A MAJESTIC half-volley from Allan Nielsen with four minutes remaining gave Watford their first win of the season, with a 3-2 victory over Wimbledon at Vicarage Road on Saturday, August 17.

After falling behind to an Adam Nowland goal, Danny Webber and Paul Robinson gave the Hornets a 2-1 interval lead.

It looked like Ray Lewington's men would hold on comfortably for their first three points of the campaign until Damien Francis grabbed a controversial equaliser with six minutes left, but it fell to Watford's 'Great Dane' to have the decisive word.

Watford, with former Dons Neal Ardley and Marcus Gayle in their side, made one change to the team that drew 0-0 with Millwall last week; on-loan striker Webber coming in for Dominic Foley, who dropped to the bench.

The visitors, whose anticipated minimal support was boosted by a coach party from Milton Keynes, had former Hornet Mark Williams in their backline, as both sides went into the fixture looking for their first goal of the season.

Wimbledon had the first attempt of the afternoon, Nowland skying a volley over after Neil Shipperley had headed a Joel McAnuff cross into his path.

But Tommy Smith missed a golden chance to put the home side in front after seven minutes. Keeper Kelvin Davis muffed a cross-field clearance straight into Smith's path, but the out-of-sorts striker returned the compliment by mis-hitting his shot from 30 yards with an open goal at his mercy.

Davis redeemed himself five minutes later, producing an excellent tip over from Webber's header after Ardley had crossed.

The visitors had a good opening after 15 minutes when Nowland clipped a shot on the turn just over the bar after Jermaine Darlington had whipped in a cross from the right.

But two minutes later Wimbledon broke their goal duck when Shipperley turned a throw-in into the area, and Nowland got goal-side of a flat-footed defence to slide a shot past Alec Chamberlain's right hand.

Watford struggled to get their game going after that setback, but they were partially gifted an equaliser on the half-hour when Nielsen's long throw was inadvertantly flicked on by Williams and then Chris Wilmott, and Webber flung himself at the far post to net his and his side's first of the campaign.

The lively striker nearly snatched a second shortly after when he anticipated Peter Hawkins' back header, but keeper Davis was quickly off his line to block. Webber then got on the end of a fine Ardley cross, but his header lacked power, and Davis was able to get down and save.

The Dons suffered a setback six minutes before the interval when Williams was forced to leave the field with blood flowing from his head after a collision, and Watford capitalised on their numerical advantage after 41 minutes when Ardley swung over an excellent cross from the right and Robinson did superbly well to get above two defenders at the back post to direct a header back into the opposite corner of the net.

Smith had an angled drive saved from Nielsen's flick on as Watford finished the half strongly, and then Smith directed a deep Gayle cross back across the six-yard boss into the path of Nielsen, but Trond Andersen did well to clear. Webber also shot wide as Watford went into the interval 2-1 to the good.

Williams emerged for the start of the second period with his head bandaged, but Watford started as they had finished the first-half, with Nielsen having a shot blocked before Jamie Hand tried an audacious lob from 40 yards then went wide.

However, the Hornets were dealt a blow on 49 minutes when Webber limped off injured, and was replaced by Foley.

The Hornets stretched the Dons' defence again on 57 minutes when Foley swung over a cross from the right, Robinson headed back across goal, but Williams headed behind before any Watford player could get to the ball.

After a quiet passage of play, a Gayle through ball was flicked on by Foley for Smith, who, after having any shooting opportunity shut down, laid it back to Hand on the edge of the area, but he fired badly over.

The game continued to drift, with the visitors having the bulk of possession, but not looking dangerous, but Robinson should have done better after 74 minutes when he shook off the challenge of Darlington to break into the left side of the area, but, instead of squaring the ball, he went for goal, and Davis was able to save.

Shipperley had a half-hit shot at Chamberlain before Watford made their second change on 77 minutes, Paolo Vernazza coming on for Hand.

Nielsen then had a shot deflected behind, before Wimbledon snatched an extremely controversial equaliser with six minutes remaining.

A Dons free-kick was headed into the area by Williams, and, Francis, who appeared to be at least two yards offside, prodded the ball past Chamberlain, although video replays seemed to suggest Watford had been slow to clear their lines.

But the majority of fans thought justice was done barely two minutes later when Foley flicked on a Chamberlain free-kick, and Smith knocked it sideways for the on-rushing Nielsen to crack a stunning left-footed half volley past Davis.

Watford: Chamberlain; Cox, Dyche, Gayle; Ardley, Nielsen, Hand, Glass, Robinson; Smith, Webber. Substitutes: Foley for Webber after 49 minutes; Vernazza for Hand after 77 minutes; McNamee for Glass after 90 minutes; Doyley and Lee not used.

Wimbledon: Davis; Darlington, Willmott, Williams, Hawkins; McAnuff, Francis, Anderson, Agyemang; Nowland, Shipperley. Substitutes: Karlsson for Agyemang after 59 minutes; Gray for Nowland after 82 minutes; Heald, Leigertwood and Tapp not used.

Referee: Steve Baines (Derbyshire).

Bookings: None.

Attendance: 10,292.

August 19, 2002 10:30