Crystal Palace 1-2 Watford: Cathcart scores at both ends as Hornets come from behind to win

Craig Cathcart scored at both ends as Watford came from behind to win 2-1 at Crystal Palace.

The defender deflected the ball over his own line in the first half but rose high to nod in a corner after the break to level things up before Tom Cleveley’s expert volley won the Hornets all three points

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Roy Hodgson kept the same team that won 2-0 at Wolves on January 2, with the only new face being Christian Benteke who returned to the bench after what seems like years out with a knee injury.

The Hornets also reverted to type after their FA Cup win at Woking, with Will Hughes replacing Ken Sema in the same lineup that drew 3-3 in that crazy game at Bournemouth 10 days ago.

Watford did everything they could not to go in front early on as Gerard Deulofeu nutmegged James Tomkins and beat Vicente Guaita with a low drive but hi the post, from the rebound Roberto Pereyra hit the same post and Palace survived.

There was a hint of handball in the box down the other end as Hughes appeared to nudge the ball away from Jordan Ayew with his fist, but no-one seemed that bothered. Home fans were busy booing Etienne Capoue for raking his studs down Wilf Zaha in the reverse fixture in August, with Watford fans were more concerned with booing Zaha for having been fouled by Capoue.

Hughes was forced off shortly afterwards, potentially for embarrassment at the handball but probably due to injury, and was replaced by Sema.

Ayew, looking for his third goal in three games in 2019 (no that isn’t a typo) had his first sniff of goal 20 minutes in from a looping Luka Milivojevic ball but could only stretch to nod over while down the other end Mamadou Sakho nearly opened the scoring in his own net with a sliced clearance that would have gone down as one of the Premier League’s greatest own goals had it gone in. Tony Popovic anyone?

But there was something in the air as a few minutes later something crazy then happened. Palace, who had scored just one goal from 155 corners in the Premier League this season (the lowest of any team), actually scored from a corner. Well, Watford did actually, as Craig Cathcart prodded into his own next after some pinball in the box. No-one in red and blue cared and the Eagles were 1-0 up.

Guaita, on route to his sixth clean sheet in nine games, was forced off injured just before half-time and replaced by Wayne Hennessey, making his first appearance since being forced to claim he did not make a Nazi salute during a team night out photo. Footballers, eh?

And that switch may have been where the game turned as after the break Watford scored twice and there were question marks over the big Welshman’s involvement in both.

He allowed Jose Holebas’ looping corner to reach the backpost where Cathcart rose to nod home and make amends for his earlier indiscretion.

Not long afterwards another set piece caused havoc in the Palace box and while neither Hennessey nor any of his defenders took matters into their own hands to clear, substitute Tom Cleverley volleyed home into the top corner.

Benteke was chucked on in the final 15 minutes to try and claim something back and while he won a few headers it just didn’t go in for the Eagles, mainly thanks to some fine saves from Ben Foster in the Hornets goal.