Watford 2-1 Newcastle: Troy Deeney fires in TWO penalties as Hornets come from behind

Troy Deeney held his nerve in an eerie silence to convert two second-half penalties as Watford fought back from behind to beat Newcastle and ease their relegation fears.

Deeney’s double may be worth millions for a club seven points adrift of safety when they appointed Nigel Pearson in December.

Pearson came in as the third head coach of the season at Vicarage Road and his team are now six points clear of danger and close to completing another great escape. 

Troy Deeney was clinical from the spot on Saturday as Watford secure a vital win on Saturday

The Hornets skipper slammed in two penalties in a comeback win for the Vicarage Road side

Newcastle were stunned by the turnaround as they recorded back-to-back defeats 

There were high fives and fist-bumps of relief at the final whistle, although it took them time to find their rhythm.

Dwight Gayle gave Newcastle the lead and the visitors dominated the first half with their main threat coming from set pieces with excellent delivery by Matt Ricthie and Jonjo Shelvey.

Ben Foster produced the first save of the game to deny Miguel Almiron who arrived late to connect with a corner taken by Shelvey and flicked on by Deeney.  

The Magpies’ Dwight Gayle opened the scoring after 23 minutes with a tap in from a corner 

Newcastle hoped to bounce-back from a 5-0 defeat to Manchester City last time out 

Newcastle’s opener came from a similar routine, albeit from the other flank. Ritchie whipped in the corner with his left foot.

It was touched-on by Federico Fernandez at the near post and Gayle was left with the simple task of tapping it over the line from close range to score his third goal in five Premier League appearances since the restart.

Allan Saint-Maximin could have stretched the lead for the visitors when released by a flick by Gayle. Saint-Maximin sprinted clear, cutting inside from the right but Foster narrowed the angles and made a block.

Watford thought they had gone ahead in the 16th minute when Kiko Femenia produced a terrific cross from the right and Danny Welbeck forced Martin Dubravka into his first save.  

Nigel Pearson arrived with Watford six points from safety and has reversed their fortunes

Welbeck’s connection was not sweet but he volleyed down into the turf and the ball bounced towards the goal.

Dubravka pushed it against a post and the rebound spun along the goal and would have crossed the line had Jamal Lascelles not recovered to make a clearance.

Gayle volleyed over another chance after the interval but Watford levelled from a penalty awarded for a trip by Ritchie on Femenia.

Ismaila Sarr released the full-back who skipped into the area, past Fernandez and nudged the ball away as Ritchie tried to recover and make a tackle. 

Watford have showed character under Nigel Pearson and put in another battling performance

Femenia took the contact knee-to-knee, hit the turf and Deeney stepped up to beat Dubravka with a powerful spot-kick driven straight down the middle of the goal.

Watford took confidence from the goal and poured forward, kicking down the slope in search of the second.

Deeney ought to have fired his team ahead when Will Hughes forced an error from Fernandez and left his captain with a simple chance.

Deeney took his time and shifted the ball onto his right foot but Dubravka made a splendid save to his right. 

Craig Pawson handed both second-half penalties to Watford as Newcastle made errors 

The next chance fell to Welbeck who saw his shot on the turn strike first Fernandez and then Danny Rose before it looped agonisingly over.

There was a hint it might have clipped Rose on the upper arm but this time there was no penalty.

Abdoulaye Doucoure sliced an effort wide from the edge of the box and Welbeck missed the target with a header from a cross by Sarr. 

Ismaila Sarr was brought down in the box by Javier Manquillo for the winning goal 

Deeney overcame knee trouble to secure an vital three points, as Watford battle relegation

But the pressure built and Watford won their second penalty of the game for a foul by Javier Manquillo on Sarr.

Sarr rolled away from Manquillo but the full-back tried to hang onto him.

Feeling the hands on his back and arms, Sarr went to ground and referee Pawson pointed to the spot.

Again, Deeney took responsibility and smashed his second past Dubravka.