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Post by Time4aPINT on Mar 15, 2008 19:42:34 GMT
Another draw for ten-man Hornets
By Anthony Matthews
[glow=red,2,300]Darius Henderson missed a second half penalty.[/glow]
Frustration abounded at Vicarage Road this afternoon (Saturday) as ten-man Watford again missed the opportunity to move back into the automatic places after being held to a controversial goalless draw by Stoke City.
The Hornets should have gone back above their promotion rivals, who played with very limited ambition, but Darius Henderson missed a penalty for the second match running. However, the decision that led to the spot-kick looked very soft, but perhaps referee Rob Styles felt he needed to even things up after showing John Eustace a straight red card in the first-half.
But despite playing for almost 70 minutes with ten men and looking like the only side who wanted to win the game, Watford were unable to fashion a real clear-cut opportunity aside from the penalty, and had to settle for a sixth successive draw to extend their unbeaten run to 11.
Aidy Boothroyd made two changes for the clash between the Premiership promotion hopefuls, with the fit-again Mat Sadler replacing Jordan Stewart, who dropped to the bench, while skipper Jay DeMerit was back after an eight-game absence from the starting XI at the expense of Adrian Mariappa.
Despite winning 1-0 at Norwich City in midweek, Stoke boss Tony Pulis opted to make four changes, two of which were enforced with Liam Lawrence suspended and Mamady Sidibe injured. Danny Pugh and Salif Diao were also demoted to the bench, and in came Ricardo Fuller, who was rested for the trip to Carrow Road, Glenn Whelan, Ryan Shawcross and Jay Bothroyd, who was signed on-loan from Wolves yesterday (Friday).
The Hornets were straight on the front foot from the kick-off, with Jobi McAnuff flashing a crossing opportunity from the left behind in the second minute.
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Soon after, DeMerit, starting in an unfamiliar right-back berth, found Tommy Smith, and he attacked Carl Dickinson before getting to the by-line and pulling back a cross which Collins John connected well with on the turn, but saw his shot deflected behind. From McAnuff's resultant corner, John was in the action again, heading over the top.
McAnuff then saw a piledriver blocked before the same player was very unlucky not to give his side a tenth-minute lead. After Smith and Leigh Bromby had toyed with the ball on the right, the former swung over a deep left-footed cross which Dan Shittu headed down into the danger zone and McAnuff connected superbly with a right-footed strike, only to see it blocked by an equally fine Shawcross intervention.
The visitors, with five strung across the back, continued to seat deep and invite the Hornets onto them and they nearly paid the price in the 20th minute when Sadler was given the space to get in a cross from the left and the stooping John diverted the ball straight at Carlo Nash.
But having been totally in control, Watford suffered a massive blow after 22 minutes and, almost predictably, it involved controversial referee Styles. There was no disputing that former Stoke skipper John Eustace went in high on Richard Cresswell, but it is questionable whether the challenge was dangerous. But the referee decided it was, sprinted over to Eustace and showed a straight red card - his 13th dismissal in 31 games this season.
However, Boothroyd, having readied Lee Williamson to come on, decided against making the change, as his side to continue to push on, with John hitting a shot on the turn narrowly over the top. The gap in the centre of the park was instead filled by Smith, who moved inside of his right-wing berth.
The visitors finally mustered an attempt on goal after 31 minutes when Fuller twisted and turned on the edge of the Hornets area before firing in a right-footed shot which Richard Lee was right behind.
The Stoke striker then picked up a booking four minutes before the interval for leaving his foot in on Lee after losing out in a race for the ball with Shittu. But soon after, and having benefited from what looked like a clear foul throw, Fuller shook John-Joe O'Toole off the ball in the bottom left-hand corner before advancing into the area and driving in an angled shot which Lee had to push behind.
There were more bizarre goings on from the referee in the second minute of first-half injury-time when, after Dickinson had kicked the ball away in frustration, Styles clearly put his hand in his pocket as if to show a card, only to change his mind. The ensuing free-kick then saw Nash beat O'Toole to punch away Sadler's dangerous inswinging delivery.
The opening period ended with the predictable mass chorus of boss directed at the official, who ushered Boothroyd away as he walked onto the pitch to speak to him.
Boothroyd did make his delayed change at the start of second-after, bringing on Williamson for John, and Pulis also switched things around in a more positive fashion, by replacing centre-half Leon Cort with striker Paul Gallagher.
McAnuff saw another well-struck effort blocked four minutes after the restart and then Stoke made their second change, with Pugh coming on for Dickinson in the 53rd minute.
But a minute later Styles decided to take centre stage again with another decision that, although it was in Watford's favour, looked very soft.
O'Toole had seemingly lost the chance to get the ball back into the danger zone when he was closed down by Andy Griffin on the left side of the area but, after challenging for possession, the Irishman seemed to do no more than fall over the City right-back. Styles though, decided he'd seen otherwise and awarded Watford a penalty.
But after Griffin and Shawcross had been booked for protesting and encroachment respectively, Darius Henderson once again fluffed his lines from 12 yards, hitting the ball firmly but centrally, and Nash was able to push the spot-kick away to safety.
The clearly frustrated Hornets striker was then booked for clashing with Griffin off the ball, before Pulis made his third and final change, bringing on Diao for the ineffective Bothroyd.
But despite their numerical disadvantage, Watford still looked the more likely side to make the breakthrough and they nearly did it again in the 65th minute when McAnuff cut in off the left flank before hitting a curling shot with the other foot that wasn't too far wide of Nash's left-hand post.
The game then descended into a war of attrition and McAnuff was in danger of letting his frustration get the better of him in the 80th minute when he was cautioned for dissent. Gallagher soon joined after taking out Smith near the left touchline, but a minute from the end of normal time the Hornets could have won. McAnuff swung over a right-footed cross from the left, Shittu headed back across the area and Smith, with the ball dropping slightly behind him, struck a volley over the top.
The Hornets then had what looked to be a decent penalty appeal turned down when Shawcross appeared to handle, but despite piling on yet more pressure in the closing stages the Hornets were unable to force another opportunity.
Despite the frustration of seeing his side held for a sixth straight game, a clearly pumped up Watford boss took to the microphone after the final whistle to thank the home faithful for their "fantastic" support.
To rate the performances of the players against Stoke City, click here
Watford: Lee; DeMerit, Bromby, Shittu, Sadler; Smith, O'Toole, Eustace, McAnuff; John (Williamson, 46), Henderson. Not used: Stewart, Kabba, Ellington and Poom.
Stoke City: Nash; Griffin, Cort, Riggott, Shawcross, Dickinson (Pugh, 52); Whelan, Delap, Cresswell; Bothroyd (Diao, 59), Fuller. Not used: Parkin and Simonson.
Boookings: Eustace for a foul on Cresswell after 22 mins - sent off; Fuller for a foul on Lee after 41 mins; Griffin for dissent after 54 mins; Shawcross for encroachment after 54 mins; Henderson for a foul on Griffin after 65 mins; McAnuff for dissent after 80 mins; Gallagher for a foul on Smith after 87 mins.
Attendance: 18,338.
Referee: Rob (I'm a Bastard) Styles.
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