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

Sheffield United vs Watford

• Kick off: 3:00pm Sat 15 Aug 09
• Referee: Michael Oliver
• Venue: Bramall Lane

Final score:

Sheffield United 2 - 0 Watford

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93:00: Final whistle Sheffield United 2 Watford 0 - A Fair result. Although Watford could have scored themselves, United should have added to the two goals they scored

92:00: Substitution Michael Bryan makes debut coming on for Graham and Stephen Quinn on for Ched Evans

87:00: Cotterill crossed for Reid but the winger sliced his shot wide of the post

85:00: Yellow card Marvin Sordell's first real contribution is to be booked

84:00: David Cotterill almost grabs Sheffield United's third when his shot is deflected on to the post and Watford scramble the ball away

77:00: Substitution Kyel Reid on for Treacy

77:00: Substitution Jon Harley comes on to a big round of applause from the home crowd for McAnuff

74:00: Jenkins gave the ball away inside his own box and Henderson's shot was deflected wide

72:00: Substitution Nathan Ellington comes off for Marvin Sordell to make his debut

70:00: Substitution Jamie Ward off and David Cotterill off

68:00: Good trickery and cross from Walker saw Loach fumble the ball to Henderson but he shot over from eight yards

67:00: Ward could have had a second when he was put through one on one but Loach made a great save Ward tried to round the keeper

66:00: Yellow card Darius Henderson booked for pushing Lloyd Doyley, which led to the full back handballing

63:00: Danny Graham slices a shot wide from eight yards. It doesn't seem to be his day

62:00: Treacy picks the ball up deep into Watford's half and slips Ched Evans in and the former Man City striker cut back onto his right foot and puts the ball underneath Loach's body

62:00: Goal! Sheffield United score thier second

58:00: Yellow card Jamie Ward booked for a late challenge on Lloyd Doyley

55:00: United's keeper cleared straight to Graham but he lacked the pace to get away from Chris Morgan and the captain recovered well to ease him off the ball

54:00: After Watford survived a goalmouth scramble, Doyley just recovered in time to put Ward off at the back post and the winger's effort was tame and straight at Loach

48:00: As has been the usual this season, Mike Williamson got on the end of McAnuff's corner but he couldn't direct the ball goalwards

47:00: First chance of the second half fell to Jobi McAnuff but he fluffed his volley after Chris Morgan failed to clear his lines

45:00: Second half has kicked off

45:00: Today's attendance is 24,638

45:00: Half time Half time - a few positive moments from Watford and the visitors could have gone in level. But at the same time the Hornets could be four behind. All to play for still

45:00: Mackay upsets the home fans by throwing the ball away to deny United from taking a quick throw

45:00: One minute of injury time

44:00: A cheeky free kick from United, which saw Treacy cross after a pretend mix-up, resulted in Kilgallon heading just wide of Loach's left-hand post

40:00: Reacy cuts in from the left once more and fires a right-footed shot wide of Loach's near post but the keeper had it covered

38:00: United continue to look dangerous on the break and only a poor touch from Henderson prevented him from getting a shot away

37:00: Jamie Ward slips Brian Howard in behind the Watford defence but Jay DeMerit recovered and blocked his shot

35:00: Watford have been keeping the ball well for the last five minutes

34:00: Jenkins has won another free kick in a dangerous position 25 yards but Ellington's free kick was smashed against the wall

30:00: Watford would have grabbed the equaliser had it not been for new Tottenham signing Kyle Walker. United failed to clear McAnuff's corner and Smith hit a shot at goal from close range but Walker cleared off the line

29:00: Former Hornet Henderson heads just over after good cross from Henderson

28:00: United on top now and Treacy should have scored when Evans pulled the ball back to him 12 yards out but he hit his shot well over

27:00: Another Sheffield United corner but this time when it was cleared by DeMerit, Treacy sent the ball fizzing across the box, although no one could get on the end of it

25:00: Watford and Sheffield United are struggling to keep the ball but the home side look more dangerous going forward

23:00: Watford tried to force a quick free kick in their own half and Graham gave the ball away. This led to debutant Ched Evans striking a shot across goal and narrowly past Loach's far post

20:00: Jenkins' chance number three. Ellington put the ball on a plate for him from 20 yards but Jenkins scuffed his shot and it dribbled to Mark Bunn in United's goal

17:00: The defender is back on his feet and in position

17:00: Darius Henderson is finally penalised for using his elbows but Williamson is left on the floor

15:00: Ross Jenkins misses another chance after good play from Smith put McAnuff in out wide right. The winger's cross was not cleared by Chris Morgan and Jenkins fired over from 10 yards

11:00: Sheffield United were awarded a dubious free kick against Williamson and it was taken quickly and left winger Keith Treacy was allowed to cross for Jamie Ward, who put the ball past Scott Loach from eight yards

11:00: Goal! Goal to Sheffield United

9:00: It is an open game so far, whether that will play into Watford or Sheffield United's hands I'm not sure

8:00: Sheffield United have the first corner of the game but Scott Severin clears

5:00: Normaility has returned. Malky Mackay is back on the touchline after two-match ban

4:00: Watford responded with their first attempt at goal and both Ross Jenkins and Danny Graham should have done better. Tommy Smith, who is being booed by the home fans after turning United down, cross and Jenkins missed the ball with a wild swing and then Graham sliced his shot wide and over from eight yards

3:00: First chance of the game fell to Sheffield United. Jamie Ward came off the right wing and shot from distance but his effort when over

0:00: We have kicked off and Mike Williamson won his first header against Darius Henderson, Hopefully a good sign

0:00: A surprise guest in the press box this afternoon is a man who knows both of these clubs well - John-Joe O'Toole. Bit random.

0:00: Nathan Ellington will make his first competitive start for Watford in more than 15 months when the Hornets take on promotion-hopefuls Sheffield United this afternoon. Ellington's Watford career seemed to be over when he was loaned out to Derby County last season with a view to a permanent deal. But the new Rams boss Nigel Clough did not want to sign the striker and he made an impressive return from the bench against Barnet on Tuesday. Scott Loach, Ross Jenkins and Jay DeMerit return for Watford following international duty but Don Cowie is out with a hamstring injury. Tommy Smith, who is being linked with a move away from Vicarage Road, starts against the club he rejected this summer. Former Hornet Darius Henderson starts but Leigh Bromby only makes the bench and Lee Williamson is out injured. Sheffield United: Bunn; Walker, Kilgallon, Morgan, Taylor; Treacy, Montgomery, Howard, Ward; Evans, Henderson. Subs: Bennett, France, Bromby, Cotterill, Reid, Little, Quinn. Watford: Loach; Mariappa, DeMerit, Williamson, Doyley; Smith, Jenkins, Severin, McAnuff; Ellington, Graham. Subs: Lee, Harley, Hodson, Bryan, Eustace, Hoskins, Sordell.

0:00: Good afternoon and welcome to the Watford Observer's live match report from Bramall Lane for today's game between Sheffield United and Watford.