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

Nottingham Forest vs Watford

• Kick off: 7:45pm Tue 18 Aug 09
• Referee: Anthony Bates
• Venue: City Ground

Final score:

Nottingham Forest 2 - 4 Watford

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90:00: Final whistle Watford 4 Nottingham Forest 2. Now who will have predicted that at the beginning of the game

90:00: Cleverley composed himself inside the box and smashed the ball past Camp at his near post

90:00: Goal! Unbelieveable. The debutant Tom Cleverley secures the win with Watford's fourth

90:00: Five minutes of added time

90:00: Substitution Marvin Sordell comes on for Graham

88:00: Forest could have had an equaliser Adebola not got his feet tangled

88:00: Forest could have had an equaliser Adebola not got his feet tangled

87:00: The big man slots home well from eight yards

87:00: Goal! Sub Adebola sets up a tense finish to make it 3-2 with three minutes to go

86:00: One of WIlliamson's first mistakes of the season hands Forest a corner but Watford clear

82:00: And it was almost four for Watford. Cleverley's corner ended up at Williamson at the back post but his low shot was cleared off the line by McKenna

80:00: Goal! Ross Jenkins passed the ball to Smith and the forward fired the ball into the bottom corner from 25 yards

80:00: Goal! And its 3-1 to Watford

77:00: A long throw from Mariappa is flicked on and after Smith's header is tipped onto the post, Williamson taps home from close range

77:00: Goal! Watford take the lead once more

75:00: Substitution Watford were relieved to see the back of Blackstock but only unitl they realised it was Dele Adebola coming on

74:00: A Cohen cross is somehow cleared by Watford before Blackstock arrives and they survive the subsequent corner

71:00: A manic five-minute spell but nothing major to report on

68:00: Watford may have found a new set piece taker in Cleverley. His free kick was perfect but Forest cleared before Graham arrived

67:00: A half chance there for Watford. The ball breaks to Smith and his teasing cross only needed prodding in but Harley couldn't reach

65:00: McKenna sends in a free kick but again no one can get on the end of it

64:00: Substitution David McGoldrick on for Anderson

64:00: Attendance: 19,232. 656 of which are Hornets

63:00: Substitution John Eustace on for Severin

61:00: Substitution Jon Harley comes on for the injured McAnuff

56:00: Another Forest penalty appeal. Anderson goes down after Cleverley outmuscled him off the ball but the ref didn't give it. The ref has showed strong character in not buckling under the pressure but how long can that last

53:00: A breakaway move from Forest almost led to aq goal but Majewski's goal-bound shot was headed away by Williamson

49:00: A minute later and Cleverley is booked for dissent after giving away a free kick

48:00: Cleverley has been quiet but he had the chance to become an instant fans favourite when Tommy Smith put him through but after half rounding the keeper, the Man United youngster couldn't get his shot on target

48:00: Didn't know Severin had that string to his bow. The Scot smashed a shot from 30 yards narrowly wide

46:00: Second half has begun. Oxheypaul - Thanks for letting me know about Ellington's whereabouts, I still haven't seen him

45:00: Half time Watford have played better than they have all season so far and had half time came three minutes earlier then Malky Mackay would have been delighted. Instead Blackstock grabbed an excellent equaliser and Earnshaw should have made it 2-1 at the break. Probably a good job half time came when it did.

45:00: The last attack of the half saw Blackstock head wide from Cohen cross

45:00: Forest almost scored a second immediately after when Majewski slipped Earnshw in but he hit the side netting from close range

45:00: Radoslaw Majewski crossed for Blackstock and the big man showed great strength to bring the ball down surrounded by three defenders and tucked the ball past Loach. Excellent finish

45:00: Goal! Injury time equaliser for Forest

45:00: Big argument between almost every player on the pitch after Severin gives away free kick 30 yards out. Well worked move results in Radoslaw Majewski's shot being blocked by Williamson

43:00: Massive appeal from Forest and their fans. Earnshaw was chasing the ball with Willaimson and the centre back seemed to handle the ball just outside the area. Crowd are outraged

41:00: Cohen free kick is headed down by Blackstock but no one could get on the end of it either

41:00: McAnuff delievers a dangerous free kick to the back post but no one could get there

40:00: Graham and Smith are working tirelessly upfront, as are the rest of the side

39:00: Watford's back four are having an excellent first half. DeMerit in particular is doing very well

38:00: A lovely cross from Tyson was reached by Blackstock but he was unable to direct the ball goalwards

33:00: No problem. Any questions on the game, just ask?

32:00: Worry for Watford. Forest immediately go down the other end and DeMerit seem to pull back Earnshaw just as he was about to shot. The ref didn't give anything but the lineman was waving his flag desperatly to the joy of the home crowd but it was for hand ball against Earnshaw

31:00: Tommy Smith has a cross blocked but he retrieves the ball and dinks it to the back post where Danny Graham beat Chris Gunter to head past Camp

31:00: Goal! Watford score

30:00: HighcliffeHornet - Cleverley is very quiet at the moment but in fairness to him it has more to do with everything going down the right

30:00: HighcliffeHornet - Cleverley is very quiet at the moment but in fairness to him it has more to do with everything going down the right

29:00: Good effort McAnuff. The winger chased down the full back Cohen and the keeper from just inside the Forest half

28:00: Tyson and Anderson have swapped back

27:00: A very deep cross from McAnuff is headed comfortably wide by Cleverley from the edge of the area

26:00: Substitution Radoslaw Majewski comes on for the injured McGugan

24:00: However, Lewis McGugan is leaving the pitch on a stretcher after the clash with Loach. Very little movement which is worrying

23:00: Watford survive a scare. The Hornets fail to clear and when Loach comes to catch a bouncing ball it is knocked out of his hands and back to the edge of the area but Williamson recovers

22:00: Anderson and Tyson have swapped flanks but if Billy Davies is thinking Tyson will have more joy against Doyley then I expect him to be disappointed

20:00: Its not Anthony I'm afraid it is Frank today. As for the Ellington/Gallagher story, my understanding is that there is truth in it but it is very unlikely that it is going to happen, especially as Blackburn value Gallagher at £1m and there are other interested clubs

19:00: Watford won their first corner of the game but McAnuff's delivery is easily gathered by Camp

17:00: Watford are playing as well as they have so far this season and Forest look shaky at the back

16:00: Ross Jenkins should have opened the scoring. Graham puts McAnuff in down the right and his delightful cross picks out the arriving Jenkins put he couldn't keep his header down

14:00: Tommy Smith just tried to curl a shot from 25 yards into the bottom corner but it is palmed away

13:00: One of the saves of the season so far. Paul Anderson brings the ball down on the edge of the area and smashes a shot towards the bottom of the corner but Loach reacts superbly to save

9:00: Holly68 - Considering Jimmy has done a similar thing before it would not surprise me if that is true. I have to admit I have not heard that myself. Should Henri Lansbury come to Watford then that seems another good addition as he is also highly rated

8:00: It is already evident that Mariappa will have his work cut cut out tonight with the rapid Nathan Tyson. But Watford's full back just made a strong challenge on the former Wycombe man

7:00: Watford again have a throw deep into the Forest half but McAnuff failed to get his cross in and when he did the winger almost hit the far corner flag

6:00: First attempt on goal if you can call it that. Severin cleared the ball and it rebounded off Smith into the path of Paul Anderson but he skied his half volley into row Z

3:00: Jobi McAnuff still doesn't look right. He is trying to attack the full back but got the ball caught under his feet and lacked strength

2:00: Watford have started quite positively and seem to be keen to pass the ball around a bit.

0:00: Oxheypaul - with me being the Watford FC reporter I could not possibly condone such comments but you did make me laugh. Cheers

0:00: As I expected, new signing Tom Cleverley is starting on the left of midfield with Jobi McAnuff on the other flank

0:00: The players are on the pitch and we are about to kick off

0:00: LDR862 - I have been told that Nathan just has a minor knock. Apparently nothing to do with a pending move.

0:00: Good evening to all of you who have joined us tonight for the Watford Observer's live match report for the Hornets' game with Nottingham Forest. Here is the team news. The standout news is that Tom Cleverley is making his Watford debut tonight after joining from Manchester United yesterday. He takes the place of Nathan Ellington. Nottingham Forest line-up: Camp; Gunter, Morgan, Lynch, Cohen; Anderson, McGugan, McKenna, Tyson; Blackstock, Earnshaw. Subs: Adebola, Garner, McGoldrick, Davies, Smith, Majewski, Mitchell. Watford: Loach; Mariappa, DeMerit, Williamson, Doyley; Cleverley, Jenkins, Severin, McAnuff; Smith, Graham. Subs: Lee, Harley, Hodson, Bryan, Eustace, Hoskins, Sordell.