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

Ipswich Town vs Watford

• Kick off: 7:45pm Tue 20 Oct 09
• Referee: Trevor Kettle
• Venue: Portman Road

Final score:

Ipswich Town 1 - 1 Watford

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96:00: Final whistle What a finish and that goal will do wonders for Ellington's confidence

94:00: Watford were camped in Ipswich's half and Graham lofted a ball into the box and despite being tugged back, Ellington stretches his leg out volleys into the bottom corner. Excellent finish

94:00: Goal! Unbelieveable. Ellington scores a dramatic equaliser

92:00: Quinn on for the injured Walters

89:00: Substitution Bryan on for Lansbury

89:00: Yellow card A high foot from Harley results in Jenkins and Leadbitter squaring up to each other and the pair were both booked

87:00: Watford win a tame free kick 25 yards out, Ellington took it and fired it over the wall and straight at Begovic

85:00: Mariappa is forced to head out for a corner after a dangerous Edwards' cross but it is cleared

84:00: Ipswich have a series of corners and twice Loach makes decent saves to deny Wickham

79:00: Tonight's attendance is 19,284

78:00: A mis-hit Edwards cross was almost drilled into Watford's goal but Loach manages to tip the ball over the bar and the corner is headed wide by McAuley

77:00: The goalscorer has another header on goal but this time it is comfortably over

75:00: Leadbitter fires over from distance and then Lansbury shoots wide from 30 yards soon after

74:00: The game has quietened dow again but a spell of Watford possession does result in a shot on target, although Ellington's effort was tame

68:00: A neat interchange allows Graham the space to cross but he slices it out for a goal kick

67:00: Watford struggle to clear their lines and give away a corner but it is scrambled away in the end

66:00: A dangerous cross into |Ipswich's box is cleared and the home side break quickly, leaving Doyley alone two-on-one. But Watford recover and Hodson makes the decisive interception

63:00: Substitution Ellington for Eustace

62:00: Ipswich almost score again. The ball is passed through Doyley's legs and Edwards smashes a shot towards the bottom corner but Loach makes a superb save

59:00: Substitution Counago off for Wickham

55:00: Watford enjoy a spell of possession in Ipswich's half and cross but again the home defence win the ball. Eustace is fouled 30 yards out though and Lansbury's free kick is floated into the box but Mariappa's glancing header is wide

54:00: A long throw from Mariappa is well claimed by Begovic

53:00: Ipswich win a corner but Eustace clears at the front post

52:00: Watford break but cannot quite find the gap they were looking for. After a spell of possession and a mix-up between Eustace and Lansbury, Cowie eventually crosses but it goes straight to the keeper

50:00: oxheypaul - thought you would like to know that I have a cup of soup beside me know and it is just as impressive as the jacket potato, well almost

49:00: Graham has got in behind the Ipswich defence a couple of times so far this half but each time he has been marginally offside

48:00: With Jim Magilton as QPR boss, the Ipswich club staff were hoping for a Rangers win as well at the break. After shelling out around a million pounds for Rodgers, I can't see Sir John Madejski departing with Rodgers just yet

47:00: Malky Mackay has had a talking to from the referee but he remains on the touchline

46:00: Substitution Martin off and Peters on at the beginning of the second half

45:00: oxheypaul - it was apparently ccauliflower and broccoli but I didn't even get a sniff so I couldn't tell you what it looked, smelt or tasted like. I jacket potato was cracking though and the woman in the press room was lovely

45:00: Half time LDR862 - Graham is working hard as always but is lacking service and has spent much of his time out wide down the channels rather than in the middle of the box. Lansbury is doing well and looks to be Watford's biggest creative influence but if the Hornets did go with two up top, then they will at least have more threat in the middle if Watford finally deliver a cross into the box.

45:00: Good build up play from Watford but again the cross is blocked before it reaches the Ipswich area

44:00: Watford have had a spell in Ipswich's half but every time the ball is crossed, it is cleared or blocked. Watford seem to be struggling to break the home side down and lack the height in the middle to win the aerial battles. Although Cowie went close then with a cross which lobbed over Begovic and just wide of the far post

43:00: The pre-match food was superb. cheese and ham sarnies, followed by jacket potato, chilli and cheese and there was the option of soup and a pie but I was content with the sarnies and potato

42:00: A long throw from Mariappa is flicked into the Ipswich goalmouth by Cathcart cannot reach it and the keeper claims

40:00: Superb footwork by Walters in Watford's area gives Counago the space to shoot but it is blocked. Although Leadbitter smashes an effort from 25 yards narrowly over

38:00: Doyley is caught in possession on the edge of his area, fouls Edwards and the ref would have blown for a penalty had the right winger not fired a shot just wide from 12 yards

35:00: Cowie crosses for Lansbury but his touch is heavy and he cannot get a shot away

34:00: oxheypaul - I have a massive steel pole in front of me which means I cannot see directly in front. I cannot see the five yards nearest my side of the pitch and I can only see the first five rows on the far side. I can see both goals though, which is the main thing

33:00: Another Watford break ends prematurely

32:00: The ball breaks to Lansbury on the edge of the box but he fires over

30:00: Ipswich appeal for a penalty as Edward's cross apparently hits Doyley's arm. But a corner is giving, cleared and Rosenior's long-range drive is deflected over by Doyley. This corner is punched away by Loach and then the keeper gathers Smith's header from their next cross.

28:00: Another spell of possession is ended as Harley's cross is wayward

27:00: A long throw is punched clear by Loach and Wright's resulting cross is cleared but Watford's break ends when Lansbury misplaces his through ball to Graham

26:00: oxheypaul - Again my seat position means I cannot see the dugout I am afraid

25:00: Ipswich have a free kick on the corner of the box but it is cleared

23:00: A long throw is headed backwards by Cathcart and Loach needs to scramble back and tip the ball over his bar. Ipswich win the inital header from the corner but it is cleared

23:00: To be honest, I haven't heard them at all really but then the Ipswich fans are constantly making their voices heard

21:00: The game has quietened down now. Watford are trying to keep possession but Ipswich look dangerous on the break. As I typ this, Martin tries to curl a 25-yard shot into the top corner but it goes comfortably over

16:00: rhyse848 - I am at the top of one of the stands and the away fans are on the top of the opposite stand. But the way the stadium is built, I cannot actually see them as the roofing hangs so far down. Sorry I can't be more help

15:00: The ball breaks to Trotter 25 yards out but his shot is well over

15:00: Yellow card Harley booked for a professional foul

13:00: Lansbury wins another free kick on the edge of the area mand although the quick cross finds Harley unmarked, his header is straight up in the air

12:00: Another long free kick is wasted by Watford and it goes out for a goal kick

9:00: Another Cowie free kick is cleared and the return cross from Mariappa is straight to the keeper

8:00: A long throw from Mariappa is flicked on by Graham but Eustace's header is comfortably saved and Ipswich break quickly once more. Again Hodson prevents the danger

7:00: A deep free kick from Mariappa is cleared and Ipswich break quickly. Edwards cross is half volleyed by Walters but it rebounds off the bar and the ball is cleared.

5:00: Goal! Goal to Ipswich. A long free kick is misjudged by Mariappa and the ball is headed across goal and McAuley heads into the top corner

3:00: Watford win a corner and take it quick but no one can get on the end of it and the ball is cleared. Ipswich break but superb defending from Hodson results in the youngster winning a free kick

2:00: Cowie whipped the ball in but it was easily cleared

0:00: The game has kicked off and Watford have already won a free kick around 30 yards out after Lansbury was brought down

0:00: Good evening folks. The players have walked out on to the pitch and we are about to start. If you have any questions regarding the game then just ask and I will do my best to answer them, although we are suffering some minor technical problems.

0:00: Tom Cleverley is out of tonight's game with Ipswich Town after suffering mild concussion during Saturday's win over Middlesbrough. Cleverley scored the winner at the weekend but then went off on 64 minutes after a bang to the head. John Eustace comes in to centre midfield, with Don Cowie going to right midfield and Henri Lansbury pushing forward to support Danny Graham up front. Other than that, it is the same squad who beat Boro. Former Watford striker Tamas Priskin, who signed for Ipswich for £1.7m in the summer, only makes the bench. Ipswich: Begovic; Rosenoir, McAuley, Smith, Wright; Edwards, Leadbitter, Trotter, Martin; Walters, Counago. Subs: Lee-Barrett, Bruce, Peters, Colback, Quinn, Wickham, Priskin. Watford: Loach; Hodson, Mariappa, Cathcart, Doyley; Cowie, Eustace, Jenkins, Harley; Lansbury; Graham. Subs: Bond, Bennett, Bryan, Severin, Ellington, Hoskins, Henderson.