Webber lifts Hornets as loan provides good return

The Watford manager Ray Lewington praised striker Tommy Smith and loan signing Danny Webber after his side destroyed Coventry 5-2 at Vicarage Road on Monday.

The Hornets put their poor start to the season behind them, taking a 5-0 lead with goals from Stephen Glass, Smith, Webber, Allan Nielsen and Paul Robinson before the visitors grabbed two consolation efforts.

Lewington said: "Danny and Tommy enjoy playing together. Danny's come down from Manchester United and he's been an absolute credit. Some players might get carried away coming from a bigger club to a smaller one, but he's enthusiastic and willing to work."

The 20-year-old Manchester United player had a loan spell with the club last season and returned at the start of this campaign. His partnership with Smith, who has yet to sign a new contract at Watford, ran rings around Coventry.

"It was lovely, really nice to watch," Lewington added. "We've got to stick to the basics and we did that."

However Webber is only on a three-month loan at Vicarage Road and Lewington is anxious to secure his services for the whole season. "If you put a year's loan on him it would put everyone else off and I'm hoping to do that."

It was a disappointing day for Coventry manager Gary McAllister who watched his side's unbeaten start to the season come to an end.

He said: "We can't hide behind the finish or the fact that we sneaked a couple of goals at the end.

"I'm looking for a reaction from the whole club. That just wasn't good enough. I'm very disappointed.

"We came up against a different formation and couldn't cope. I'm very disappointed. We came here looking to go top and we're going home with our tails between our legs.

"Credit to Watford's front two, they caused us problems, but we have to be able to stop the service to them. That's what disappointed me."

The game marked what is likely to be striker Lee Hughes' last appearance in a Coventry shirt, with the £5m signing expected to re-join his former club West Bromwich Albion before the transfer window on Saturday. It was a disappointing end to a difficult 12 months with the Sky Blues for the 26-year-old and he left the pitch at the end with his head in his hands.