ODEJAYI STARS AS BARNSLEY MOVE OUT OF DROP ZONE
Kayone Odejayi was instantly transformed from FA Cup villain to Championship hero, as his brace helped lift Barnsley from the relegation zone in the back yard of promotion hopefuls Watford.
The Nigerian-born striker had squandered a gilt-edged chance at Wembley on Sunday, when the northerners were booted out of the FA Cup semi-final by fellow Championship club Cardiff.
But Barnsley manager Simon Davey showed confidence in the former Cheltenham man and it paid off on Wednesday as his side romped to a 3-0 victory at Vicarage Road and moved up to 18th in the table.
Aidy Boothroyd’s men could have gone top of the Championship with a victory, but looked sluggish and lacked confidence from kick-off.
Showing no FA Cup hangover, the visitors started brightly and on 16 minutes Odejayi had a great opportunity to open the scoring after an inviting ball by strike-partner Jon Macken sent him galloping though with only Watford ‘keeper Richard Lee to beat.
In a carbon copy of Sunday’s shocker, the striker fluffed his shot, though he soon made amends. Ten minutes shy of the interval he shuffled the ball in from a yard out after Macken’s low cross caught the home defence out.
Barnsley doubled their lead three minutes after the break, with unmarked captain Stephen Foster making the most of a dozing Watford back line, lead by skipper Danny Shittu, from a Diego Leon corner.
Foster’s headed goal was soon followed by Odejayi’s second of the night – a cool, confident loft over Lee from just inside the area.
On this evidence there can be little surprise that Watford have won only once in their last ten league matches. If they had shown half the determination that their opponents displayed they would be walking to automatic promotion.
As it is they travel to table-toppers West Bromich Albion on Saturday and have only four more games to secure a play-off place or even more. Meanwhile Davey will ask for more of the same from his Barnsley troops in order to survive the drop.
Kayone Odejayi was instantly transformed from FA Cup villain to Championship hero, as his brace helped lift Barnsley from the relegation zone in the back yard of promotion hopefuls Watford.
The Nigerian-born striker had squandered a gilt-edged chance at Wembley on Sunday, when the northerners were booted out of the FA Cup semi-final by fellow Championship club Cardiff.
But Barnsley manager Simon Davey showed confidence in the former Cheltenham man and it paid off on Wednesday as his side romped to a 3-0 victory at Vicarage Road and moved up to 18th in the table.
Aidy Boothroyd’s men could have gone top of the Championship with a victory, but looked sluggish and lacked confidence from kick-off.
Showing no FA Cup hangover, the visitors started brightly and on 16 minutes Odejayi had a great opportunity to open the scoring after an inviting ball by strike-partner Jon Macken sent him galloping though with only Watford ‘keeper Richard Lee to beat.
In a carbon copy of Sunday’s shocker, the striker fluffed his shot, though he soon made amends. Ten minutes shy of the interval he shuffled the ball in from a yard out after Macken’s low cross caught the home defence out.
Barnsley doubled their lead three minutes after the break, with unmarked captain Stephen Foster making the most of a dozing Watford back line, lead by skipper Danny Shittu, from a Diego Leon corner.
Foster’s headed goal was soon followed by Odejayi’s second of the night – a cool, confident loft over Lee from just inside the area.
On this evidence there can be little surprise that Watford have won only once in their last ten league matches. If they had shown half the determination that their opponents displayed they would be walking to automatic promotion.
As it is they travel to table-toppers West Bromich Albion on Saturday and have only four more games to secure a play-off place or even more. Meanwhile Davey will ask for more of the same from his Barnsley troops in order to survive the drop.
Labels: Aidy Boothroyd, Barnsley, Championship, Dutch football, Kayode Odejayi, Watford
