Championship: Watford underline promotion credentials while Stoke City dominate Rotherham
- Planet Sport writer
- 5 August 2023
The first Saturday of the new season provided plenty of drama, talking points and goals.
Watford laid down an early marker of their Sky Bet Championship promotion credentials with a 4-0 hammering of QPR.
After a disappointing campaign last time out, where they fell short of the play-offs, the Hornets hit the ground running and took the lead after just 36 seconds through Tom Dele-Bashiru.
Imran Louza, Matheus Martins and Vakoun Bayo added first-half goals as the Hornets ran riot against a woeful QPR.
Stoke also did the heavy lifting of their 4-1 win over Rotherham in the first half.
They led in the fifth minute thanks to Ki-Jana Hoever's opener before Andre Vidigal scored twice in first-half injury time.
Lee Peltier gave the Millers hope after the break but Cafu's red card ended any hopes of an unlikely comeback, with Jacob Brown adding a late fourth for the hosts.
Plymouth registered their first Championship victory since April 2010 as they beat Huddersfield 3-1.
Last season's League One champions started the season in style as Morgan Whittaker put them ahead after just six minutes.
Michael Helik equalised for the Terriers on the stroke of half-time but Bali Mumba and Ryan Hardie won it for Argyle in the second half.
Two goals in two first-half minutes laid the foundations of Blackburn's 2-1 win over West Brom.
Dilan Markanday got the first in the 20th minute and then straight after Ryan Leonard stroked home.
Matt Phillips gave West Brom hope after the break but they could not find a leveller and a frustrating day for boss Carlos Corberan ended in him being sent off.
Adam Idah scored deep into injury time to earn Norwich a first home win since February as they beat Hull 2-1.
It had looked like being a draw after Liam Delap's early goal for the Tigers was cancelled out by Jon Rowe's equaliser before Idah's heroics.
Romain Esse's 79th-minute goal gave Millwall a 1-0 victory at Middlesbrough while Will Keane's return to Preston began with him earning a point with a late goal in a 1-1 draw at Bristol City, who led through Sam Bell's opener at Ashton Gate.
Jerry Yates' debut goal for Swansea earned a 1-1 draw against Birmingham, who went in front through Siriki Dembele's first-half effort.
