An early penalty and a 22nd clean sheet of the season earned Watford the three points they needed to confirm their return to the Premier League at the first time of asking, though in a manner that will not inspire great confidence about them seriously troubling the sides they will meet there.
A Millwall side concluding a draining run of games against the teams second, third, fourth and fifth in the league, and with little to play for beyond pride, proved an unexpectedly stern test but ultimately could not recover from the early spot-kick earned and converted by Ismaïla Sarr.
As the final whistle blew unused members of the playing squad and backroom staff performed a conga down the aisle of the Elton John stand while those on the pitch embraced. Bottles of champagne were passed around, and Xisco Munoz, the genial Spaniard who has propelled the the team up the league and ultimately to promotion, was soaked in beer and tossed in the air, the struggles of the preceding 90 minutes forgotten.
“It is not easy to finish any job that is difficult,” Xisco Munoz wrote in his programme notes, though his side had been making this division look something like a cakewalk since a switch in formation in February, shortly after their last meeting with Millwall ended goalless. They have lost only twice at home all season, but since they moved to 4-3-3 their record over eight home games is perfect.
Brentford’s victory over Bournemouth in Saturday’s early kick-off made the position clear: another three points, against a team they have beaten on seven of the last 11 attempts – losing only once – would seal promotion. And it would have helped settle their nerves to score from their first significant attack, Sarr playing a one-two with Kiko Femenía, bursting past Billy Mitchell and being brought down. The Senegalese winger converted the penalty himself, convincing Bartosz Bialkowski to dive to his left before sidefooting gently down the middle.
Sarr is the focus of much of Watford’s attacking play and had clearly also been the focus of Millwall’s preparations, because every touch or run into space prompted an instant vocal response from the away side’s bench. “There he is, somebody on him,” Gary Rowett shouted on one such occasion, in the brief interlude between Sarr picking up the ball on the halfway line and Jake Cooper bringing him down.
Tension partially lifted by the early goal Watford dominated the opening half-hour, though their approach work tended to be much better than their attempts at goalscoring. João Pedro turned nicely on the right but there was nobody there to meet his cross; Sarr flicked the ball beautifully over a tackle in midfield, passed on to Dan Gosling, and he fed João Pedro who delayed his shot when well placed and was closed down. Adam Masina crossed to Ken Sema, who didn’t seem sure which part of his body to hit it with but in opting for his left thigh definitely got the wrong answer.
The Hornets’ casual dominance was not to last. With 25 minutes played Mason Bennett chested a long free-kick to Tom Bradshaw, who half-volleyed wide, an isolated attack that became a full-grown momentum shift as Millwall interrupted Watford’s midfield combinations. In the 36th minute they worked space for Mitchell on the edge of the area, and though Daniel Bachmann pushed away his low drive the ball was crossed back in to Bennett, whose effort was tipped over the bar.
If Watford hoped the wind would gently drain from Millwall’s sails over the interval they were swiftly disillusioned, as first Bradshaw and then Jed Wallace sent shots over the bar within 100 seconds of the restart. With a little under an hour played Bradshaw scampered beyond Francisco Sierralta on the right, cut into the area, drew Bachmann off his line and squared to Scott Malone, who got the ball stuck between his feet and failed even to shoot on goal.
The arrival off the bench of Nathaniel Chalobah a couple of minutes later helped Watford reassert a measure of control in midfield. For all that they still only managed to create a couple of half-chances – a half-volley from Andre Gray, another substitute, and a flicked header from Chalobah – both saved by Bialkowski. Millwall continued to sporadically threaten, and the desperate whistles from Watford staff as the four minutes of added time reached their conclusion were a measure of their discomfort. It certainly wasn’t easy to finish this job that was difficult – but the next one will be harder still.
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