Smith's double sets home fires burning for Vialli

Watford 3 Rotherham United

Rotherham, back in the second flight of English football for the first time in 18 years, came tantalisingly close to landing their first point of the season at Watford yesterday, when Mark Robins, who had already scored twice, had a hat-trick chance from the penalty spot to level the scores after 73 minutes. But Espen Baardsen saved the game for Gianluca Vialli on his home league debut as Watford manager.

Not that Vialli placed too much importance on that fact later at a sparsely attended press conference, instead simply stressing the need to earn three points and repair the damage after Watford's opening-day defeat by Manchester City last week.

If that was the stuff of nightmares for Vialli's side, their start here was the stuff of dreams instead.

Seconds after kick-off, Rotherham, who also let in three goals last week after leading 2-0, anxiously conceded a corner. Just as the danger seemed to have passed, the referee awarded a penalty for shirt-pulling, an offence officials have been told to clamp down on this season. No-one was quite sure who the culprit was, let alone Rotherham's manager, Ronnie Moore, but, after much protest, Tommy Smith saw his weak spot-kick saved, only to tap in the rebound.

That did not discourage Rotherham and, true to Moore's pre-match words, they showed spirit and were level after 20 minutes. Marvin Bryan made an incisive run down the right, spotted Robins unmarked inside the area and the former Manchester United striker coolly dispatched the chance.

But, after surviving a couple of near-misses, Rotherham went behind again thanks to an early contender for mix-up of the season, as Paul Hurst and goalkeeper Mike Pollitt failed to communicate over a harmless ball, leaving Allan Nielsen to nip in and find the empty net.

Moore was furious afterwards, calling it "Fred Karno and schoolboy defending," while Vialli was disappointed that his forwards had not taken more of their chances. "We were under pressure before this game, but we've got to make it count when we're so much better than the other team," he insisted.

Watford's increasingly adventurous football finally gave them a cushion on the hour when Dominic Foley found Marcus Gayle at the far post and his header set up Smith for a volley from 10 yards.

Robins then grabbed his and Rotherham's second of the day after 66 minutes, as he rounded Baardsen to set up a tense finale. But, when it finally mattered in that particular confrontation, it was the Norwegian who came out on top to get Vialli off and running.

Watford 3

Smith 3, 60, Nielsen 44

Rotherham United 2

Robins 20, 66

Half-time: 2-1 Attendance: 13,839