9:52pm Tuesday 9th March 2010
Watford were unable to build on a superb first half display as they lost 1-0 to promotion-chasing Swansea City.
The Hornets were on top for much of the first half and had a host of chances to take the lead but somehow found themselves 1-0 down at the break through a Shefki Kuqi header.
Both sides created very little in the second 45 minutes, although Watford felt they deserved a penalty when Adrian Mariappa was brought down in the box.
Heidar Helguson forced Dorus de Vries into an excellent stop immediately after and the striker had a volley saved late on but after a super first half, the match somewhat died in the second period.
Watford, who remain two pints clear of the drop zone, started brightly and their first decent opening came in the fourth minute when Don Cowie dug out a cross from the right and the back-tracking Danny Graham headed back across goal, but his effort was cleared from near his own line by Alan Tate.
The visitors responded with Craig Beattie forcing Scott Loach into a good save, before coming within inches of taking a ninth-minute lead when Leon Britton’s cross from the left was met by the head of Shefki Kuqi, who beat the England Under-21 keeper to the ball, only to see it rebound off the far post.
Kuqi had another headed effort soon after, but in the 18th minute he made the breakthrough. Beattie swung in a fine, low cross from the right and the former Crystal Palace striker dived in ahead of an opponent to head goalwards. Although Loach got a hand to the ball, he was unable to keep it out.
That was to be the only goal of the opening period but quite how is anyone’s guess after a superb 45 minutes of end-to-end entertainment resulted in a total of 22 attempts.
Jay DeMerit came the closest to an equaliser for the home side, heading narrowly over and then seeing another effort from a corner cleared off the line by Tate, while at the other end Loach had to be at his best to thwart Beattie.
Both sides were less impressive in the second half and Watford were limited to a blocked Helguson shot and a tame Taylor header going wide in the first 20 minutes of the second period.
The game burst into life on 72 minutes when Watford had a very strong penalty appeal turned down as Adrian Mariappa was blocked as he burst into the box. However, the ball was then switched to Jon Harley and his cross was volleyed goalwards by Helguson only to see de Vries make an excellent stop low down to his right.
Swansea looked destined to make it two when DeMerit was dispossessed in his own half by substitute Guillem Bauza but just as he was set to pull the trigger, Lloyd Doyley made an excellent recovery challenge to keep the Hornets' hopes alive.
Helguson had a tame volley saved late on but the Hornets struggled to create much of note in the second half.
Watford: Loach; Mariappa (Hodson 80), DeMerit, Taylor, Doyley; Cowie, Lansbury (Jenkins 92), Eustace, Harley (McGinn 80); Graham, Helguson.
Subs: Lee, Bennett, Hoskins, Henderson.
Swansea City; De Vries; Rangel, Williams, Tate, Richards; Britton (Butler 82), Pratley, Gower; Van der Gun, Kuqi (Idrizaj 94), Beattie (Bauza 68).
Subs: Cornell, Trundle, Lucas, Burgin.
Referee: Trevor Kettle.
Attendance: 12,907.
Bookings: Kuqi for dissent after six mins; Helguson for a foul on Rangel after 37 mins; Lansbury for foul on Bauza after 90 mins.
To see how the match unfolded, click here
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