SHEFFIELD Wednesday certainly made Watford work hard for the three points as the strugglers punched well above their weight in this end-to-end battle.
It was certainly an all action first half, with both sides looking dangerous. It's more than fair to say that you would never have thought there was almost an entire division between the two sides.
Watford raced into a two goal lead with hit man Darius Henderson stabbing the ball home after five minutes before Marlon King doubled the lead from the penalty spot.
Wednesday pulled one back before the break through Graham Kavanagh to leave Watford wondering if the curse of the struggling clubs would strike again.
A tense finale and the sending off of Jermaine Johnson were the noteworthy moments in the second half as Watford sat it out to collect the three points.
Aidy Boothroyd stuck with the same team that faced Blackpool on Saturday with the exception of a change on the bench.
Young John Joe O'Toole replaced Aidy Mariappa on the bench, but apart from that, it was as you were.
The first few minutes were spent in Sheffield Wednesday's box, but it was Johnson's darting run that had the travelling fans on their feet when he blitzed past Gavin Mahon and sprinted 30 yards before unleashing a shot that fizzed just wide.
The same man then forced Mart Poom into making a low save as he tried to sneak one in at the near post.
Despite the visitor's early pressure, it was the Hornets who took the lead on five minutes. Lloyd Doyley's mammoth throw found Dan Shittu placed in the centre of goal and the centre half flicked it on for Henderson to score his sixth of the season.
It was the epitome of a poacher's goal, on hand to mop of the loose ball, Henderson stabbed it into the back of the net from close range.
Adam Johnson then sent a telling cross into the box and Peter Gilbert had to be alert as he headed it away as Tommy Smith was lurking at the far post ready to pounce.
It was all Watford now, with Marlon King getting in on the play making act. With his back to goal, he spotted Henderson and teased the ball into his path.
The goal scorer squared it for Lee Williamson, who shot from outside the box, but his effort narrowly missed the target.
Watford then grabbed their second with 14 minutes gone - the man Marlon King notching his penalty hat-trick for the season after Henderson had been felled by Richard Hinds.
Henderson was pulled to the ground before King stepped up to drive his spot kick past Robert Burch. Wednesday then almost pulled a goal back when Deon Burton got in the way of a goal bound effort to his own man's detriment.
Hinds then brought a save out of Poom when his leaping header had to be held by the Estonian, as the Owls started to raise their game way above the status that their lowly position proclaims.
Watford were in cruise control though and with Doyley and Stewart pushing football, it looked pleasing on the eye. Doyley played a superb cutting ball through for Smith, who picked it up at the by-line before pulling it back for Henderson. Looking for his second, the poacher headed narrowly off target with his effort landing on the roof of the net.
Wednesday were always threatening on the attack however, and it was from one such move that the Owls pulled a goal back.
Marcus Tudgay headed the ball down for Graham Kavanagh, who unleashed a snapshot that bounced once before flying past Poom. The visitors definitely looked as though they had goals in them.
Watford almost restored their two goal advantage just before the interval - twice. The first occasion saw Adam Johnson's shot deflected by Hinds and Burch having to make a desperate save.
Moments later, King's effort across the face of goal was picked up by Henderson at the far post, but his header just narrowly missed the target by the smallest of margins.
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King's goal kept the Hornets in the lead at the break |
The second half began with a slower tempo, Henderson creating the first chance on goal some seven minutes in - a light header that was easily held by Burch. It was the same story two minutes later.
Lee Bullen was having much the same luck up the other end as his looping header flew over the bar. Suddenly the chances that were once coming thick and fast were few and far between.
It may not have been an effort on goal, but Smith's trickery down the wing, which saw him take on the attentions of three men, was well worthy of a mention. The tenacious winger never gave up and kept plugging away until he got his pass completed.
Akpo Sodje gave Watford a scare when his close range header flew wide, suddenly the Owls were on the attack again and looking more than capable of scoring. Kavanagh tried his luck with another effort from outside the box, but this time it flew way over the bar.
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King off... youngster O'Toole enters the field |
The final ten minutes was a nervy affair with late tackles flying in and a flurry of bookings, culminating in the second booking and sending off of Johnson.
Henderson's last minute strike flew across the face of goal, but it didn't matter, Watford had done enough to hang on to a well deserved and much needed three points.
WATFORD (4-4-2): Poom; Doyley, Stewart, Shittu, DeMerit; Mahon, Williamson, Johnson (McAnuff 90), Smith; King (O'Toole 90), Henderson. Subs not used: Lee (gk), Ellington, Priskin.
SHEFF WED (4-4-2): Burch; Simek (Esajas 54), Gilbert, M Johnson (c), Hinds (Bullen 46); Tudgay, Kavanagh, Whelan, J Johnson; Burton, Sodje. Subs not used: Lunt, O'Brien, Beevers.
BOOKINGS: WATFORD; Shittu (time wasting 79). SHEFF WED; Gilbert (unsporting behaviour 42), Esajas (dissent 60), Whelan (unsporting behaviour 80), J Johnson (unsporting behaviour 81).
SENDINGS OFF: WATFORD; none. SHEFF WED; J Johnson (second bookable 89).
GOALS: WATFORD; Henderson (5), King (14). SHEFF WED; Kavanagh (34).
REFEREE: A Hall
ATTENDANCE: 15,437
