Newly-appointed Watford head coach Billy McKinlay was impressed by the way his players ignored the upheaval of recent days to secure victory against Brentford.
This has been a tumultuous time at Vicarage Road, with the former Scotland international on Monday becoming the club’s third manager in the space of a month.
Oscar Garcia was named head coach following Beppe Sannino’s resignation at the end of August, but illness saw the Spaniard relinquish the role after just 27 days.
McKinlay, only brought in as first-team coach on Friday, was immediately named successor, giving him little more than 24 hours to prepare for Tuesday’s clash with Brentford.
It was a match Watford won 2-1 thanks to an Odion Ighalo effort and Matej Vydra’s wonder-strike, with Brentford unable to add to a Jonathan Douglas goal despite Daniel Pudil’s late sending-off.
“I am very, very pleased, to be honest,” said McKinlay. “First of all, I am really delighted to be in charge.
“Maybe I would be exaggerating a little bit if I said I enjoyed it that much. I am enjoying it now but I am really pleased obviously with the result and certain aspects of the performance.
“There are little bits and pieces we need to work on going forwards, but overall I am really happy.
“Yesterday was a really strange day. Things happened so quickly and obviously the rest is history, as they say.
“It was a hectic day but I spoke to the players and just said ‘listen, the most important thing is your performance and your focus’.
“Unfortunately these things happen in football in many guises but I just said they had to settle down, focus, concentrate on the game and cut away the sideshow. I think we did that really well. I am pleased.”
While McKinlay could celebrate a maiden win as manager, Brentford counterpart Mark Warburton was left infuriated by what he felt was a game-changing decision in the first half.
Referee Graham Salisbury adjudged James Tarkowski to have taken down Ighalo late as half-time approached, with the Nigerian maintaining his composure to slot home the rebound after David Button saved the initial penalty.
“It was a magnificent shot from Vydra and there is nothing you can do about that,” Warburton said. “What changed the game was that shocking penalty decision.
“The Watford player is running into the box, Tarkowski is running alongside him, his hands are up and the player goes straight to ground. There was no contact whatsoever.
“The referee’s delay in giving the decision was to see if it was a yellow or a red. That is absolutely incredible. Our players are distraught in there.
“I hate to come across as having sour grapes because it is not that at all. The fact is my players and our 2,000 fans were fantastic tonight and deserved at least a point.”
Norwich City, meanwhile, retained top spot in the Championship despite being beaten at home by Charlton Athletic.
The side were undone by Johnnie Jackson’s 86th-minute strike at Carrow Road, but Nottingham Forest missed an opportunity to go above them.
Forest were held 0-0 on their travels by Wigan Athletic, and although that was enough to haul them level on 20 points with Norwich, their goal difference is marginally inferior.
Derby County marked manager Steve McClaren’s first year in charge by seeing off Bournemouth 2-0 at Pride Park, where both goals arrived following goalkeeper Lee Camp’s 68th-minute red card for a professional foul.
With former Derby keeper Camp out of the action, Will Hughes struck nine minutes from time to open Derby’s account, then prolific marksman Chris Martin pounced during the dying seconds to wrap up three points and take County fourth.
Ipswich remained in fifth after a 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday, where Atdhe Nuhiu’s early header put Wednesday ahead before substitute Jonny Williams drew Ipswich level midway through the second period.
Elsewhere, bottom club Blackpool held hosts Middlesbrough 1-1 as former Boro player Ishmael Miller cancelled out Daniel Ayala’s goal for the home side, and Rotherham United saw off Blackburn Rovers 2-0 thanks to goals by Kari Arnason and Luciano Becchio.
Cardiff City, who hope to appoint Russell Slade as their new manager later this week, drew 1-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion after Kenwyne Jones equalised within a minute of Bruno putting Brighton ahead, and Birmingham City were 3-1 winners away to Millwall courtesy of goals by Clayton Donaldson, David Cotterill and Wes Thomas. Lee Gregory scored for Millwall.
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