Poor second half costs Watford Internet FC (From Watford Observer)

Watford Internet FC beaten by Dulwich Hamlet counterparts

3:38pm Wednesday 22nd February 2012 in Watford FC News

Watford Internet FC suffered a fourth defeat in their last five matches after going down 4-2 against Dulwich Hamlet.

Having won on their last three trips to that part of South London, racking up 36 goals in the process, the visitors found a far more competitive home side determined to make amends.

Watford started brightly, with James Hannaford the first to go close with a shot from the edge of the box and Joel Moody was denied by a good stop from the home keeper.

Dulwich too had early chances but the Watford back four, marshalled by Dan Willis and Martin Pollard, held firm.

As a keenly contested and close first half drew to a close, there was a moment of controversy as Stuart Nicholls, through on goal with only the keeper to beat, was felled by a home defender but denied a penalty kick by the referee.

So strong were the claims that when a Hannaford shot brushed a Dulwich arm on its way through the penalty area minutes later, the referee awarded a spot-kick, possibly to make amends.

Either way, Moody coolly slotted the kick home for his 7th goal of the season.

With Watford now playing uphill and with a lead, a period of dominance followed for the visitors, but a mixture of profligate finishing, great goalkeeping and poor final balls held the visitors back and it took a deflected Nicholls strike to finally double the lead midway through the half.

Watford were made to pay for their wastefulness in front of goal, but not before Richard Murphy’s shot drew a save from the home keeper that would not have looked out of place in a professional game.

Dulwich got a goal back against the run of play with 20 minutes left through a left footed strike from midfielder Ricky Laing, who then headed an equaliser with on 80 minutes.

Watford then fell apart and were stunned when Laing played in Jack Carter, who gave the home side the lead.

The visitors threw men forward, but to no avail and a quickly cleared corner led to a Dulwich break which ended in Laing completing the perfect hat-trick with a right footed strike past Watford keeper Jeremy Hinds.

Shell-shocked joint manager Dave Messenger was disappointed with the result, but more so with the reaction of the players to Dulwich’s comeback.

“We were like rabbits in headlights once Dulwich got one back.

“Credit Dulwich, they fully deserved to win as they played with spirit throughout, but we seemed to have no answer to the pressure they put us under, and having dominated the second half we should have been out of sight.

“We are a decent side when the going’s good, but need to work much harder for each other when we’re on the back foot.”

Watford – Jeremy Hinds; Ed Sterry, Dan Willis, Martin Pollard, Phil McBride; Joel Moody, Stuart Nicholls, James Hannaford, Laurence Wells; Steve Eustice, Warren Flanagan. Subs Richard Murphy & Matt Wells.