CLARKE CARLISLE embellished a captain's performance with two goals as Watford came from behind to defeat Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Second Round of the Carling Cup at Vicarage Road on Tuesday, September 20.

The inspirational Watford skipper headed home a free-kick from Anthony McNamee for the equaliser on the stroke of half-time and then repeated the trick in extra-time from a Matthew Spring centre to send Adrian Boothroyd's youthful side through to the next round.

Kenny Miller, one of five internationals in the visitors' line-up, had opened the scoring for Wolves on 11 minutes but they failed to make their vast experience count and are still searching for their first away win of the season.

With his team selection perhaps dictated by a mounting injury list, Boothroyd still pulled off a couple of surprises in the starting XI he named. The side showed seven changes from the one that lost to Sheffield United on Saturday, but the most notable inclusions were the senior debuts he gave to Toumani Diagouraga and Francino Francis.

Glenn Hoddle also made seven changes to the team that drew 0-0 with Leicester at the weekend, but on paper it looked a significantly stronger line-up, with the likes of Miller, Jody Craddock and Seol included.

Wolves got the first sight of goal inside the first minute when Lee Naylor played in Miller in the inside left channel. The Scotland international shrugged off James Chambers but his tame effort was smothered by Alec Chamberlain at the near post.

Naylor was again the architect of Wolves' second opportunity on five minutes. The full back's low centre bounced up off Carlisle and into the path of Vio Ganea, but the striker could not keep his acrobatic overhead kick down.

However, the goal Wolves had been threatening arrived on 11 minutes, although the home side will feel aggrieved at the referee's decision to award the free-kick that led to the goal. After Mike Jones deemed Jordan Stewart to have brought down Seol, who looked to have lost his footing on the greasy Vicarage Road surface, Mark Davies' low centre to the near post was met by Miller, who got ahead of his marker to steer the ball past Chamberlain.

It took the home side 25 minutes to engineer their first attempt on goal, McNamee cutting inside but failing to trouble Stefan Postma with a weak low shot that the keeper collected on the edge of his six-yard box.

Miller almost got another sight of goal just after the half-hour mark but Chambers was quick to close down the striker after a raking pass from Seol.

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At the other end, the dynamic Spring sent a firm header straight at Postma after being picked out on the edge of the box by Chambers.

The crowd came to life on 38 minutes though, when Watford came close to levelling the tie. McNamee sent Francis racing down the right channel and his cross fell to Hameur Bouazza at the far post after Postma had failed to come and claim. The French striker fired the ball back at goal but his shot was cleared by the covering Davies.

Francis then lifted a centre from McNamee over the bar from six yards out only to be flagged offside while, at the other end, Miller curled a free-kick over Chamberlain's crossbar.

Chambers and McNamee then combined well down the left, forcing Colin Cameron to head behind for a corner. From the resulting set-piece, McNamee's outswinging delivery was met by an unmarked Carlisle, who headed the ball back across goal into the bottom right-hander corner for the equaliser on the stroke of half-time.

Wolves were forced to make one change at half-time, Joleon Lescott replacing Gabor Gyepes who failed to shake off a leg injury he picked up in the first half.

Davies, the England Under-17 captain, fashioned the first chance of the second-half, bursting past three challenges before flashing a teasing centre across the face of goal that just eluded Miller at the near post.

The Watford fans began to crank up the noise level in attempt to inspire their team but it was Davies who was at the centre of the action again on 65 minutes. A lofted free-kick from Naylor was chested into Davies' path by Ganea but the youngster's drive from 18 yards was straight at Chamberlain.

Just seconds after Chambers had dragged a shot wide of the right-hand upright, Hoddle made the second substitution of the evening, replacing Ganea with George Ndah on 72 minutes.

Boothroyd then made a double change a minute later, bringing on Joel Grant and Junior Osborne for Francis and Diagouraga as Watford went in search of the winner.

Osborne's first contribution was to make a timely interception on Miller who would have had a clear run on goal after a careless pass from Bouazza gifted Wolves possession.

Miller turned provider a minute later but his teasing low cross was skewed wide from six yards out by Ndah. At the other end, Grant snatched horribly at a shooting chance on 81 minutes after Carlisle had kept the ball in play with a clever back-heel.

Carlisle, a tower of strength at the heart of the defence, then strode forward and threaded a perfectly-weighted pass into the path of Grant who stung the palms of Postma with a rising drive.

Wolves almost snatched a dramatic late winner but Chamberlain came to his side's rescue by producing a point-blank save to deny Cameron from close range.

Chamberlain went one better at the start of extra-time, showing he has lost none of his reflexes by brilliantly tipping over a header from Ndah following a Naylor corner.

A minute after Chambers had sent an ambitious over-head kick wide of the right-hand upright, Hoddle made his final change, introducing former Spurs winger Rohan Ricketts at the expense of Cameron.

Boothroyd was then forced to make his third and final change of the evening after Al Bangura was stretchered off following a heavy challenge with Ndah, who received the first caution of the evening. Former Arsenal youngster Ben Gill was brought on for his senior debut.

The game looked to be heading towards penalties when Carlisle grabbed his second of the night two minutes before the end of the first period. The Watford captain rose highest to glance a free-kick from Spring into the far corner.

Watford suffered few alarms thereafter, showing experience beyond their years to run the clock down and hold on to continue their love affair with the Carling Cup.

Watford: Chamberlain; Chambers, Doyley, Carlisle, Stewart; Bangura; Spring, Diagouraga, McNamee; Francis, Bouazza. Substitutes: Grant and Osborne for Francis and Diagouraga after 74 mins; Gill for Bangura after 99 mins; Mariappa and Griffiths not used.

Wolves: Postma; Edwards, Craddock, Gyepes, Naylor; Cameron, Olofinjana, Davies; Seol, Ganea, Miller. Substitutes: Lescott for Gyepes after 45 mins; Ndah for Ganea after 73 mins; Ricketts for Cameron after 97 mins; Clarke and Oakes not used.

Bookings: Ndah for a foul on Bangura after 99 mins; Lescott for a foul on Chambers after 112 mins.

Attendance: 9,296.

Referee: Mike Jones (Ellesmere Port, Cheshire).