Sport: Local and national sport in and around Watford - Watford Observer

Barnet vs Watford

• Kick off: 7:45pm Tue 11 Aug 09
• Referee: Steven Cook
• Venue: Underhill Stadium

Final score:

Barnet 0 - 2 Watford

• Comments(9)
• Have your say »

121:00: Final whistle Barnet 0 Watford 2. And that's it. Watford are into tomorrow's draw for the second round. It wasn't particularly convincing, but it's always good to get the first win of the season under the belt and establish a platform to build from. Thanks for joining us tonight but you can have your say by leaving a comment - the more the better!

120:00: Barnet 0 Watford 2. The home side fail to deal with a ball forward in the third minute of stoppage time and it sits up nicely for Scott Severin, who fires home his first goal for the club from 20 yards. The fact Jake Cole finished almost diving past the ball though, suggests he was deceived by it.

120:00: Goal! Game over. Scott Severin doubles Watford's lead.

119:00: That was close...Ismail Yakubu bundles the ball into the Watford net following a free kick. But referee Steve Cook has already blown for a free kick and, in truth, it's more of a polite enquiry from the Bees rather than enraged protests at the decision.

119:00: Three minutes of stoppage time to endure.

117:00: A worrying moment for the Hornets. Richard Lee just gets to a Albert Jarrett cross ahead of Paul Furlong, but the ball only reaches the edge of the area, but Albert Adamoh's finishing lets him down again.

117:00: Kurtney Brooks nearly made a name for himself. The youngster cut in off the left and tried a right-footed shot from the edge of the area but Jake Cole wasn't unduly troubled at his near post.

112:00: Substitution Elliott Charles comes on for Mark Hughes.

111:00: Kurtney Brooks is soon into the action, pinging a rebound over from 22 yards after Danny Graham's shot is blocked following more encouraging work from Nathan Ellington.

110:00: Substitution Watford make their final change...and it's a first senior appearance for young midfielder Kurtney Brooks in place of Jobi McAnuff.

108:00: Chant from the Barnet fans - 'Championship, you're having a laugh'. The Hornets respond with the eternally optimistic '...we're going to Wembley'. Not this evidence, I'm afraid.

105:00: Substitution Joe Devera replaces Ryan O'Neill before the kick off.

105:00: And it's time for the change around.

105:00: Barnet 0 Watford 1. No surprises about the scorer really, given the Hornets have looked for him from every set-piece. A Jobi McAnuff free-kick from the left picks out the head of the impressive Mike Williamson and he does the rest from eight yards. Cue huge sigh of relief among the travelling fans.

105:00: Goal! At last...and it's the Hornets who have made the breakthrough!

102:00: And from that set-piece, Mike Williamson sees a header hit a pile of bodies before it is put behind again. But corner number 13 comes to nothing.

101:00: Nathan Ellington continues his impressive cameo, this time running the inside right channel to pull a cross back from the goalline which is taken off Danny Graham's head for Watford's 12th corner of the night.

99:00: Nathan Ellington receives the ball towards the right of the area and cuts inside before hitting a left-footed effort wide of the near post. Again, it was worth a pop.

96:00: Maybe I should type remarks like that more often...a neat Tommy Smith flick sits up nicely for John Eustace and his left-foot half-volley is going in until it takes a big deflection behind off Ryan O'Neill.

96:00: I hate to say it but Barnet look the more likely to win this. This time an Albert Jarrett cross from the left is met by the head of Paul Furlong but Richard Lee is again equal to it.

92:00: Now an opportunity for the visitors. Tommy Smith swings over a cross from the right but Danny Graham is unable to reach it at the far post.

91:00: First chance to the home side. That man Albert Adomah is found six yards out but Richard Lee reacts smartly to save low down.

90:00: Right, we're off again. Watford are kicking back up the slope in the first half of extra time.

90:00: And that's it folks. After 90 minutes of not so exhilerating action, we can only hope for better in the extra 30 minutes.

90:00: Now it's Watford search to go in search of the late winner. Jobi McAnuff breaks down the left and lays the ball inside towards Nathan Ellington...but his footing lets him down at the key moment.

90:00: He's been on the pitch less than a minute but Jon Harley makes a fine block to repel another Albert Adomah effort.

89:00: Substitution Lee Hodson's promising full debut comes to an end and he is replaced by Jon Harley.

88:00: And Richard Lee keeps Watford in the Carling Cup. Albert Adomah lets fly with a left-footed drive from the edge of the area that his heading for the bottom corner until Lee plunges to his left to push it away.

83:00: Opportunity for Barnet. Albert Adomah leads counter-attacks from a Hornets corner and embarks on a surging run downfield before dragging a shot harmlessly wide of the near post.

82:00: Watford's best chance of the night? Nathan Ellington, who has looked lively since coming on, shows good strength to hold off Kenny Gillet near to the goalline, the ball is worked back to Tommy Smith, he stands up a cross to the far post but Jobi McAnuff heads just the wrong side of the upright.

81:00: Substitution Two Hydes are on the pitch now. Jake Hyde comes on for Yannick Bolaise.

78:00: Watford have a chance to create something from their latest set-piece after Tommy Smith is taken down to the right of the penalty area, but Jobi McAnuff's free kick is comfortably punched away by Jake Cole.

77:00: Things aren't improving here...and a rash of free kicks isn't helping either.

74:00: And it perhaps should have resulted in a goal. Jobi McAnuff's set-piece from the right is headed down and back across goal by Mike Williamson...and drifts just wide of the far post after nobody in yellow can apply the decisive touch.

73:00: They had seven in the first half but Watford win their first corner of the second 45.

71:00: That was heart in mouth time for a moment. Albert Adomah receives the ball on the right edge of the penalty area and sees a right-footed effort deflected and loop wide of Richard Lee's near post.

70:00: There's still 20 minutes plus stoppage time to come but thoughts of extra time are already beginning to come to mind.

67:00: Tonight's attendance is 3,139 and a third of those (1,380) are from Watford.

65:00: Nathan Ellington does well to wriggle out of a tight spot near the left-hand corner flag and produces a decent cross, but the home side are comfortably able to head clear.

63:00: Substitution And here is Watford's first change, with Nathan Ellington replacing Don Cowie.

62:00: A chance for Barnet. Albert Adomah breaks down the right and lays the ball back and inside to Mark Hughes, but he fires over.

60:00: Yellow card Lee Hodson's otherwise useful first start is marred by a caution for holding back Albert Jarrett.

57:00: First-team coach David Kerslake is barking out instructions to the substitutes warming up. A Hornets change looks imminent.

54:00: John Eustace was lucky to escape further punishment for a late challenge on Mark Hughes - no, not the Manchester City boss - after the Barnet man caught Danny Graham.

52:00: Back with you after a technical glitch - sorry about that. Nothing to report since the restart...until just now when Yannick Bolasie hit a tame shot on the turn from the edge of the area straight at Richard Lee.

45:00: Half time The half ends 0-0 and it is fair to say it has not been a classic. Watford will have the considerable slope on their side in the second half but they need to improve.

45:00: After a solid first half, Lee Hodson sliced a clearance to Albert Jarrett and once more Mike Williamson is there to clear before Paul Furlong arrives

44:00: Yet another Don Cowie corner amounts to nothing

43:00: Yellow card Ryan O'Neil booked after Jobi McAnuff was too quick for the defender

41:00: Yellow card Referee has had enough of Paul Furlong throwing his weight around and booked the striker after Adrian Mariappa was left on the floor

39:00: One of the first pieces of real build-up play from Watford saw Tommy Smith put in wide right but his cross was behind Danny Graham and Barnet cleared

36:00: Lee Hodson did well to get his body in the way before Paul Furlong could shoot after the former Watford and Chelsea man outmuscled Adrian Mariappa

34:00: It will be interesting to see how Watford's passing game goes in the second half when they have the huge slope at Underhill in their favour

33:00: A poor decision to give handball against John Eustace 25 yards out recieved the shot it deserved, with Albert Jarrett hitting the ball well over the bar

30:00: The chance of the game so far came from Barnet's Yannick Bolasie who fired in a shot from 25 yards which dipped and curled just over the bar

29:00: Albert Jarrett will not be fondly remembered by the Watford fans but after forcing a corner with a teasing cross, his set piece bounced in the six yard box before Watford could scramble the ball away

28:00: Tommy Smith is able to get a cross in but it went safely into the arms of Jake Cole

26:00: Lee Hodson clears once more. The 17-year-old doesn't look out of place at right back.

24:00: Yannick Bolasie is unlucky not to get a shot away after a mazy run but Richard Lee does well to dive at his feet and gather

23:00: Sixth Watford corner in first 23 minutes and this time Williamson is able to get a header away but Barnet do enough to knock him off balance

21:00: Referee is having a word with veteran Paul Furlong after tangling with Adrian Mariappa once more

20:00: Watford are on top but there are struggling to create any clear-cut chances as Barnet are managing to clear when it matters

19:00: Those of you that have commented, thank you very much and keep it up. Any questions, just ask

18:00: Barnet are doing well to deal with the aerial threat of Mike Williamson - again another corner is cleared

16:00: John Eustace showed some nice trickery and resilience to burst into the box and strike a left-footed shot which was deflected into the side netting. From the resulting corner Scott Severin fired a half-volley over the bar.

13:00: Like Saturday, the game has been scrappy early on but there is a high tempo to the match

12:00: Yannick Bolasie picked out Albert Jarrett and he jinked past Lee Hodson but Lloyd Doyley cleared the danger with his head before Bolasie arrived

10:00: A sliced clearance from Richard Lee contributed to the Hornets conceding a corner but Mike Williamson headed clear

9:00: Young right back Lee Hodson did well to recover and block former Hornet Albert Jarrett's shot from the corner of the box

8:00: Watford fans are out in force and seem to have completely sold out their allocation

7:00: Watford have been linked with Barnet's Albert Adomah and it was the right winger who headed the home side's first attempt on goal comfortably over

4:00: First chance - Tommy Smith took a corner on the left short to Don Cowie and the Scot's cross found Mike Williamson at the back post but his goal-bound shot was blocked

3:00: First moment of note. Watford are about to take their third consecutive corner.

0:00: Time will tell if it helps them or not, but Watford will be kicking up the famous Underhill slope in the first half.

0:00: The teams are not out at a lovely sunny Underhill and the first thing to catch the eye are the officials - they're all sporting blue shirts tonight.

0:00: With kick-off almost upon us, here are tonight's teams: Barnet: Cole; Gillet, Yakubu, O’Neill, Leach; Hughes, Adomah, M Hyde, Bolasie; Jarrett, Furlong. Substitutes: Devera, Deverdics, J Hyde, Hart, Carpenter, Charles, Deen. Watford: Lee; Hodson, Mariappa, Williamson, Doyley; McAnuff, Eustace, Severin, Cowie; Smith, Graham. Substitutes: Travner, North, Harley, Hoskins, Ellington, Bryan, Brooks.

0:00: Hemel Paul - If your refering to the TV channel advert on the right hand side then there should be a pause button in the left-hand corner.

0:00: I'm just throwing a question out there to any of you already with us. Should we read anything into the fact Williamson is captain in place of DeMerit despite Tommy Smith starting?

0:00: We don't have team sheets yet but I can bring you the starting line-up. As many of you will know, Ross Jenkins, Scott Loach and Jay DeMerit are all on international duty but besides that, it is the same side as Saturday. Richard Lee replaces Loach in goal and Lee Hodson comes in for DeMerit, with Aidrian Mariappa joining captain Mike Williamson at centre back. Lloyd Doyley is left back once more. Jobi McAnuff, Scott Severin and Don Cowie keep their positions in midfield, with John Eustace replacing Jenkins in the middle of the park. This means Tommy Smith starts up top with Danny Graham. Looking at the players who were standing on the pitch soon after Watford's arrival at Underhill, I would predict the subs will be Jonathan North, Nathan Ellington, Will Hoskins, Michael Bryan, Kurtney Brooks and two out of Jure Travner, Jon Harley and Rob Kiernan.

0:00: Good afternoon and welcome to the Watford Observer's live match reports. Saturday's draw with Doncaster Rovers was the first time we used this new function and because it was a home game, no doubt this is the first time many of you will have used it so I will give you a brief explanation on how it works. Basically match action will be uploaded almost immediately, allowing you to know what is going on at Barnet's Underhill Stadium almost as soon as it happens. You can then either just sit back and read the updates as the page automatically refreshes or you can post comments discussing the match and ask any questions you may have about the game, which we will attempt to answer. Today's live match report is now up-and-running so if you have any questions, just ask.