Updated: Stack helps young Watford side secure draw (From Watford Observer)
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Former Arsenal and Hibernian goalkeeper Graham Stack keeps clean sheet as Watford draw 0-0 with St Albans City
8:37am Thursday 2nd August 2012 in Sport
Picture: Action Images
Graham Stack played the full 90 minutes as a Watford development side drew 0-0 with non-league St Albans City.
Italian legend Gianfranco Zola looked on as a side consisting of mainly academy players and first-year professionals were held to a goalless draw by the Evo-Stik League Southern side at Clarence Park last night.
The visitors missed a string of good chances and Stack, who started his career at Arsenal and left Hibs in the summer, was comfortable for most of the night.
It was initially thought that Stack was a trialist at Watford but it has been suggested that he is merely training with the squad at the moment, with back-up keeper Jack Bonham injured.
Watford, who included Gavin Massey and Matty Whichelow in their starting XI, began well and soon stretched the Saints with a comfortable passing game.
The visitors were first to threaten with Chris Dillon having the sting taken out of his shot, leaving Hardy to make a simple save.
City did well to weather early Watford pressure and had to wait until midway through the half before worrying the Hornets backline.But other than for a couple of half chances for Aaron Lansiquot, the Hornets goal was not seriously troubled.
Watford had two good chances to go ahead late in the half but both times Hardy made outstanding saves as he pushed a Whichelow shot around the post and then beat out an Aaron Tumwa header.
Whichelow, teed up by Dillon, finally got the ball past Hardy on 41 minutes but the shot hit the side-netting.
Watford, led by Under-18s manager David Hughes, exerted heavy pressure early in the second half but City survived mainly thanks to a number of determined blocks.
Jazzi-Barnum-Bobb was thwarted right in front of the Hatfield Road goal before Stephan Hamilton-Forbes had an effort charged down and Whichelow was denied by the legs of Hardy.
Watford continued to press forward with Luke O’Nien having a shot cleared off the line by the impressive Matt Taylor, while Massey hammered the loose ball high and wide.
City, who had former Watford midfielder Micah Hyde in their side, almost broke through with a classic counter-attack. Whichelow lost the ball following a surging run and moments later Richard Graham had set Chris Henry up but again the wingers shot was woefully off target.
A slip by Layne Eadie allowed Kamaron English to burst clear. Joe Zazzera regained possession with an excellent tackle but went close to putting Watford ahead with a misdirected back pass.
A total of 16 second half changes disrupted the flow of the game to some degree but a couple of the new faces went close to snatching a winning goal.
Within a minute of coming on, Hornets substitute Bobson Bawling stabbed a shot narrowly wide and then St Albans' Sean Shields, came within a whisker of putting City in front with a freak ricochet as he blocked an attempted clearance by O’Nien As Watford pushed up in the closing minutes, City looked to the speed of substitute David Parkinson to decide the game on the break.
Twice Parkinson got clear but the first time his misjudged pass to Edward Adeji lost City possession and the second effort was snuffed out when Stack, currently training with Watford, saved at the striker's feet.
St Albans City: N.Hardy, A.Blackwood (J.Zazzera 56), N.Bernard (L.Eadie 46), M.Taylor (O.Cleaver 67), C.Ujah (M.Diarra 56), D.Gordon (W.Walters 56), C.Henry (Se.Shields 77), M.Hyde (H.Carr 56), R.Haworth (E.Adeji 46), A.Lansiquot (D.Parkinson 67), R.Graham (T.Charles 77).
Watford: G.Stack, J.Barnum-Bobb, K.Connolly, S.Hamilton-Forbes, J.Johnson (D.O’Connor 58), A.Tumwa, G.Massey (B.Bawling 72), C.Dillon (J.Calvin 72), M.Whichelow (R.Hope 72), L.O’Nien (K.Cumberbatch 72), K.English (J.Doherty 77), sub not used: D.Wilks.
Referee: Mick Russell (St Albans).
Att: 367.
Comments(23)
McHornet
says...
8:56am Thu 2 Aug 12
That's not gospel, i'm just reading between the lines.
londomollari
says...
8:57am Thu 2 Aug 12
Holly68
says...
9:01am Thu 2 Aug 12
Holly68
says...
9:02am Thu 2 Aug 12
Only 2 Ross Jenkins
says...
9:37am Thu 2 Aug 12
londomollari wrote:You have hit the nail on the head
Looks like Zola wants an experienced bench sitter, rather than the inexperienced Bond.
Joelage
says...
9:43am Thu 2 Aug 12
Dannyseabs
says...
9:47am Thu 2 Aug 12
Dannyseabs
says...
9:48am Thu 2 Aug 12
Dannyseabs wrote:I meant to say season long LOAN lol silly me
I think young Bond would benefit more from a season long so this as others have said is an experienced number two
SAHornet
says...
11:06am Thu 2 Aug 12
Holly68 wrote:From WO piece about injuries:
What's happened to Britt and Conor ?
"Two other players who have been injured during pre-season are Britt Assombalonga and Connor Smith."
Mickey Quinn, not so thin
says...
11:15am Thu 2 Aug 12
londomollari wrote:yes albeit at 30 he has only played c100 first team games in his career to date and has been released by all those who have signed him, inc plymouth...
Looks like Zola wants an experienced bench sitter, rather than the inexperienced Bond.
Dr,Oftaw
says...
11:16am Thu 2 Aug 12
Holly68 wrote:young benik afobe arsenal striker looking to go out on loan
We still need a couple strikers and a winger to challenge at the top end of championship
southernhornet
says...
11:27am Thu 2 Aug 12
Mickey Quinn, not so thin wrote:Yeah although he is 30 he is not exactly an experienced goalkeeper. Bond must have played about 20 or 30 first team games with the various loans he has had already.
londomollari wrote:yes albeit at 30 he has only played c100 first team games in his career to date and has been released by all those who have signed him, inc plymouth...
Looks like Zola wants an experienced bench sitter, rather than the inexperienced Bond.
buckler
says...
11:52am Thu 2 Aug 12
Joelage wrote:Who cares where he lives ! I'm all of the above and would be even cheaper and live in Hemel ! Can I sign?
Stack isnt a bad keeper all, decent shop stopper, great distrubution (can kick a ball a mile) and if he signs would be a solid back up to MA. As i mentioned in a previous post, he lives in Ruislip so it would be a good move all round and wouldnt warrant big wages. Sign him up i say - send Bond out on loan again and make sure we have a 24 hour recall on him, he is a huge prospect but like all keepers needs game time.
Mickey Quinn, not so thin
says...
1:08pm Thu 2 Aug 12
lutondown
says...
1:58pm Thu 2 Aug 12
Mickey Quinn, not so thin wrote:Anything with a Watford connection is it now MacPie
fyi BBC reports cardiff are after helguson
He can't raid our larder no more
Bush Hornet
says...
3:12pm Thu 2 Aug 12
Bush Hornet
says...
3:38pm Thu 2 Aug 12
lutondown wrote:The fat one is using his extensive networks as usual
Mickey Quinn, not so thin wrote:Anything with a Watford connection is it now MacPie
fyi BBC reports cardiff are after helguson
He can't raid our larder no more
Bringe
says...
4:12pm Thu 2 Aug 12
Maybe, just maybe the fans hounding Loach out of the club will backfire on us.
Andrew1963
says...
5:32pm Thu 2 Aug 12
lutondown
says...
5:36pm Thu 2 Aug 12
Bringe wrote:Well Brian perhaps some of us are half idiots? I wanted Almunia but glad to see back of Loach. Perhaps if he had held his hands up and didn't blame everyone bar him ( his tweets) people would have been more sympathetic.
There's some idiots on here didn't want Almunia because he was no-longer first choice at Arsenal ... so what chance has this fella got? Just remember it's Zola's call but getting quality, experienced backup is always going to be difficult.
Maybe, just maybe the fans hounding Loach out of the club will backfire on us.
Anyway don't look like Zola tried to twist his arm!
Bringe
says...
7:17pm Thu 2 Aug 12
If Stack signs he'll be slagged off before he even kicks a ball for us and that gets me angry.
lutondown
says...
8:07pm Thu 2 Aug 12
Bringe wrote:Looks like a good back up to me, a well organised vocal goalie, that inspires confidence with the backs.
Agree Dan he ... should've closed his twitter account and said nothing. I'm no fan of his but I just reckon he'd have been decent back-up until Bond is ready, no more and to tell the truth I'd still prefer Richard Lee.
If Stack signs he'll be slagged off before he even kicks a ball for us and that gets me angry.
I think the doom merchants are being quieted and their lack of presence tells a story. They'll be waiting for the first slip up to come out of their nests.
Mickey Quinn, not so thin says...
8:46am Thu 2 Aug 12