Watford manager confident of avoiding the drop due to players' work rate (From Watford Observer)

Watford manager confident of avoiding the drop due to players' work rate

3:21pm Tuesday 16th March 2010

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Malky Mackay is confident Watford will avoid relegation despite losing their last four games because the players are still “giving everything they have for the jersey”.

The Hornets are one point above the relegation spots in 19th place after just two wins in their last 14 Championship matches.

Watford were well-below par in their 1-0 defeat to Peterborough United on Saturday but Mackay remained upbeat when asked about his side’s chances of avoiding the drop.

He said: “We are down in that area but we have to make sure between now and the end of the season we win as many games as possible.

“The players were frustrated today but they were giving everything they had for the jersey today and for Watford and if that wasn’t happening then I would worry but they weren’t. The pressure we applied in the second half showed that.”

Watford have not scored in their last three matches and while Mackay claimed his side needed to be more clinical, he is not concerned about his side’s ability to create chances.

Speaking after the 1-0 defeat to Peterborough, Mackay said: “Today you look at the one where Adrian Mariappa had a chance and then had a header cleared off the line and we had the two penalty incidents.

“I think sometimes the catalyst for the goals coming back is just a break where something hits someone on the backside and goes in. Maybe something like that is needed but it is something we keep working on and we are trying to apply ourselves in that top half of the pitch.”

Watford have had their fair share of controversial decisions this season and Mackay believes his side could have twice had penalties awarded when free kicks were given on the edge of the 18-yard box.

Referring to the foul on Heidar Helguson in the second half, Mackay said: “I have looked at it again and the boy [Mark Little] doesn’t see him coming and looks to clear it, Heidar gets a touch on it and the guy leathers Heidar. As the guy steps down he is two yards inside his own box. From 20 yards away that looks a penalty to me.”