Odion Ighalo achieves a scoring landmark in helping Watford to historic Blackpool victory
Writing his own piece of Hornets history: Odion Ighalo.
Picture: Holly Cant
In helping Watford to net seven goals in one half of a game for the
first time in their history on Saturday, Odion Ighalo achieved a scoring feat
that no other player from the club has matched in more than 80 years. The striker became the 15th player in Hornets' history to score four or more goals in a league game for the club in the 7-2 victory over Blackpool - emulating the likes of Luther Blissett, Ross Jenkins, Maurice Cook and Tommy Barnett - and it extended his scoring sequence to eight goals in four consecutive league matches.
The Nigerian has netted those eight in 281 minutes of playing time - an average of a goal every 35 minutes - but no Watford player can equal that sequence since George James netted ten times in four consecutive Division Three (South) matches in September 1931.
The record of seven goals in one half was confirmed by club historian and statistician Trefor Jones, whose website, watfordfcarchive.com, shows that James netted a hat-trick in a 6-2 win at Torquay United followed by two goals in a 3-2 defeat at Mansfield Town, another treble in a 5-2 home win over Bristol Rovers and then a brace in the 4-1 return victory at Mansfield.
Cliff Holton holds the club record of the most goals in one season, with 48 in all competitions in the 1959/60, but his best sequence of goals in consecutive games in that campaign was seven on three occasions, twice within the space of three matches and once in four.
If Ighalo is involved in Friday night's game at Bournemouth and can score one more goal, he will match Blissett's achivement of netting nine in five consecutive games from December 1978 to January 1979. However, that sequence featured two cup ties.
Watford achieved another scoring feat that has not been seen since before the start of World War One on Saturday.
Research by the Watford Mailing List’s Jon Sinclair shows that, coupled with the 5-0 win over Charlton Athletic the previous weekend, the 7-2 victory over Blackpool is the first occasion the Hornets have scored 12 goals in successive matches since the end of the 1914-1918 war.
Watford scored 11 goals in consecutive games on three occasions in the 1930s, 12 has never beeen achieved before and the only time they’ve netted 13 in back-to-back matches was a 3-3 draw with Fulham Reserves followed by a 10-0 win over Southall in 1903/04.
Saturday was the 14th time Watford have scored seven in a league match, the first since the 7-4 win at Burnley in April 2003, but the last occasion the Hornets netted so many at home was when they beat Bradford City, also 7-2, in December 1989. To put the scoring landmark into further modern-day context, yesterday was only the fifth time since 1960 a Watford side has hit seven in a league game.
Odion Ighalo can now list himself among some of the most illustrious names in the club’s history after becoming the 15th different player to score four or more goals in a league game for Watford.
Ben Watson made his Hornets debut yesterday after joining from Wigan Athletic on Friday and Sinclair has also revealed that the only other time a debutant has been in a Watford team that scored seven since World War Two was Bernard Lewis in a 7-1 victory over Grimsby Town.
The manager that December 1967 day was Ken Furphy, who was remembered by two separate minute’s applause in the Blackpool win following his death last weekend.
Ighalo's four-goal blast and further efforts from Gabriele Angella, Troy Deeney and Matej Vydra lifted Watford's league tally to 56. The last Watford side to have scored more after 27 matches was Graham Taylor's old Division Four title-winning side in 1977/78, who had netted 60 after the same stage of the season.
London - Odion Ighalo can now contest for the PFA Fans Player of the Month Award (January) following an impressive performance for Watford, Sport.co.uk reports.
The Nigerian scored six goals in just two games for the Championship side.
Ighalo got a brace in Watford’s 5-0 victory over Charlton, and then scored four goals to secure a 7-2 win against Blackpool at the weekend.
He was again on target in the 3-1 defeat to Huddersfield, and has now paired Troy Deeney on 11 goals in the Championship season.
The award was launched in 2001 as an enhancement to the PFA Players’ Player Awards and give a strong voice to the supporters who, alongside the players, are the lifeblood of the game.
sWe’ll take a more in-depth look at the times Watford have scored seven and those who have netted on four or more occasions in a game over the coming days.
D.unstable says...
Not normally a stat person, but some interesting facts that
put this game into perspective.
Regardless of Blackpool being the bottom team, the last 2 results should demonstrate to our players that with the desire we can beat any team in this division.
I believe that this is our time.
Sahorn says... Regardless of Blackpool being the bottom team, the last 2 results should demonstrate to our players that with the desire we can beat any team in this division.
I believe that this is our time.
Ben Watson must be the FIRST EVER dubutant to play in ONLY
the half where 7 goals were scored? - If I were him i would claim the credit
for that feat - he must be still in a spin after battling in a low scoring
Wigan side. A good omen...
In all seriousness, what I like about Odion Ighalo, apart from his skill and goals, is his humble demeanour and great attitude - he was virtually written off by some fans on social media after his first games, but he has worked hard, stuck with it and he thanks God for his success.
With that outlook, having come from a humble background, I can't see him being a prima donna footballer, and that bodes well for his future. With his long contract, a Watford Legend in the making.
And the way Deeney, ighalo and Vydra worked unselfishly together (Jokas influence) and the way everyone was celebrating with Matty after his goal, this is a team beginning to come together.
With those 3 and Fessi itching to get in the action, we should scare the poop out of most defences - starting on Friday.
Watford won 3-1 at Bournemouth on the Ken Furphy inspired run- in to be crowned division champions all those years ago. It was a great tribute to Ken Furphy against Blackpool, but a repeat 3-1 success on Friday will be an even better tribute to the true Watford legend,
ashdownforestieri says... In all seriousness, what I like about Odion Ighalo, apart from his skill and goals, is his humble demeanour and great attitude - he was virtually written off by some fans on social media after his first games, but he has worked hard, stuck with it and he thanks God for his success.
With that outlook, having come from a humble background, I can't see him being a prima donna footballer, and that bodes well for his future. With his long contract, a Watford Legend in the making.
And the way Deeney, ighalo and Vydra worked unselfishly together (Jokas influence) and the way everyone was celebrating with Matty after his goal, this is a team beginning to come together.
With those 3 and Fessi itching to get in the action, we should scare the poop out of most defences - starting on Friday.
Watford won 3-1 at Bournemouth on the Ken Furphy inspired run- in to be crowned division champions all those years ago. It was a great tribute to Ken Furphy against Blackpool, but a repeat 3-1 success on Friday will be an even better tribute to the true Watford legend,
I have seen some Granada games recently. Thankfully we
signed him as if the loan agreement was still in place I could see him being
recalled to Spain. Does anyone know if he has any younger brothers? I keep
looking at the reflex header after Deeney rattled the post. It makes me smile.
Was talking to an ex Brighton Captain we were in his bet for a cert home win.
He wasn't happy at half time but who was!
Ben Watson must be the FIRST EVER dubutant to play in ONLY the half where 7 goals were scored? - If I were him i would claim the credit for that feat - he must be still in a spin after battling in a low scoring Wigan side. A good omen...
In all seriousness, what I like about Odion Ighalo, apart from his skill and goals, is his humble demeanour and great attitude - he was virtually written off by some fans on social media after his first games, but he has worked hard, stuck with it and he thanks God for his success.
With that outlook, having come from a humble background, I can't see him being a prima donna footballer, and that bodes well for his future. With his long contract, a Watford Legend in the making.
And the way Deeney, ighalo and Vydra worked unselfishly together (Jokas influence) and the way everyone was celebrating with Matty after his goal, this is a team beginning to come together.
With those 3 and Fessi itching to get in the action, we should scare the poop out of most defences - starting on Friday.
Watford won 3-1 at Bournemouth on the Ken Furphy inspired run- in to be crowned division champions all those years ago. It was a great tribute to Ken Furphy against Blackpool, but a repeat 3-1 success on Friday will be an even better tribute to the true Watford legend,
Rest in Peace Ken.
Remember that game, Watford were, as I remember, comfortable
winners. I remember the second Watford goal as being a ludicrous own goal, when
a Bournemouth defender somehow lobbed his own keeper from 30-40 yards out.
R.I.P Ken, you brightened those years for me.
R.I.P Ken, you brightened those years for me.
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