SCOTT FITZGERALD was the happiest man in Watford on Sunday, May 4, after scoring his first goal in professional football to wrap up a slightly surprising 2-0 victory over Play-Off bound Sheffield United and ensure the Hornets' season ended on a high at Vicarage Road.

The former Northwood striker could have easily have finished with a hat-trick as a relatively inexperienced Watford side improved proved too good on the day for the Blades after a poor first-half.

Skipper Neil Cox set the ball rolling with possibly his last goal in Hornets colours, and there were emotional scenes at the end when Allan Nielsen left the pitch to a standing ovation after making his final appearance and the club's awards were re-presented.

As expected, Ray Lewington opted to give youth a chance for the Hornets' final fixture, making a total of eight changes from the 3-0 defeat against Reading. Fitzgerald was given his full debut, Anthony McNamee finally got his first start of the season, while Richard Lee, Lloyd Doyley and Jamie Hand were also in the starting XI. The other changes saw Cox and Wayne Brown return to the defence, and Richard Johnson drafted into midfield.

With a home advantage in the second leg of the Play-Offs guaranteed, Neil Warnock opted to rest keeper Paddy Kenny, defender Phil Jagielka and star midfielders Michael Brown and Michael Tonge. Captained by former Hornet Robert Page, the Blades brought in Gary Kelly, Marcel Cas, Mark Rankine and Nick Montgomery, while Carl Asaba and Dean Windass were given the nod over Steve Kabba and Wayne Allison in attack.

After a fairly sedate opening, with the visitors having most of the early pressure, it was the Blades who had the first chance on ten minutes when a Rob Kozluk pass was flicked on by Windass to Asaba, who jinked his way past Doyley before snatching his shot wide of the near post.

Jason Norville then fired widly wide at the other end, before Lee did well to recover and grab the ball after coming through the back of Marcus Gayle and Asaba on the far left edge of the area.

The game gradually deteriorated into something of an end-of-season stroll in the sun, but on 23 minutes McNamee curled in a free-kick from the right, but the stooping Cox couldn't keep his header down.

Doyley did well to defend a dangerous cross from the right soon after, before an excelleny cross-field ball from Johnson picked out McNamee, and his cross was met by the head of Fitzgerald, but he couldn't get enough power on it and Kelly was able to save comfortably.

The Blades nearly took a stunning lead on 29 minutes. Rankine's shot was blocked by Brown, but the ball fell to Stuart McCall 20 yards out, and he didn't need a second invitation, unleashing a fiercely struck shot which was slightly defected en route to going over off the top of the bar. The resulting corner was played short to Montgomery, but his ambitious attempt went well over.

In the last minute of the first-half, Watford should have gone in front. A Nielsen pass put Fitzgerald through on goal, but his first touch was just too heavy, giving Kelly the opportunity to come out and make the save.

But that was one of the few meaningful incidents in what was a generally forgettable opening period.

The Blades had the first attempt of the second-half, with Rankine firing wide from the edge of the area, and then at the other end a Nielsen long throw from the right was headed back to the Dane, who fired a first-time shot across goal and wide.

The visitors made their first change on 51 minutes, bringing on Tonge for McCall, who had picked up a knock just before.

Eight minutes later, Windass found Ndlovu on the left, and he advanaced before firing a shot just over the top, and then the Blades made their second change, replacing Rankine with Kabba.

However, Watford went close on 61 minutes when Hand saw a shot blocked, but the ball ran loose to Fitzgerald at a tight angle on the left side of the area, but his attempted placement into the far corner was kept out by the feet of Kelly.

But the Hornets did make the breakthrough on 64 minutes. A McNamee corner from the left went right across the face of the area, but was picked up by Gayle, who laid it back to Nielsen. His mis-hit shot headed towards Cox, who did well to turn on the edge of the six-yard box and hook it into the bottom corner to net his ninth of the campaign.

Two minutes later, it could have been 2-0. Norville broke away from John Curtis' attempted tackle on the left, but instead of knocking it sideways to Fitzgerald, who was unmarked in the middle, the young striker opted to go it alone, and finished with a shot straight at Kelly.

Sheffield United made their third and final change on 68 minutes, bringing on Paul Peschisolido for Windass.

Cox had another opening on 71 minutes, but his got his bearings all wrong when he went to meet a McNamee free-kick from the right, and headed wide. At the other end, Kabba went on a run down the right, but as he looked to pull the ball back from the by-line, Lee got across well to smother.

Norville hooked a McNamee corner from the left wide as the game entered the final 15 minutes, and then came a moment to savour for Fitzgerald. Another McNamee corner from the left found the head of the unmarked Gayle, whose excellent header was well saved by Kelly, but the former Northwood striker was in the right place to net his first goal in professional football, although he rather sliced it over the line.

The referee's patience finally ran out with Hand with ten minutes remaining, when he was booked for a late lunge on Tonge, having got away with several fouls previously. Then Nielsen found Fitzgerald on the right, and the striker only one thing on his mind, sending an angled, dipping attempt just over.

Kabba forced Lee into a save low down soon after, and then Tonge sent a snap-shot over the top before Watford carved open the Blades defence again. A lovely Norville back heel set McNamee free on the left, and he bided his time before picking out Fitzgerald, who side-footed straight at Kelly when it appeared easier to score.

Lee Cook was given a run-out for the last two minutes, replacing Nielsen, who was given a standing ovation as he left the Vicarage Road pitch for the final time, and the chants of Super Al' continued for several minutes aftewards and lasted into the final whistle being blown on another season.

Watford: Lee; Doyley, Cox, Gayle, Brown; Nielsen, Johnson, Hand, McNamee; Norville, Fitzgerald. Substitutes: Cook for Nielsen after 88 mins; T. Smith, Mahon, Swonnell and Chamberlain not used.

Sheffield United: Kelly; Cas, Curtis, Page, Kozluk; McCall; Montgomery, Rankine, Ndlovu; Asaba, Windass. Substitutes: Tonge for McCall after 51 mins; Kabba for Rankine after 60 mins; Peschisolido for Windass after 68 mins; Allison and Cryan not used.

Bookings: Hand for a foul on Tonge after 80 mins.

Attendance: 14,320.

Referee: Tony Hall (West Midlands).

May 4, 2003 18:00