Brendan Rodgers’ management career got off to an inauspicious start this afternoon as disappointing Watford were held to a 1-1 draw at Vicarage Road by fellow strugglers Doncaster Rovers.

Tommy Smith’s fourth in as many games looked like it might be enough to settle a dull affair, but Watford old boy Steve Brooker came off the bench to rescue a point for the visitors.

But the Hornets could have few complaints from a match, the only other notable feature of which was ten yellow cards shown equally to both sides. They struggled to implement the new manager’s tactical instructions and mustered just four goal attempts in the whole match.

Rodgers made two changes for his first game in charge, but set the team up in a completely different manner from what Hornets fans have been used to this season, with new loan signing Liam Bridcutt and Will Hoskins included at the expense of fractured cheekbone victim Darren Ward and Lloyd Doyley.

There were some encouraging signs in the early stages, with Bridcutt looking particularly comfortable on the ball, but it was the visitors who went very close to taking the lead in the seventh minute from the game’s first chance of note.

Richie Wellens escaped down the inside left channel and stood up a cross which Scott Loach tipped onto the underside of the bar and then looked back in relief as the ball rebounded to safety off his left-hand upright.

Rovers continued to press as the new-look Hornets backline struggled to sort itself out at times, but in the 18th minute the home side finally did register an attempt when Hoskins was felled by Brian Stock 25 yards from goal and Lee Williamson’s free-kick deflected off the top of the wall and behind for a corner.

Watford continued to struggle to establish an attacking platform until the 26th minute when a quickly-taken Jon Harley throw enabled Smith to find Tamas Priskin, who in turn tried to slide in Jobi McAnuff, but he was well covered by James Chambers. However, the former Hornets’ next involvement was to pick up the game’ first booking for a foul on Bridcutt.

In the 31st minute though, the Rodgers reign was up and running with a lovely worked goal.

Priskin did well to win a header in a central position and find McAnuff, who attacked the heart of the Doncaster defence before sliding the ball to his right where Priskin had found space in the penalty area. The Hunagrian striker resisted the temptation to shoot and instead slid a fine ball across the six-yard box where Smith slid in unmarked at the back post to net his fourth in as many games and move into double figures for the season to make it 1-0.

Shelton Martis picked up the visitors’ second caution four minutes later for stupidly kicking the ball away and within two minutes he was lying on the side of the pitch, clearly unable to carry on. While that was going on, Rovers’ card count continued to rise as Martin Woods was booked for a high challenge on Harley. And, as Sam Hird came on for Martis, three yellows became four when Brian Stock took out Smith.

However, Harley is never shy from picking up a yellow card himself, and he duly did less than 60 seconds later for a foul on James Coppinger.

Doncaster did fashion an opportunity a minute into injury-time when Gareth Taylor met a James O’Connor cross from the right with a downward header, but it was straight at Loach. There was still time for Bridcutt to blot his copybook with the sixth booking in just 18 minutes for a foul on O’Connor, but Watford still went into the break a goal to the good.

There was little to brighten the early stages of the second half and there wasn’t really a talking point until the 58th minute when the home side won their first corner of the period and, as they were preparing to take that, John-Joe O’Toole replaced Hoskins.

Sean O’Driscoll made his final two changes after 64 minutes, bringing on Lewis Guy and Brooker for Woods and Taylor, but there was still very little for the fans to get excited about.

Priskin picked up a needless caution soon after for dissent, and then Doyley entered the fray at the expense of Bridcutt, enabling Ross Jenkins to move back to his usual position from right-back.

But on 70 minutes Doncaster were level. John Spicer was the supplier with a decent ball in from the right and Brooker got in between men to slide home with virtually his first touch in a Rovers shirt to make it 1-1 against his first club.

Watford finally did muster another attempt – only their third of the game – with ten minutes remaining when Williamson’s free-kick from the right picked out the head of O’Toole. He made a good enough contact, but Neil Sullivan was not unduly troubled, and the Hornets substitute then followed through and picked up the game’s eighth yellow card as a result.

However, Loach had to be alert two minutes later when he was forced to plunge to his right to keep out a well-struck left-footed attempt for Coppinger, but a minute later there was a moment of big controversy when Smith appeared to be hauled down by O’Connor in the area, but referee Iain Williamson adjudged Watford’s top scorer to be at fault.

The card-happy official then ensured the home side would be getting a letter from the FA – and that Williamson will also serve a one-match ban for five yellow cards – when the Hornets’ midfielder became the recipient of his side’s fifth caution for handball. But, just to even things up, the visitors also gained their fifth yellow soon after.

And that was it for a game which saw Rodgers end his first game with some boos ringing in his ears.

Watford: Loach; Jenkins, Mariappa, DeMerit, Harley; Bridcutt (Doyley, 69), McAnuff, Williamson, Smith; Hoskins (O’Toole 58); Priskin. Not used: Lee, Robinson and Henderson.

Doncaster Rovers: Sullivan; O’Connor, Mills, Martis (Hird, 41), Chambers; Stock; Spicer, Woods (Guy, 64); Coppinger, Wellens; Taylor (Brooker, 64). Not used: Elliott and Price.

Bookings: Chambers for a foul on Bridcutt after 27 mins; Martis for dissent after 35 mins; Woods for a foul on Harley after 38 mins; Stock for a foul on Smith after 41 mins; Harley for a foul on Coppinger after 42 mins; Bridcutt for a foul on O’Connor after 45 mins; Priskin for dissent after 67 mins; O’Toole for a foul on Sullivan after 80 mins; Williamson for handball after 87 mins; Stock for a foul on Harley after 90 mins.

Attendance: 14,008.

Referee: Iain Williamson.