Watford 1-0 Lincoln City: Championship Match Report

Lincoln City had beaten Burnley 4-1 at home and drawn 2-2 away at Millwall, but lost 0-3 away at Sheffield United, 0-6 at home to West Ham United and 1-3 at home to Birmingham City on Saturday.

The two clubs will now play for the Graham Taylor Cup whenever they meet, in honour of the man who managed the Imps and was twice manager of the Hornets. The return fixture is at Sincil Bank in late January 2027.

Watford manager Alessio Dionisi started with a 4-2-3-1 formation with Federico Ravaglia in goal, a back four of Omar Traore, Kevin Keben, captain Mattie Pollock and Marc Bola, Edo Kayembe and Hector Kyprianou holding in midfield, Othmane Maamma, Iker Bravo and Stephy Mavididi behind, and Myron Boadu up front. Dionisi made four changes from the defeat at Carrow Road, bringing in Traore, Bola, Mavididi and Maamma for Krepin Diatta, Branimir Mlacic, Jordan Zemura and Martin Payero.

Lincoln City manager Chris Cohen started with a 3-4-2-1 formation with George Wickens in goal, a back three of Deji Elerewe, captain Sonny Bradley and Andrei Coubis, a midfield four of Daniel Oyegoke, Yunus Konak, Tom Bayliss and Callum Elder, Chiedozie Ogbene and Ben House in support, and Freddie Draper up front. Cohen made five changes, bringing in Bayliss, Elder, Ogbene, Oyegoke and Draper for Adam Reach, Ivan Varfolomeev, Reeco Hackett, Dom Jefferies and Mikkel Ladefoged.

The previous three meetings were a 2-0 Watford home win in the old League Division 3 in January 1979, then a League Cup tie in November 1981 which finished 2-2 at Vicarage Road before Watford won the replay 3-2 at Sincil Bank later that month.

Both sides came into the game needing the points to avoid being drawn into a relegation fight. Lincoln City were not expected to survive for long in the Championship, but they have surprised many football followers with big wins against Burnley and Derby County and a draw with Southampton, alongside a heavy defeat to West Ham United.

Watford, meanwhile, are very much on a losing streak. Fans are unhappy with the Gino Pozzo ownership, and before kick off a group gathered outside the ground to voice their opinions against it.

Lincoln City kicked off the first half wearing a changed strip of all white. Watford were in their traditional yellow and black with a red flash.

Both sides took time to get into the game but Watford looked more likely to open the scoring in the opening exchanges, though there was little between the two sides.

A Watford corner in the 15th minute was cleared by the Lincoln City defence. A Lincoln City corner in the 26th minute was punched clear by Federico Ravaglia in the Hornets goal.

Lincoln City's second corner in the 30th minute was taken by Callum Elder to the centre of the penalty area and was cleared by Watford for another corner. That quick corner came to nothing for the Imps.

Freddie Draper shot wide with a right footed effort from inside the Watford penalty area in the 34th minute. Edo Kayembe fired a left footed shot wide of the target in the 37th minute which was Watford's best chance in the first half.

Watford's corner in the 41st minute taken by Stephy Mavididi to the near post was cleared by Freddie Draper with a solid defensive header out for another corner, from which Mavididi delivered to the back post.

Lincoln City cleared the ball to Marc Bola who saw a left footed shot deflected for another corner in the 43rd minute. Watford's next corner came to nothing as Sonny Bradley, the ex-Luton Town centre half and the skipper, headed clear.

A Lincoln City corner in the 45th minute taken by Callum Elder was cleared by Watford defender Kevin Keben. The teams went in level at half time at 0-0 after a dull opening 45 minutes. Neither side made any half time substitutions.

Watford opened the scoring in the 46th minute to make it 1-0 when Stephy Mavididi cut in from the left flank before shooting right footed beyond George Wickens to take the lead from an assist by Myron Boadu. Ben House was yellow carded in the 47th minute.

Then in the 50th minute Stephy Mavididi was cautioned with a yellow card for dissent. The resultant free kick for Lincoln City came to nothing as Federico Ravaglia gathered the ball unchallenged.

A Lincoln City free kick in the 53rd minute taken by Tom Bayliss came to nothing as Mattie Pollock cleared for the Hornets.

Watford's Kevin Keben was yellow carded for a foul in the 56th minute. Lincoln City went close to an equaliser from a header by Ben House in the 59th minute.

Watford made two substitutions replacing Myron Boadu and Omar Traore with Mamadou Doumbia and Krepin Diatta in the 60th and 61st minutes.

Lincoln City made two substitutions replacing Chiedozie Ogbene and Callum Elder with Reeco Hackett and Rob Street in the 61st minute.

Watford's next two substitutions, the third and fourth on the night, saw Branimir Mlacic and Martin Payero come on for Stephy Mavididi and Othmane Maamma in the 70th minute.

Lincoln City's third substitution saw Daniel Oyegoke replaced by Tom Hamer in the 70th minute.

An Edo Kayembe left footed shot deflected away off a Lincoln City defender for a corner. A Watford corner in the 78th minute was cleared by Lincoln City defender Sonny Bradley.

Lincoln City's last two substitutions saw Deji Elerewe and Tom Bayliss replaced by Adam Reach and Dom Jefferies in the 79th minute. Branimir Mlacic was yellow carded for a foul in the 80th minute.

A Lincoln City corner in the 82nd minute came to nothing but when the ball was picked up by Reeco Hackett his centre was half cleared by Watford and Ben House shot wide in the 83rd minute.

Watford's final substitution saw Iker Bravo replaced by Amin Nabizada in the 86th minute. Sonny Bradley was yellow carded in the 88th minute as was Edo Kayembe in the 88th minute.

Hector Kyprianou was yellow carded in the 90th minute. Ben House saw a weak left footed shot saved easily by Federico Ravaglia.

Watford held firm to record a second home win in a row after the last home victory over Charlton Athletic last time out. It was the first time since January 2026 that Watford had won two home matches back to back.

Lincoln City felt they deserved a point after another refereeing error in the build up to the goal. The Imps fans were in good voice and the result on the night was not what the Imps feel they had earned with their play on the night.

Watford rose to 20th with the win on 14 points and Lincoln City ended the night in 17th spot on 15 points. Lincoln City travel to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday whilst Watford host Middlesbrough at Vicarage Road.