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

Doncaster Rovers vs Watford

• Kick off: 3:00pm Sat 16 Jan 10
• Referee: Andy Hall
• Venue: Keepmoat Stadium

Final score:

Doncaster Rovers 2 - 1 Watford

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96:00: Final whistle Watford were unable to find the equaliser as their poor recent form continues

93:00: Goal! Watford were awarded a penalty when the Doncaster defender jumped over the back of Hoskins. Helguson calmly slotted the spot kick past the keeper on his right side

90:00: A delightful Cleverley cross was directed on to the bar by Wilson.

86:00: Substitution Webster for Coppinger and Henderson for Hodson

83:00: Goal! A stunning volley from left back Roberts found the top corner from 25 yards

79:00: Substitution Spicer for Stock

78:00: Bryan for Cowie

75:00: Shiels almost grabbed a second when he smashed a shot at goal but Loach again parried the ball away

74:00: Substitution Hird for the injured Shackell

73:00: Cowie and Eustace link up to slip the ball to Hoskins just inside the area but his near post effort was saved by Sullivan

72:00: Mariappa rose highest at a Cleverley corner but the ball was just too high for the centre back

69:00: Shiels' cross is headed clear by Doyley before a foul is given to the defending team

66:00: Cleverley's curling shot is over by at least five yards

65:00: Lansbury has a 30 yard volley tipped over the bar. The resulting corner is headed goalwards by Helguson but it was saved by Sullivan

63:00: Watford win a corner and Cleverley's delivery is volleyed goalwards by Eustace but again it is blocked

61:00: Attendance is 10,501

60:00: Substitution Hoskins for Graham

57:00: Sharp forces Loach into another save but it was comfortable for the keeper

53:00: Roberts curling shot was well wide of the far post

50:00: Goal! Doncaster open the scoring as Coppinger backheels the ball into the path of Shiels, who had got goal side of Hodson, and although the Hornets full back recovered, the forward turned inside Hodson and slotted the ball between the legs of Doyle and past Loach into the corner of the net

46:00: Within 30 seconds of the restart Eustace wins a 50-50 challenge and tries to lob Sulliavan from 25 yards but the veteran keeper makes a diving save

45:00: Cleverley's first real contribution of the half is to beat four or five men as he ran from his own box into the |Rovers half but he is brought down and Stock kicks the ball into his face.

43:00: Doncaster are no longer dominating like they were early in the half but Watford have been too wasteful in the final third

41:00: A free kick picks out Helguson at the back post but the striker was offside

38:00: Oster picks out Sharp between the two Watford centre halves with a diagonal ball but the striker's header was well saved by Loach

37:00: Watford enjoy a spell of possession in Rovers half but Cowie's cross is straight to the keeper

33:00: Watford find themselves in the Doncaster half but Hodson overhits his cross straight out of play

31:00: A ball over the top caught DeMerit out and Sharp drags a right-footed shot wide

30:00: Oster has a shot blocked, Rovers continue to work the ball on the left and a Coppinger cross had to be parried over the bar by Loach

28:00: Watford work the ball well but Cowie's stab at goal is not powerful enough to trouble Sullivan

25:00: Rovers work the ball well once more and Shiels sends in a dangerous cross but Loach gathers well

21:00: Mariappa is only able to head a Shiels cross to Stock on the edge of the area and his volley is sliced wide

19:00: Both Graham and Sharp have shots blocked in quick succession

13:00: Wilson tries to catch LOach off his line after Mariappa scuffs a clearance but was comfortably wide

11:00: Loach is only able to parry a Chambers cross to the edge of the area, the ball ends up with Shiels, his curling shot is tipped wide of the post. Shackell headed the resulting corner wide

10:00: Graham wins the ball back in Rovers penalty area and lays the ball off to Lansbury but his shot is blocked

6:00: Some lovely football from Doncaster ends with Chambers crossing and although Cowie sliced his clearance back towards goal, Mariappa clears

4:00: Doncaster break from a Watford corner and Shiels has time to compose himself on the ede of the area but drags his shot wide of the far post

3:00: Coppinger strikes a shot which Loach can only parry against the legs of Sharp but he is unable to guide the ball goalwards

2:00: Doncaster failed to clear their lines and Cleverley had a goal-bound shot blocked

1:00: The match has kicked off

0:00: Heidar Helguson returns to the Watford starting line-up for this afternoon's game with Doncaster Rovers but new signing Stephen McGinn will not be involved. Helguson has rejoined the Hornets on loan from QPR until the end of the season and will start up front alongside Danny Graham. Ross Jenkins is once again on the bench and new signing McGinn will not join up with the squad until Monday morning following his move from St Mirren yesterday. This means Don Cowie will return to the right of a midfield which also consists of Tom Cleverley, John Eustace and Henri Lansbury. Doncaster have won four of their last five and possess the Championship's in-form striker Billy Sharp, who has scored eight goals in his last nine matches. Rovers are also boosted by the return of captain Brian Stock for the first time since September after an ankle injury. Doncaster Rovers: Sullivan; Chambers, Shackell, O'Connor, Roberts; Wilson, Stock, Oster; Coppinger, Sharp, Shiels. Subs: Hird, Webster, Spicer, Guy, Smith, Hayter, Heffernan. Watford: Loach; Hodson, DeMerit, Mariappa, Doyley; Cowie, Lansbury, Eustace, Cleverley; Helguson, Graham. Subs: Lee, Bennett, Harley, Bryan, Jenkins, Henderson, Hoskins.