West Bromwich Albion vs Watford; Sky Bet Championship
West Bromwich Albion vs Watford. Sky Bet Championship.
The Hawthorns.
West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Watford: Jimmy-Jay Morgan nets winner for Baggies
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between West Bromwich Albion and Watford at The Hawthorns on Saturday; Jimmy-Jay Morgan scores the only goal as Baggies claim narrow in.
Saturday 5 September 2026 19:05, UK
Jimmy-Jay Morgan's fifth goal of the season extended West Brom's bright start with a 1-0 home win over Watford in the Championship.
The 20-year-old, a £1.3million summer signing, scored in the 36th minute for his third Championship strike and first at The Hawthorns to extend Albion's unbeaten home record to 10 matches.
It was a game of two halves, with Morgan denied twice and Aune Heggebo once in the first half, while Watford missed two chances after the break.
Watford are now winless away from home in their last nine trips, since February.
Intense pressing on Albion's midfield saw Watford threaten first when Othmane Maamma forced goalkeeper Max O'Leary into a vital block with his leg.
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Maamma's opportunity came when Hector Kyprianou dispossessed Ousmane Diakite and Martin Payero ran from deep before slipping in the Moroccan forward to his right.
Albion responded when Morgan's low shot was blocked by goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia after Chris Mepham's long pass into the striker.
Albion had the ball in the net in the 34th minute, but Morgan appeared to head the ball out of Ravaglia's hands from Nolan Galves' deflected cross and it was disallowed for a foul.
The cheers were somewhat muted but the booking for Morgan seemed harsh.
But the hosts did not have long to wait to break the deadlock.
Morgan tapped home Harry Whitwell's cutback after the latter burst into the box from Isaac Price's cross in the 36th minute.
Watford, who introduced Edo Kayembe for left-back Jordan Zemura at half-time, twice threatened soon after the restart.
Spaniard Iker Bravo's first-time shot was blocked from Luca Kjerrumgaard's cross.
Then Payero hooked over the bar from close range after Maamma headed down Edoardo Bove's deep cross at the far post.
Whitwell was showing his potential and Kayembe was booked for wrestling him to the ground as he charged down the right in the 63rd minute.
Watford threatened again when Bravo could only glance weakly straight at O'Leary from Keben's inviting centre.
But Albion missed the chance to double their lead in the 71st minute.
Whitwell slid Heggebo clean through with a lovely reverse pass and the Norway striker tried to lift his shot over Ravaglia only for the keeper to smuggle it behind for a corner.
Substitute Stephy Mavididi had the chance to level it but the forward blazed high over the bar after twisting inside his marker on the angle.
Albion appeared to be denied a penalty at the death when substitute Felix Horn Myhre seemed to be pushed over on the ball from Keben.
In a melee seconds later, Bravo was booked after pushing substitute Jayson Molumby in the corner.
The managers
West Brom's James Morrison:
"I challenged him before the game - it was his third match in a week so can he do it? You could see it in his pressing because it was a different side to him with the amount of blocks he made.
"I'm surprised really by how good he is. It's credit to the recruitment team really for finding him.
"It's really good work by them and it shows there are players out there. The question was 'could he step up?', but he has answered that brilliantly.
"He looks comfortable but we just need to keep on with his work rate. He's proved he can do it. The challenge for him is 'can he maintain that level?' but I believe he can do it.
"He has that youthfulness and freshness and he's a little cocky as well. Those ones will go far. He has that swagger and I quite like it."
Watford's Alessio Dionisi:
"We deserved a draw but if you don't score, it's impossible to win.
"We showed the right mentality but the result was negative.
"We played well but we know it's important for us to arrive in the box better to find a positive result.
"West Brom away is not easy but my team stayed competitive for 90 minutes."
Injury-hit Watford are without four full-backs which forced Albert Eames into his full league debut at right-back.
Midfielder Edo Kayembe came on at half-time at left-back after Jordan Zemura hurt his knee.
Dionisi added: "It's not easy at the moment. But we knew this was the situation with eight games including the Carabao Cup until the international break."
