Match Report: Wigan Athletic 0-2 Watford FC

Leon Clarke made his return up front in place of the suspended James McClean, whilst Josh Murphy and Jerome Sinclair came onto the bench. The two youngsters are going to need to make a huge impact if we are to change anything round after this result.

In fairness to us we did keep pace with the league most deadliest team for at least an hour. The first half was mostly back and forth between the two sides as we tried to break each-other down. Watford of course looking the more deadly with captain Troy Deeney leading the line, the striker would go on to bag the two goals of the game.

That is the clear difference between the two sides, we just aren't clinical enough. We have relied on a striker, for the majority of the season, who has scored only one goal; and continues to look like doing so. Whilst our other attacking option has been the consistent choice of a wide man playing upfront, James McClean. The hope has been that maybe Leon Clarke could prove to be the answer for the team, but the striker has only managed one goal so far since joining the team.

In the end the stats don't lie. The teams had more or less equal possession though out the game; and similar number of shot (15 for us, and 14 for Watford). Yet Watford had the more shots on target with six compared to our one shot on target all game. That tells the story of the game, and of our season.

Deeney's two goals showed the quality of a striker who had been signed by Malcky Mackay for Watford. The first was a header where the striker found space and was able to get his head on the end of a Adlene Guedioura cross. The second goals was from the spot after Emmerson Boyce brought down Fernando Forestieri; the resulting spot kick sent Ali Al Habsi the wrong way.

It was a better performance by the side at home. It is just going to be about us getting more shots on target. This weekend maybe the time to throw caution to the win and unleash strikers who may actually have a chance of scoring. Martyn Waghorn is continually left on the side, regardless of his proven track record in Championship.