted with his FIRST TOUCH.
For Watford fans, it was another day to forget. Before yesterday, the last time the Hornets had played a competitive match they had shipped six goals.
Yes, they had reached a first FA Cup final for 35 years, rekindling emotional memories of that magnificent 1984 run under Elton John and Graham Taylor.
But the 6-0 spanking by Manchester City – the heaviest defeat in the competition’s showpiece occasion at Wembley – was a chastening, humbling experience for all who had travelled to north-west London in May.
POTTER WORKS HIS MAGIC
Of the starting XI here, eight players survived from that Cup final shocker with captain and cult hero Troy Deeney leading the attack for the 10th successive season. Only Craig Dawson, the centre-back poached from West Brom, was handed a debut.
From a Brighton perspective, there were no new signings in the side from kick-off.
The biggest transfer, of course, this summer has been the arrival of Potter, who controversially replaced Chris Hughton, the man who had kept the Seagulls up but was rewarded with the sack.
On a blustery, showery afternoon at Vicarage Road, Brighton started the more adventurous under their new manager and employing a new system – playing with three at the back.
Their positivity and energy came to fruition on 28 minutes thanks to two errors from the home side.
When Dawson carelessly lost possession, Dale Stephens played a one-two with Jurgen Locadia before chipping a delivery to the back post.
Watford defender Jose Holebas could only head it as far as Pascal Gross, and his cross was poked into the own net by Abdoulaye Doucoure, who instinctively stuck out his leg at the wrong moment.
DOUCOURE’S DESPAIR
As Brighton celebrated and VAR did its thing in an industrial estate across London, none of the Watford players went over to console or put an arm around the shoulder of the Frenchman following the unfortunate yet calamitous error.
Doucoure could have left the club days before the transfer window shut – a £30m bid from Everton was rejected – and this was hardly the best way to repay the faith shown in him by the Watford chiefs.
Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan, who had been fairly quiet in the first half, earned his weekly wage early in the second half when he prevented an almost certain Watford equaliser.
Solly March was robbed of the ball by the alert Kiko Femenia after trying unsuccessfully to usher it out for a goal-kick.
Femenia played it across to Watford striker Andre Gray who should have scored but his strike deflected off Ryan.
INSPIRED SUBSTITUTIONS
The first time VAR came into action arrived on 59 minutes when the free-kick from sub Roberto Pereyra hit the Brighton wall.
Pereyra screamed in the face of the referee, calling for the Video Assistant Referee to check. Eventually it went upstairs and after a delay of a couple of seconds, it was ruled as ‘No Penalty’.
If Dawson thought his debut could not have got any worse, then it did on 65 minutes as he was at fault for the second.
The cross was delivered low by Davy Propper and Dawson failed to track the run of his marker Andone.
And the Brighton man swept home from close range with his first touch.
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Not to be outdone, Maupay got in on the act himself when he collected a Lewis Dunk through-ball and then rounded goalkeeper Ben Foster for the clincher with 13 minutes left.
As omens go, this defeat is not a good one for Watford fans, who booed the final result and may want to look away now.
This is the first time they have lost an opening-day fixture since 2006 – the last season in which they were relegated from the Premier League.