Round-Up: Mutch ado as Hornets hit Lions for six
Traditionally an impregnable south-east London fortress, The Den was repeatedly stormed by Watford yesterday as they swept aside Millwall in a 6-1 rout that saw them leap from 12th to fifth in the fledgling Championship table. The Lions' manager, Kenny Jackett, spent his entire playing career at Watford, appearing 428 times, but the Hornets left sentiment back in Hertfordshire.
Goals by John Eustace, Jordon Mutch and Marvin Sordell in the first half were the appetiser; Adrian Mariappa, Danny Graham and Martin Taylor (right, congratulated by Mariappa) completed the feast after the break, ending the Lions' 21-match unbeaten run at home.
Jackett said: "I hope we've not been arrogant and would like to think my players are more professional than that. I don't think it was complacency, we got the game plan wrong. Watford were better in every department."
Jamie Mackie made it eight goals in seven games as the leaders, Queens Park Rangers, continued their storming start with a 2-0 win at Leicester City. The hosts, managed by one of many recent QPR bosses, Paulo Sousa, had plenty of possession but Rangers' stout defending and Mackie's goals, after 12 minutes with a header and after 86 with a clinical finish, took them five points clear. "Our toughest game to date," said QPR's satisfied manager, Neil Warnock.
Sousa's former club, Swansea City, rose to sixth after two goals by Stephen Dobbie earned a 2-0 win over Scunthorpe United. Barnsley put five past Leeds in midweek but Dean Leacock scrambled in an early goal for visitors Derby County at Oakwell, his first goal in nine years. Andy Hammill levelled and it stayed 1-1.
Preston North End's poor start continued with a 1-0 home defeat by Norwich City, Grant Holt scoring.
Elsewhere, Clive Platt and Ben Turner were Coventry City's scorers in a 2-1 win at Bristol City. Barry Robson got Middlesbrough's 3-1 win over Reading under way after 22 seconds at the Riverside, the fastest goal ever there. Burnley held Crystal Palace to a 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park; and Nottingham Forest also drew 0-0, at Hull City.
League One
Huddersfield Town jumped from fifth to top when they came back from 2-0 down at half-time at home to Yeovil to win 4-2, Jamie McCombe scoring twice. Nigel Adkins' first home match as Southampton manager ended 0-0; it was unbeaten Colchester United's fifth draw in seven games.
League Two
Jake Robinson scored twice in Shrewsbury Town's 3-1 defeat of Northampton Town, taking them to the top, above Port Vale on goal difference. Vale's Marc Richards scored twice in their 3-0 victory at Macclesfield, their fourth away success setting a club record for consecutive away wins at the start of a season. Morecambe earned a first win of the season, 3-2 at Southend.
Scotland
Rangers showed no weariness from their draw at Old Trafford in midweek, Kenny Miller scoring twice in a 4-0 win over Dundee United at Ibrox. Hearts came from a goal down to win 3-1 at Inverness Caledonian Thistle and St Johnstone won for the first time this season, beating St Mirren 2-1.
Europe
Cristiano Ronaldo scored from a 74th-minute free-kick to earn Real Madrid a 2-1 victory away to Real Sociedad after Raul Tamudo had cancelled out Angel di Maria's opening goal for Madrid. In Italy, Milan continue to struggle, drawing 1-1 at home to Catania.
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