Loach error costs Hornets victory over returning Mackay (From Watford Observer)

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Watford draw for fifth Championship game in six after Cardiff City point

2:02pm Monday 26th December 2011 in Championship Table By Anthony Matthews

A mistake from Scott Loach cost Watford a battling Boxing Day win over Cardiff City and former manager Malky Mackay as a pulsating clash at Vicarage Road ended 1-1.

The Hornets were on course for the three points after superb work from Marvin Sordell set up Prince Buaben for his first goal for the Hornets but with ten minutes remaining the Watford keeper belatedly came for a long Aron Gunnarsson throw but finished up stranded as Adrian Mariappa’s flicked header sailed over him, although the goal was credited to Ben Turner.

The captain's second own goal in the three home game - neither of which was really his fault - was harsh on the hosts but a point against one of the Championship’s leading sides extended Watford's unbeaten run to seven after a fifth draw in six outings.

Sean Dyche made just the one change from the side that held Blackpool to a goalless draw last time out, with Carl Dickinson returning from illness to replace Lloyd Doyley. That meant Doyley would have to wait for his opportunity to become only the 12th player in Hornets’ history to make 350 senior appearances for the club. Chris Iwelumo was also back on the bench, having also missed the trip to Bloomfield Road through sickness.

Former Watford boss Mackay included two other familiar faces in his starting line-up – ex-Vicarage Road loanee Andrew Taylor and Don Cowie, who was fit to play after sustaining an injury in the 3-2 defeat to Middlesbrough – but the Scot did make two changes. Joe Ralls was sidelined, while Craig Conway dropped to the bench, and in came Filip Kiss and Joe Mason.

The visitors went straight on the front foot, with Peter Whittingham having a 30-yard piledriver blocked after a minute, but they went much closer five minutes later when Gunnarsson clipped the ball back into the danger zone from the right side of the penalty area and Cowie connected with a superb header that was kept out by an even better save from Loach, plunging athletically to his left to concede a corner.

That set piece was repelled and from it the Hornets launched their first attack of note, with Troy Deeney hitting a 25-yard daisy-cutter that David Marshall could only parry but the Bluebirds keeper did well to block Sordell’s follow up, although the hosts’ top scorer was flagged offside.

Whittingham saw another effort from the edge of the area deflected over, leading to two corners in succession for Cardiff, before Cowie had another headed attempt loop onto the roof of the net.

The pressure continued on the Hornets’ goal, with Loach failing to get enough on an attempted clearing punch from a Gunnarsson long throw, and Cowie met the follow-up well on the half-volley, but saw it deflected over.

However, Mackay was forced into an unwanted change in the 18th minute when Darcy Blake replaced right-back Kevin McNaughton, who had been struggling since early on with a leg injury.

The Hornets had more problems to contend with Jonathan Hogg was harshly adjudged to have conceded a free-kick 25 yards out from his own goal but Whittingham could only hit the set piece against the wall.

But the home side immediately countered at pace and in numbers and although Mark Yeates’ ball into Sordell on the edge of the area gave the striker little option but to head it back in the direction it came, Hogg connected superbly on the run, forcing Marshall to claw the ball behind at his near post.

From the resultant corner, an off-balance Sordell sent what looked to be a good heading opportunity over the top but Watford’s appeals that he was being held fell on deaf ears with referee Patrick Miller.

The Hornets’ goal led something of a charmed life again as the half-hour approached when Carl Dickinson, who didn’t get the call he needed from his keeper, failed to get enough on a clearing header and Kenny Miller latched on to the ball on the right side of the area and hit a curling shot that Loach could only parry back out into the heart of the area where Whittingham shot back towards the target, only to see it bounce off the inside of the post and into the grateful arms of the Watford keeper.

Watford then enjoyed a decent spell in the opposition half, without being able to create anything clear cut, but it was Cardiff who had the last chance of the half.

The situation arose after the referee belatedly awarded a free-kick – and a yellow card – against Nyron Nosworthy for a foul on Miller in the centre circle and from the resultant set piece Kiss diverted the ball back across the area where Gunnarsson shot straight at Loach when an effort either side of him could have been very problematic.

The Bluebirds again almost made the breakthrough within two minutes of the restart when Loach, who was consistently being surrounded by white shirts at set pieces, again failed to deal with a set-piece delivery and Whittingham’s goal-bound follow-up looked like it might loop in, but was deflected over the top.

Watford had to see off four opposition corners in as many minutes at the start of the second half but then had a useful spell of their own, with Hogg seeing a well-struck effort blocked following a corner before Michael Kightly did well to dig out a cross from the left but Deeney was unable to direct his header on target.

Mackay made his second change in the 58th minute, bringing on Rudy Gestede for Kiss and switching to a 4-4-2 formation, before Yeates came in off the right flank and tried a left-footed shot that was deflected behind.

With their next attack though, Watford changed the complexion of the match.

The referee deserved credit for playing advantage when Sordell was being tugged back as he attacked from the left side of the area but the England Under-21 international then did extremely well, riding that challenge to get to the by-line before pulling the ball back for Buaben, who initially looked to have turned into a cul-de-sac but the Ghanaian midfielder kept his head and squeezed the ball through a crowded goalmouth to score his first goal for the Hornets and send the Rookery wild.

Mackay made his final change in the 74th minute, with Conway replacing Mason, but the Hornets were now the more threatening of the two sides, with Taylor seeing yellow after tripping Sordell on the edge of the area but Yeates could only curl the resulting dangerous free-kick into the wall.

With ten minutes remaining though, came another horrible mix-up in the Hornets backline – and in much the same way as the own goal Mariappa scored against Bristol City, the Watford skipper had every right to question the manner in which his keeper dealt with a seemingly straightforward situation.

The goal arose from a Gunnarsson long throw that was arrowed into the near post and Mariappa got up, only to flick the ball beyond his own keeper, who had belatedly, but with little conviction, decided to come off his line and try and claim it.

It was an awful moment for the Hornets, who were in control of proceedings, but they went again and with four minutes left almost scored a second when a Yeates free-kick from the left found Kightly unmarked near the edge of the six-yard box but Marshall was able to save his header.

Watford: Loach; Hodson, Nosworthy, Mariappa, Dickinson; Yeates, Hogg, Buaben, Kightly; Deeney, Sordell. Not used: Eustace, Jenkins, Doyley, Iwelumo and Bond.

Cardiff City: Marshall; McNaugton (Blake 18), Hudson, Turner, Taylor; Whittingham; Cowie, Kiss (Gestede 58), Gunnarsson, Mason (Conway 74); Miller. Not used: Gerrard and Heaton.

Bookings: Nosworthy for a foul on Miller (45); Taylor for a foul on Sordell (78).

Attendance: 14,604.

Referee: Patrick Miller.

Comments(58)

stevemag says...
2:25pm Mon 26 Dec 11

LOACH AGAIN !

How many more times. Rubbish at catching, can't punch the ball, indecisive, useless on crosses.

Someone please buy him