Rose also starts in place of injured Watford pair (From Watford Observer)

Rose also starts in place of injured Watford pair

1:03pm Sunday 3rd May 2009

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Gavin Hoyte returns to the Watford starting line-up after a 12-game absence as Brendan Rodgers makes two enforced changes for this afternoon’s final match of the season against Derby County at Vicarage Road.

With Mike Williamson ruled out due to a hernia operation, it was thought the Hornets boss would hand a first start to Andrei Stepanov following the 3-2 victory at Coventry City. Hornets, Rodgers has opted to move Adrian Mariappa across to centre-half, with the on-loan Arsenal youngster returning to the team for the first time since the 2-1 defeat at Plymouth Argyle in early March.

The other change sees Danny Rose come in for dislocated shoulder victim Ross Jenkins, while there is a first taste of the matchday 16 for Academy full-back Lee Hodson, who is included on the bench.

The good news on the injury front is that skipper Jay DeMerit and top scorer Tommy Smith have both made the game, despite not training all week.

Rams boss Nigel Clough also makes two changes from the team that ended a three-match losing streak with a 1-0 victory over Charlton Athletic last weekend – and has selected John Eustace to face his parent club.

The on-loan Vicarage Road midfielder joins Stephen Pearson in replacing Martin Albrechtsen and another familiar face in this part of Hertfordshire, Jordan Stewart. But, as expected, there is no room in Clough’s squad for Nathan Ellington, which will only further fuel suggestions that he could be sent back to Watford when his season-long loan ends after today.

Watford: Loach; Hoyte, Mariappa, DeMerit, Doyley; Smith, Rose, Cork, McAnuff; Rasiak, Priskin. Substitutes: Lee, Hoskins, Cauna, Stepanov, Hodson.

Derby County: Bywater, Connolly, Eustace, Nyatanga, Pearson; Varney, Savage, Bannan, Teale; Commons; Hulse. Substitutes: Villa, Price, Beardsley, Dudley, O’Brien.

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