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

Watford vs Cardiff City

• Kick off: 3:00pm Sat 3 Oct 09
• Referee: Andy Woolmer
• Venue: Vicarage Road

Final score:

Watford 0 - 4 Cardiff City

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90:00: A quick look back through the archives shows this is Watford's heaviest home defeat since Crystal Palace came to Vicarage Road in January 2004 and won 5-1. It could be argued the margin of the loss was unfair - the Hornets had the same number of on-target attempts as their opponents (seven) - but the two first-half free kicks aside, they didn't really create too much until Ellington came on. By the same token though, all four Cardiff goals were soft and if Chopra had had his shooting boots on it could have been even worse. One can only hope Watford are able to get this out of their system over the international break and bounce back quickly when the campaign resumes.

90:00: Final whistle That's it. Watford finish well beaten.

90:00: That just sums up today's referee. Mariappa is clearly having his shirt held by Quinn in the penalty area, but Woolmer fails to even acknowledge the Watford protests.

90:00: Four additional minutes to play.

89:00: Substitution Final Cardiff change. McCormack comes on for Chopra.

87:00: That should have been five. Burke picks out Chopra on the right edge of six-yard box and he hits a cross-shot wide of Loach but also just beyond the far post.

87:00: Today's attendance is 13,895, with 1,244 supporting the comprehensive victors.

83:00: Another corner...another missed opportunity. Again its Ellington, who turns in the box before hitting a right-footed half-volley over the top.

81:00: The Hornets go close again. Cleverley picks out Ellington on the right edge of the six-yard box and he twists before firing in a right-footed angled attempt which Marshall does well to parry away.

80:00: Substitution Cardiff follow suit by bringing on Ledley for Rae.

80:00: Substitution Final Watford change. Harley for Cowie, whose taken a note.

77:00: Watford go closer still. Ellington lifts the ball over his head and on to Cathcart's head, but Marshall tips the effort over. That's Watford fourth corner in no time at all.

76:00: Eustace picks out Graham in the area, but the ball won't fall for the striker to get a shot away. The home side deserve credit for still having a go.

75:00: Eustace guides the ball back into the danger zone following a corner from the right, but the ball is nicked away from Mariappa at the key moment.

73:00: Substitution Second change from Malky who sends on Lansbury for Jenkins.

72:00: Almost one back for the Hornets. Mariappa meets a Cleverley corner from the right with a downward header, but the ball is blocked and cleared a yard in front of the line.

70:00: Following the fourth goal, a fairly significant number of fans in the Rookery made for the exits. That's not good to see although you can understand their disappointment and frustration at the afternoon's events.

67:00: The ball is played into Bothroyd in the area and, with his back to goal, he shifts the ball on to his left foot and hits a superb dipping finish over Loach. That's ten goals in two games now for the visitors.

67:00: Goal! Two goals in a minute - and this is becoming embarassing.

66:00: Bothroyd keeps the ball alive tight the byline, Rae lifts it back in from the right and the Hornets defence stand and watch as Whittingham send a diving header inside Loach's left-hand post.

66:00: Goal! And that should be game over.

63:00: Yellow card Rather stupid booking for Bothroyd who is booked for delaying a free kick.

60:00: Substitution First Watford change and Ellington replaces Hoskins.

59:00: Close call for the Hornets but well done to Hodson for being in the right place inside Loach's near post to clear a Hudson chance off the line. Cardiff appeal for handball but the referee's not interested.

56:00: Substitution Quinn replaces Kennedy. Looks like an injury.

55:00: First opening of the half for the Hornets. Cleverley finds Graham on the right-corner of the six-yard box and he lifts it over the top from a tight angle. It looked like the keeper got a touch but the referee wasn't interested.

54:00: Whittingham gets in a cross from the left and Bothroyd gets a back-header on target, but comfortable for Loach.

53:00: A goal for Watford could make this very interesting, but there's no sign of the home side being able to build up a head of attacking steam yet.

51:00: Lightening doesn't strike twice. Matthews takes a free kick from a similar position to where he scores from, but this time Loach gathers easily.

46:00: And we're back underway. No changes for either side and Loach is greeted with chants of "dodgy keeper" by the Cardiff fans. The referee, meanwhile, gets a chorus of boos from the home faithful.

45:00: Up until ten minutes before the break there was no reason to believe Watford couldn't get back into this. But the manner of that second goal must have, quite literally, knocked the wind out of the Hornets' sails. Malky has a Leicester-type job on his hands at the interval but, unfortunately, there is no Heidar Helguson to call upon this time round. You never know though...?

45:00: Half time And that's the end of the first period.

45:00: Yellow card Mariappa sees yellow for a foul on Chopra.

45:00: Two minutes of injury time at the end of the first half.

43:00: Given what happened in the minutes before, it's hard to argue against Cardiff deserving a second goal. Loach clearly misjudged the free kick but it was also definitely a wind-assisted fluke.

41:00: That's incredible...and the wind must have had something to do with it. Matthews takes a free kick from just inside the Watford half, Loach comes but appears to slip as the ball sails over him and bounces up into the roof of the net.

41:00: Goal! Oh my Lord...what's happened there?!

40:00: Lucky escape numbers two and three. The ball is played in from the right, Hudson heads down and wide of Loach, the ball rebounds up off the far post and Rae fires over from barely four yards out.

38:00: Watford get lucky big time. Mariappa is caught out as a ball is played from back to front, Bothroyd gets in behind and squares across the area for Chopra, who unbelievably puts a gilt-edged chance wide from ten yards.

35:00: Stevie G's cousin pulls down Hoskins on the edge of the area. Cleverley clips it right-footed over the wall but Marshall does well to push the attempt away and avoid being embarrassed at his near post.

29:00: Yellow card First booking of the afternoon sees Rae cautioned for a foul on Cleverley.

28:00: First on-target attempt of the afternoon for the Hornets as Hoskins chests the ball down on the right angle of the area and hits a dipping half-volley, but Marshall is comfortably behind it.

26:00: Watford seek an immediate response, with Jenkins' long-range effort deflected behind. But the home side's third corner of the match ends with Cathcart heading harmlessly wide at the far post.

24:00: Goal! Whittingham sends the penalty down the middle, as Loach dives to his left.

23:00: Penalty to Cardiff and no complaints I'm afraid. Burke slides the ball down the outside of the Watford defence and Cathcart clearly pulls down Bothroyd.

20:00: Graham is played in down the inside right channel but Hudson does well to block his shot with a sliding challenge. More encouragement for Watford though.

16:00: The Hornets keep the pressure on from that opportunity, with Cleverley seeing a well-struck follow-up deflected wide of the near post. Then, from the resultant corner, Marshall finally manages to punch clear after the ball doesn't quite fall nicely enough for clean attempt on goal.

16:00: And what a free kick that almost was. Cowie whips it right-footed over the wall from 25 yards and it smacks off the bar with Marshall beaten.

15:00: Burke sends the first on-target attempt of the match straight at Loach from 20 yards. This is followed by ironic cheers for referee Woolmer after he finally awards the Hornets a free kick.

13:00: First decent spell of pressure from the Hornets, but a Cowie cross is taken off Cleverley's head by young Cardiff right-back Matthews.

11:00: Thanks to d_ol for his early observation. Keep anymore questions or thoughts coming please.

9:00: Belated congratulations to Lee Hoson, whose performances to date have belied the fact that he only turned 18 yesterday.

8:00: Bothroyd works a give-and-go with Burke coming in off the left flank before trying a left-footed curler from the edge of the box which goes wide. Loach not unduly worried but the visitors have definitely started the better.

7:00: Stray cross-field pass from Eustace gives the ball straight to Burke. He tries to take on Doyley but 'Lloydinho' does well and the danger is averted.

5:00: Bit of a scramble in the Hornets penalty area following a free kick, but the home side manage to clear their lines. Cardiff making most of the early running though.

2:00: First opening of the game. Whittingham drills in a corner from the left and Stevie G's cousin Anthony is up from the back to send a glancing header off target.

2:00: First sign of the conditions perhaps? Loach launches a kick downfield and it reaches the opposition penalty box.

0:00: And we're off...Watford will be attacking the Vicarage Road end in the first half.

0:00: The teams are out...and no none will have any problems spotting Cardiff keeper David Marshall this afternoon. He is wearing a predominantly pink flourescent kit...nice!

0:00: With the virus that affected the team selection for the midweek defeat against Coventry now cleared up, Malky Mackay has made two expected changes for the game. Cathcart and Jenkins, who were both laid low, return at the expense of Dale Bennett and Jon Harley, but fresh from scoring on Tuesday night Will Hoskins again gets the nod to partner Danny Graham up front. Nathan Ellington, who is available after suspension, has to be content for a place on the bench alongside the likes of Henri Lansbury. Following their thumping of Derby County on Tuesday night, Cardiff manager Dave Jones has not surprisingly chosen to keep faith with the same line-up. Watford: Loach; Hodson, Mariappa, Cathcart, Doyley; Cowie, Jenkins, Eustace, Cleverley; Hoskins, Graham. Substitutes: Severin, Lansbury, Harley, Lee, Bennett, Henderson, Ellington. Cardiff City: Marshall; Matthews, Hudson, Gerrard, Kennedy; Burke, Rae, McPhail, Whittingham; Bothroyd, Chopra. Substitutes: Gyepes, Quinn, Ledley, Taiwo, Scimeca, Enckelman, McCormack.

0:00: Speaking of Hornets-Cardiff connections, Sean Dyche is currently having a chat with Terry Burton, who was number two to Ray Lewington, while Neal Ardley is also on the Bluebirds' coaching staff as their Academy boss.

0:00: One of the main attractions going into this game is the battle between two of the Championship's most in form strikes. While Danny Graham's Watford career has got off to a great start, with six goals in ten league starts, Michael Chopra is already five ahead of him with 11 in ten. However, seven of those goals have come in just two matches, and before his four-goal salvo against Derby on Tuesday night the former Newcastle United frontman had gone six games without notching. Chopra, of course, had a brief but successful loan spell at Vicarage Road back in 2003 when he scored five in as many starts, including four in that ridiculous 7-4 win at Burnley in April of that year. He also played in Watford's 2-1 FA Cup semi-final defeat against Southampton at Villa Park.

0:00: With the exception of skipper Jay DeMerit and Heidar Helguson, Malky Mackay has a fully-fit squad to chose from today. The viral problems that affected the team selection have cleared up, meaning the likes of Craig Cathcart and Ross Jenkins should figure.

0:00: Today’s visitors go into the game just two points, but seven places higher in the table than the Hornets. Interestingly though, they have lost twice as many games (four to Watford’s two). Furthermore, and thanks to the BBC for this stat, this is the 46th occasion both sides have met – and honours are even, with 17 victories apiece and 11 draws. Whichever team makes it 18 wins will gain a confidence boost going into the international break, as well as climbing the table.

0:00: Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to Vicarage Road for this afternoon’s Championship clash with Cardiff City. The Hornets will, of course, be seeking to get back on track after losing their seven-match unbeaten league record against Coventry City on Tuesday night – a game they could, and perhaps should, have won – but they will also be hoping the Bluebirds used up all their goals on the same evening after thrashing Derby County 6-1. In line with seemingly all of the UK today, it is windy at pitch level and it will interesting to see what effect that has on proceedings.