Latics end Hornets' cup hopes

12:41pm Wednesday 26th October 2005

THERE will be no repeat run to the Carling Cup Semi-Finals for Watford this season after they went down to a 3-0 defeat at Premiership high-flyers Wigan Athletic on Tuesday, October 25.

The Hornets managed to keep the Latics at bay for 90 minutes, but the home side's quality told in extra-time as a Ryan Taylor penalty and a late brace from Andreas Johnasson secured their passage through to Round Four.

Adrian Boothroyd made seven changes to the team which triumphed at Ipswich, but went for a more experienced starting line-up than in the previous rounds. Skipper Gavin Mahon and Darius Henderson both retained their places after Saturday, Malky Mackay returned, but the more youthful element came in the form of Al Bangura, Toumani Diagouraga and Joel Grant.

Paul Jewell, as expected, made sweeping changes, with only Alan Mahon and Jimmy Bullard remaining from the side which started Wigan's 2-0 victory at Aston Villa on Saturday.

Gary Teale had the ball in the Watford net inside the opening 20 seconds but the flag had gone up for offside. Alan Mahon then won the ball and advanced before trying his luck from 25 yards but his shot flew wide of Alec Chamberlain's left-hand upright.

Watford though, settled early themselves but most of the opening stages were fought out in midfield and it took until 18 minutes for the next opportunity to arise; Alan Mahon heading aJohansson cross tamely at Chamberlain. Alan Mahon then dragged another shot wide of the target after a Latics corner had been partially cleared.

However, it took two fine saves from Chamberlain to keep the Hornets level after 25 minutes. First he reacted superbly at his near post to keep out Matt Jackson's downward header after the centre-half had crept upfield unmarked to get on the end of Steve McMillan's cross from the left, and soon after the veteran stopped did well again to get behind a shot from Taylor.

Jackson had another good opening on 29 minutes, sending a shot wide from the edge of the area after Johnasson had headed back a free-kick from the left. This was awarded after DeMerit was booked for a foul on Bullard.

Chamberlain reacted well again after 33 minutes, moving smartly to his right to keep out Taylor's low right-footed drive from 20 yards.

The Latics continued to dominate the chances and their next came five minutes before the interval when Alan Mahon held up play until the overlapping McMillan arrived down the left flank and his cross into the near post was headed across goal and wide by Teale from a good position, but Watford were able to keep it goalless until the interval.

Having not managed a shot or a corner in the first-half, Watford achieved both within 90 seconds of the restart. Diagouraga worked the ball to his left where Anthony McNamee took aim and struck a left-foot shot that was heading for the far corner until Mike Pollitt pushed it behind. Then, after the resultant set-piece had been partially cleared, McNamee played the ball in from the right to Grant, who had pulled clear on the right side of the area, and his instinctive right-footed flick back across goal was kept out by a sharp reflex save from Pollitt.

Watford continued to push on after the restart and after 51 minutes McNamee whipped another dangerous ball from the right wide of the far post.

But it took another excellent stop from Chamberlain to keep Watford on level terms after 58 minutes. Bullard dispossessed Jordan Stewart down the Wigan left before finding Taylor, who delivered a low cross which appeared to be inadvertently turned golwards by James Chambers but the 41-year-old reacted superbly, instinctively diving low to his left to prevent his full-back from scoring an own goal. Soon after Teale got goalside of DeMerit but dragged his shot from the right angle of the area wide of the near post.

Watford had a reasonable chance of their own after 68 minutes when, following some trickery down the inside left channel, Grant worked the ball inside to Diagouraga, who was breaking into the area, but the Frenchman snatched his shot wide of the near post.

Both sides made changes after 70 minutes; Francino Francis coming on for Henderson and Graham Kavanagh replacing Bullard.

Chamberlain was untroubled by a far post Johnasson header on 78 minutes following a deep, looping Josip Skoko cross, and then David Wright put Taylor in behind the Watford defence but there was no one in the right place to connect with the ball he flashed across the area.

Ben Gill came on for Diagouraga with six minutes remaining as the prospect of extra-time began to loom large, although as the game entered injury-time Wigan had a free-kick in a promising position but Kavanagh opted to take it clear and Chamberlain was wise to his thoughts, but the additional half hour it was.

But five minutes into the first period of extra-time Watford were caught out. Skoko's ball forward put Johansson through in the inside-right channel and, as he looked to cut back inside, he was caught by DeMerit. Boothroyd used the delay in play to bring on Adrian Mariappa for Gavin Mahon, but it didn't put Taylor off as he confidently tucked the spot-kick low to Chamberlain's right to make it 1-0.

Wigan could have doubled their lead just after the restart when Taylor picked out the unmarked Kavanagh, who had time to bring the ball down, but he tried a first-time left-footed volley, which went wide. Teale then cut in off the right but shot tamely at Chamberlain.

Watford pushed Mackay up front for the last ten minutes and began to see more of the ball again, but the Latics should have made it 2-0 after 113 minutes when Taylor's pass picked out Johansson, who helped it on to Alan Mahon in the clear on the left side of the area, but after steadying himself the midfielder fired over from the angle.

But Wigan did secure their passage into Round Four after 116 minutes; Johnasson working a fine one-two with Teale before calmly placing a right-footed shot around Chamberlain and in-off the far post.

Kavanagh might have scored a third soon after, but Chamberlain got his body behind the midfielder's snap shot, but they should have made it 3-0 when Bangura was dispossessed and Johansson helped the ball through to Teale, who succeeded in lifting the ball over Chamberlain but cleared the bar as well.

However, the Hornets' keeper was left exposed in the last minute of injury-time when Alan Mahon was put clear on the left and his low centre picked out Johansson for a routine side-footed finish to complete a rather flattering 3-0 victory for the home side.

Wigan Athletic: Pollitt; Wright, Jackson, Thome, McMillan; Taylor, Skoko, Bullard, Mahon; Johansson, Teale. Substitutes: Kavanagh for Bullard after 70 mins; Waterhouse for McMillan after 117 mins; Henchoz, Joyce and Filan not used.

Watford: Chamberlain; Chambers, DeMerit, Mackay, Stewart, Diagouraga, Mahon, Bangura; McNamee; Henderson, Grant. Substitutes: Francis for Henderson after 70 mins; Gill for Diagouraga after 84 mins; Mariappa for Mahon after 95 mins; Osborne and Francis not used.

Bookings: DeMerit for a foul on Bullard after 29 mins; Grant for a foul on Skoko after 104 mins; Attendance: 4,581.

Referee: A. Hall.