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

Newcastle United vs Watford

• Kick off: 3:00pm Sat 5 Dec 09
• Referee: Jon Moss
• Venue: St James Park

Final score:

Newcastle United 2 - 0 Watford

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90:00: Final whistle Somehow Watford have lost 2-0 at Newcastle. The Hornets were the better team throughout but were wasteful in front of goal, whereas Newcastle took their chances. We would like to apologise for the lack of updates in the final 20 minutes. There were major problems with the internet connection

83:00: Goal! Unbelieveable. Pancrate turns Doyley and smashes the ball in off the crossbar.

75:00: Graham has all day to compose himself and shoot from 20 yards but his effort is well wide

72:00: A bit of head tennis from Watford results in Graham having a shot from six yards blocked

72:00: Substitution Pancrate for Guthrie

68:00: Newcastle are completely on the back foot but this time LAnsbury's shot is blocked and another cross is cleared. Soon after, Hodson sends in a cross which is caught by Harper

66:00: Slick interplay from Cleverley, Lansbury and Graham sees Cleverley shoot from 12 yards but it is parried wide by Harper

64:00: A Cleverley corner is overhit but Cowie and Lansbury link up well to lay the ball off to Helguson. His placed shot was again narrowly wide.

62:00: Helguson should have scored again. Hodson picks out Graham and the ball falls to Helguson 18 yards out but his half volley is just wide

58:00: Helguson overhits another cross for Graham and it goes out for a corner kick

57:00: Yellow card Cathcart is booked despite him clearly winn ing a large chunk of the ball.

56:00: Substitution Carroll for Harewood

56:00: Helguson crosses for Graham and although he was unmarked, the delivery was slightly too high

55:00: Lansbury dispossessed Smith in the centre circle and Watford broke four on four. Doyley crossed for Helguson but his header was blocked and Graham's shot was blocked for a corner

52:00: Loach makes an excellent save from a low Guthrie free kick. Watford go down the other end and Helguson pulls the ball back to Cowie ten yards out but he missed the ball

49:00: Red card Watford hopes of winning boosted by Nolan receiving a second yellow for a rash foul on Lansbury

48:00: Simpson's deep cross is missed by the unmarked Lovenkrands, although he would have done well to score from there

46:00: The second half action has begun and in the opening minute, Nolan hits the side netting from six yards out

45:00: Half time Watford must be wondering how they are 1-0 down at the break. They have had great chances to score on four occasions and had it not been for Cathcart's shocking error, then they wouldn't have conceded either

42:00: Newcastle win another corner but again the ball is cleared

41:00: Hodson's throughball puts Helguson in one-on-one but his shot is saved by the legs of Harper

38:00: Mackay is furious. Little over five minutes ago, Taylor blatantly jumped into Cathcart elbow first but did nothing. Eustace beats Nolan in the air in the Newcastle box and just as Cleverley was set to shoot 20 yards out, the referee blows his whistle. To say Mackay is angry is an understatement

35:00: Eustace gives away the ball and then a foul 25 yards out but the shot by Nolan was hit in to the wall

31:00: Enrique cuts on to his right foot and shoots but it hits Mariappa and goes out for a corner

30:00: Watford break once more but Cowie's cross is plucked out of the air by HArper before it reaches Helguson

28:00: Yellow card Nolan booked for foul on Eustace

27:00: Newcastle had a spell of possession but only managed a few blocked shots. Watford went down the other end and both Helguson and Cleverley had the chance to shoot from less than eight yards but couldn't get the ball out of their feet and it is cleared

24:00: Lansbury cleverley backs into Smith to win a free kick on the edge of the area. Cleverley's shot is just over the bar. Harper was rooted to the spot

20:00: Goal! Watford have been on top slightly but then Newcastle target Cathcart sells Loach short with a backpass and the Watford keeper has to go in for a 50-50 challenge with Harewood. The ball ends up in the path of Lovenkrands ten yards out and he passes the ball into the empty net

18:00: Watford are contolling the middle of the park possession wise and more good work saw Cleverley cross but it was over hit

14:00: Watford pass the ball comfortably around the Newcastle midfield and Helguson's shot from outside the box is deflected wide for a corner. When the ball is whipped in, Mariappa claims for a penalty but it is given the other way

10:00: The best chance of the game so far and it was Watford. Lansbury slipped the ball through to Graham and he knocked the ball past the on-rushing Harper but although he was able to keep the ball in and guid it goalwards, it was cleared off the line by Taylor

9:00: Poor marking from Watford meant Lovenkrands was allowed a free volley following a good run from Enrique. But his effort was comfortably wide

5:00: Watford's first spell of possession ends with Cleverley's 20-yard shot being easily saved

3:00: Newcastle have the first chance of the game. Nolan burst into the box but his shot was tame and although Loach parried it, the ball was cleared.

1:00: The game has kicked off. Sorry for the delay in updates. The internet connection seems to be slow up here.

0:00: Don Cowie returns to the starting line-up for Watford's clash with Newcastle United this afternoon as Jay DeMerit also takes his place on the bench. Cowie is the only change to the starting line-up following last week's 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, in place of Jon Harley. DeMerit has recovered from eye surgery to be part of the Hornets' 18-man match-day squad for the first time since August. Newcastle, who have won their last five, are unchanged following their 3-0 win against Swansea City. Newcastle: Harper; Simpson, Coloccini, Taylor, Enrique; Guthrie, Smith, Nolan, Gutierrez; Lovenkrands, Harewood. Subs: Krul, Khizanishvili, Taylor, Pancrate, Butt, Carroll, Ranger. Watford: Loach; Hodson, Cathcart, Mariappa, Doyley; Cowie, Eustace, Lansbury, Cleverley; Helguson, Graham. Subs: Lee, Bennett, DeMerit, Harley, Severin, Ellington, Henderson.