11:18am Tuesday 27th July 2010
By Anthony Matthews
Marvin Sordell looks set to partner Danny Graham in attack tonight as Watford end their Hertfordshire pre-season trips at Stevenage.
Will Buckley will miss the trip to the Lamex Stadium with a minor knock, while Dale Bennett has also been ruled out of the match against the League Two newcomers after picking up a toe injury in Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Northampton Town. However, fellow defender Tom Aldred, who missed the game at Sixfields with a similar problem, is fit again and comes back into the Hornets squad.
Sordell will be favourite to get the nod over the likes of Liam Henderson to partner Graham up front after coming off the bench and scoring the equaliser against the Cobblers.
The Hornets have already faced Boreham Wood, St Albans City and Barnet this summer, but Malky Mackay will be seeking improvements after watching his side concede three disappointing goals before netting twice late on to salvage the draw.
The majority of the team are again expected to play the full 90 minutes as they continue to build up their fitness, with the start of the new season less than two weeks away, and the Hornets boss said: “They have to have another 80, 90 minutes fitness work because it’s all about now getting people up to speed in terms of having to play 90 minutes on the Friday night, then the following Tuesday night in the League Cup and the following Saturday etc.
“So, a, 90 minutes fitness but also, b, an improvement on the performances as well. We’ve got to look at improving the performances.”
Tonight’s opponents have been in good form during pre-season, particularly against two of the Hornets’ newly-promoted Championship rivals.
Following a 2-0 victory at Histon and a 1-1 draw at Chelmsford City, Stevenage held Norwich City to a goalless stalemate before beating Millwall 2-1 on Saturday.
Tonight’s game kicks off at 7.45pm and admission is £18 for adults, £15 concessions and £10 for Under-18s.
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