Amin Nabizada scored a stunning stoppage-time strike but it was not enough to save Watford from a 2-1 defeat to Stoke City at Vicarage Road on Saturday, 12 September.
Jack McGlynn put Stoke ahead in first-half stoppage time, then Eric Bocat doubled the lead in the 57th minute with an assist from Lamine Cissé. Nabizada's 90+1' wonderstrike, set up by Edo Kayembe, arrived too late for Watford to snatch a point.
Alessio Dionisi, the head coach, told reporters Club the result was hard to swallow. "Our opponents played better than us," Dionisi said.
He pointed to a punishing schedule, with several players having started every one of Watford's nine league games this season. "It is important to stay united and believe in the future, because we have played nine matches and there are a lot of players who have been in every match," Dionisi said.
Dionisi thanked supporters for a fantastic atmosphere and apologised for the result, before the squad turns to the away trip to Bristol City for Friday, 18 September.
