Malky Mackay yet to record league win as a manager after defeat at Barnsley

4:59pm Saturday 15th November 2008

By Frank Smith

A suicidal three minutes saw Watford’s winless run in the league reach six games after Barnsley came from behind to win 2-1 at Oakwell.

Malky Mackay selected the same starting lineup which sent the Hornets into the Carling Cup quarter final on Tuesday at Swansea.

And the decision seemed to have paid off as the visitors were winning with just over 20 minutes to go thanks to a Tommy Smith goal.

But strikes from Miguel Mostto and Stephen Foster following defensive mix ups by Watford’s defence, gave Barnsley the win and Mackay his second league defeat as a manager.

The home side had picked up ten points from a possible 12 in the four games prior to last week’s defeat to Sheffield United.

That game was mainly remembered for the horrific injury striker Iain Hume suffered in a clash with Sheffield United’s Chris Morgan.

And it was Hume’s replacement Kayode Odejayi who set up the first chance of the game when he held the ball up in the Watford area and laid it off to Diego Leon but the midfielder’s shot was blocked for a corner.

Rob Kozluk then whipped in a teasing in-swinging cross which nobody got on the end of before Richard Lee made a tremendous save minutes later.

Jamal Campbell-Ryce sent in a good cross and Hugo Colace headed the ball at goal from six yards out and somehow a diving Lee saved it mid-air with his legs.

Odejayi was causing Watford problems and after he had out-muscled Leigh Bromby, he crossed for Jon Macken, who got a yard of space and thundered a shot against the Hornet’s bar.

As time went on Watford got into the game and after a neat inside pass by 17-year-old Ross Jenkins, Lee Williamson who scored his first goals of the season in the two games against Swansea, tried to curl a 20-yard shot into the top corner but it was well wide.

Mackay’s side started to really stroke the ball around and Tamas Priskin somehow found space and forced Heinz Muller into a save at his near post from a tight angle.

Jenkins then headed comfortably over after a good flick on by Jay DeMerit from a Williamson corner.

Lee then got lucky when the referee gave a free kick after Watford’s goalie fumbled the ball under minimal pressure from Odejayi.

Jenkins was looking comfortable in centre midfield and after skipping past Leon he played the ball to Mariappa who slipped Priskin in but the Hungarian’s cross was just headed away from the arriving Williamson.

Watford then had the best chance of the half when Williamson floated a lovely ball to Jobi McAnuff and the winger beat his man to the header before pulling the ball back to Priskin but the big striker fired over from eight yards.

Jon Harley then forced Muller into a good save when he struck a ferocious shot after McAnuff’s effort was blocked by the defender.

Campbell-Ryce was the South Yorkshire side’s most potent threat, with Odejayi, and after another mazy run he put Mounir El Haimour in but Lee just dived on the ball in time.

On Tuesday, Watford looked a lot stronger at the back and Mackay’s men were again looking good when in injury time of the first half, DeMerit slipped and Odejayi was one-on-one with Lee but the striker tried to be too clever and his little dink was saved by the on-coming goalkeeper.

The game was a lot more open at the beginning of the second half and Watford opened the scoring not long after the break.

McAnuff started the second period brightly and it was his low cross which Tommy Smith back-heeled in from inside the six-yard box.

The goal seemed to spur Barnsley into action and Colace had a long shot blocked and a header go wide before Campbell-Ryce’s shot was saved by Lee’s knees.

Harley also went close when Smith pulled the ball back to the edge of the box but the former Chelsea midfielder’s shot went just wide.

Watford looked comfortable at the back but as has been the case all season, out of nowhere, a defensive mix up allowed substitute Miguel Mostto in to fire past Lee from the edge of the area.

And if one defensive mistake wasn’t enough, Barnsley went ahead when Jon Macken kept the ball in from a corner and his cross was missed by a diving Lee at the front post, it bounced off a defender and Barnsley captain Stephen Foster knocked the ball past Mariappa on the line.

Watford seem to have fallen apart out of nowhere and Lee came and missed a long ball which was luckily hooked away.

Williamson had a long shot straight at Muller but Leon went straight down the other end and his deflected shot went just wide.

Watford then had two set pieces in quick succession but Bromby could only volley comfortably over.

With three minutes left, McAnuff ballooned a shot well wide as Watford chased an equaliser.

Smith went on a good run and crossed for Rasiak, who beat Muller to the ball, but it was scooped away by the defender.

Substitute Will Hoskins then found himself free from ten yards but his shot was straight at the ‘keeper.

Barnsley: Muller; Kozluk, Moore (Hassell 15), Souza, Foster; El Haimour (Mostto 55), Leon, Colace, Campbell-Ryce; Odejayi, Macken. Subs not used: Steele , Van Homoet, Rigters.

Watford: Lee; Doyley, DeMerit, Bromby, Mariappa; Harley (Hoskins 78), Williamson, Jenkins O’Toole 81), McAnuff; Smith, Priskin (Rasiak 60). Subs: Tyler(GK), Ward, O’Toole.