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

Watford vs Bristol City

• Kick off: 7:45pm Tue 9 Feb 10
• Referee: Danny McDermid
• Venue: Vicarage Road

Final score:

Watford 2 - 0 Bristol City

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95:00: That's now six wins in eight for Watford at home and 19 points from the last 24. The damage was done in the first half but the Hornets' defensive resilience and organisation was impressive after the break. Thanks for joining me tonight and see you at Loftus Road a week today. Wouldn't three points on the road be nice...!

95:00: Final whistle And it's another job well done at Vicarage Road.

94:00: Yellow card Another yellow for the visitors goes to Marvin Elliott for pulling back Don Cowie.

90:00: Four minutes of stoppage time folks.

89:00: Closing stages now and Watford have been penned back a bit, but they don't look in any real danger of conceding.

84:00: Substitution Second change for the Hornets. Ross Jenkins comes on for Henri Lansbury.

77:00: Promising situation for the Hornets after Henri Lansbury is fouled 25 yards out in a central position. But the Arsenal loanee is unable to keep his ensuing set-piece down.

71:00: Substitution First change for the Hornets. Liam Henderson comes on for Danny Graham after a typical hard-working performance, but with few opportunities to end his goal drought.

70:00: Yellow card Another yellow for Bristol, this time for Liam Fontaine.

70:00: Yellow card Another yellow for Bristol, this time for Liam Fontaine.

68:00: Iavn Sproule fortunate not to see yellow for a foul on Henri Lansbury and then squaring up to the midfielder and Lloyd Doyley.

65:00: Jon Harley whips in the resultant free-kick from the right but nobody in yellow is able to connect at the far post.

64:00: Yellow card Lewin Nyatanga is third City player to be booked for holding down Heidar Helguson.

62:00: Almost one back for the visitors. A corner from the left is headed into the six-yard back and Patrick Agyemang attempts a back header, but puts the ball over. City have definitely improved this half although, in truth, they couldn't really have got worse.

61:00: Fine challenge from Jay DeMerit to prevent Patrick Agyemang from breaking into the area and into a shooting position.

59:00: Dean Gerken, under pressure from Danny Graham, almost makes a complete hash of punching a clearance, with the ball slicing off his gloves and spinning back across his goalline a few feet wide of the posts.

58:00: 12,179 have braved the cold tonight, including 513 from down the M4.

54:00: City's attempt at a revival continues, with Ivan Sproule doing well down the right, only for Lee Johnson to take his cut-back off the boot of Marvin Elliott, who was shaping to shoot.

51:00: The Watford outfield players all need to give Scott Loach a pat on the back afterwards. Liam Fontaine is left totally unmarked to connect powerfully with Lee Johnson's free-kick from the right, but the England Under-21 keeper superbly tips the ball over.

47:00: Henri Lansbury goes down under a challenge in the area but it never looked a penalty, and the referee didn't think so either.

46:00: Substitution I thought I was being a bit over optimistic. The City boss makes two changes before the restart, bringing on Ivan Sproule and Marvin Elliott for Alvaro Saborlo and Jamie McAllister.

45:00: Gary Johnson surely has to change something at the break because his side have been very poor. He could start by adjusting their set-up because, at times, they have resembled a bizarre 3-2-1-2-2. As a result the Hornets have been able to out-gun them in the centre of the park and find space in the channels behind the wing-backs. Obviously this pair of eyes hopes he leaves well alone because the Hornets will win at a canter on the evidence of the opening 45 minutes.

45:00: Half time So far so good for the Hornets.

45:00: Three minutes of stoppage time at the end of a thoroughly rewarding first half for those of a yellow persuasion.

44:00: Alvaro Saborlo gets behind the Watford defence on the left but his cross from tight to the by-line is over-hit and goes beyond Patrick Agyemang.

43:00: Another chance for the Hornets. Danny Graham is sent scampering clear down the right but an under pressure Heidar Helguson is unable to turn his good, low centre on target.

40:00: Dangerous from City. Liam Fontaine fizzes a low centre across the six-yard box but the outstretched leg of David Clarkson is unable to turn the ball on target from a tight angle.

39:00: A rare attack from City ends with Jamie McAllister having a powerful angled shot deflected over by Don Cowie.

34:00: No more than Watford deserve. Henri Lansbury hits a great free-kick from deep towards the back post and Martin Taylor steals in round the back to finish with aplomb on the half-volley from a tight angle. Lovely finish.

34:00: Goal! And City are punished twice over! And it's Martin Taylor with his first Hornets goal.

33:00: Yellow card City's frustration is in danger of spilling over here. Alvaro Saborlo sees yellow for a horrible challenge on Jay DeMerit.

32:00: But the Iceman is soon up and running, breaking through a tackle before dragging a shot wide.

30:00: Yellow card There's an audible scream from Heidar Helguson after he gets caught late by Cole Skuse. The City midfielder can have no complaints about his punishment.

28:00: Hi rhyse848 and thanks for the question. I didn't have the chance to speak to many people before the game but my understanding from Saturday was that it was odds against for tonight.

26:00: Watford are so on top Lloyd Doyley is taking every opportunity to get involved up top. He even popped up in a central striking position a moment ago. Another goal to come tonight perhaps...?

24:00: Interesting approach by Gary Johnson. They're playing three at the back when in possession, with two wing-backs, Lee Johnson holding in midfield and two more midfield men pushing up to support the front two...not that it's doing them much good at the moment.

21:00: Oops, tell a lie - it was actually Danny Graham but he's back involved now.

20:00: Watford's scorer receives some treatment after getting knocked down. It appears to be a problem with his wrist but hopefully he'll be alright to continue.

14:00: Watford's good early start is rewarded. Adrian Mariappa gets over a fine cross from the right and Heidar Helguson pulls off his man at the back post to send a trademark header past Dean Gerken. A good night beckons...?!

14:00: Goal! Get in there! And it's H.

11:00: Speaking of the City captain, he heads the visitors' first opening wide at the other end after Patrick Agyemang loops a cross back into the area.

10:00: Louis Carey kicks an attempted clearance against his own arm in the penalty area. The Watford bench appeal but referee Danny McDermid is unmoved. I've seen them given although it would have been harsh.

8:00: Lee Johnson takes City's first corner but Watford are able to clear their lines after the ball bobbles around momentarily.

6:00: Encouraging start by those in yellow. The visitors have barely been out of their own half yet.

3:00: Good early chance. Watford win their first corner which Don Cowie takes from the right and Martin Taylor comes in around the penalty spot to head narrowly wide of Dean Gerken's left-hand post.

1:00: The Hornets immediately on the attack until an offside flag curtails their early pressure.

1:00: Right, we're off. Watford kick off and attacking the Rookery in the first half.

0:00: Some unwanted pre-match drama for Gary Johnson. Evander Sno has been injured in the warm-up and his place goes to Joe Edwards. The other player missing from the City bench listed on this page is James Wilson. Note to self: must find out how to add new players to the squad lists! Poor, I know, but hopefully it won't spoil your enjoyment tonight.

0:00: Watford: Loach; Mariappa, DeMerit, Taylor, Doyley; Cowie, Eustace, Lansbury, Harley; Graham, Helguson. Substitutes: McGinn, Jenkins, Lee, Bennett, Henderson, Bryan, Hodson. Bristol City: Gerken; Orr, McAllister, Fontaine, Carey; Johnson, Clarkson, Skuse, Nyatanga; Saborlo, Agyemang. Substitutes: Elliott, Hartley, Collis, Williams, Sproule, Wilson, Sno.

0:00: For the visitors there are four changes, mostly in a completely reshaped midfield. Lee Johnson, son of the manager, David Clarkson and Cole Skuse come in for Marvin Elliott, Paul Hartley and Evander Sno. The other change is up front with Alvaro Saborlo replacing the injured Nicky Maynard.

0:00: That was a good guess! Danny Graham does indeed start and Tom Cleverley is again absent. That means there is just one change from Saturday's line-up, with Graham coming in for Ross Jenkins.

0:00: We are still awaiting confirmation of the teams, but both sides are now out on the pitch warming up. Unfortunately for Watford, Tom Cleverley does not appear to be out there, suggesting he has not yet recovered from the knee injury that sidelined him on Saturday. But, interestingly, Danny Graham is wearing the same colour bib as Heidar Helguson which could mean he has been handed a recall by Malky Mackay.

0:00: Both teams come into the game on the back of a winless weekend. While the Hornets were suffering an unfortunate 1-0 defeat at Barnsley, City were being held to a 1-1 draw at home by Coventry City. That means both sides go into tonight's game separated by just one place - and two points - in the table, with City currently having the upper hand in 11th on 37 points.

0:00: Good evening everyone and welcome to Vicarage Road for this evening's Championship clash between Watford and Bristol City.