5:08pm Sunday 21st March 2010
By Frank Smith
Defensive mistakes cost Watford dearly as they lost 3-1 to promotion-chasing Cardiff City this afternoon.
The Hornets went 1-0 down after seven minutes through an excellently-taken Ross McCormack goal but the visitors were the much better side for the remainder of the first half and created a number of good chances.
Cardiff were not at their creative best but defensive mistakes allowed Peter Whittingham and Chris Burke to make it 3-0 in the second half, before Heidar Helguson grabbed a cracking consolation goal in injury time.
Watford, who have not won on the road since mid-October, suffered a blow before kick off as Henri Lansbury and captain Jay DeMerit were ruled out with hip and back problems respectively.
And their chances of beating the promotion-chasers took another set back within seven minutes as a well-worked corner routine saw McCormack volley powerfully into the bottom corner from 12 yards.
However, Watford responded well and were the better side for much of the first half.
Will Hoskins, who scored the winner on Tuesday night, had an overhead kick go narrowly over the bar from eight yards out soon after Cardiff's opener.
Minutes later Heidar Helguson had a header from close range blocked and from the subsequent corner, Martin Taylor hit the bar with a header and the ball was almost bundled home by Hoskins, but David Marshall saved.
Eustace and Helguson spurned half chances before the on loan QPR striker almost bundled home the equaliser in the 42nd minute.
Good hold up play from Hoskins put Don Cowie through wide right and his low cross was missed by Marshall and Helguson would have been left with the simplest of finishes had Gavin Rae not slid in and cleared two yards from his own goal line.
Tom Cleverley struck a free kick straight at Marshall in first-half injury time but the Hornets were unfortunate to go into the break a goal down.
Whittingham started the second half by firing comfortably over and after a couple of half chances went wide from Helguson and Cowie, he made the win safe on 63 minutes.
Poor marking from Lee Hodson allowed Whittingham to head almost unchallenged into the bottom corner from close range.
Watford were not being overrun but struggled to create chances in the second half and Cardiff were clinical with the few they created.
Minutes after Loach made a super stop to deny a Bothroyd header, Cardiff broke quickly and poor defending once more allowed the home side to snatch a third with 12 minutes remaining.
Burke dribbled from his own half and after beating Hodson and receiving a lucky break after a challenge from Lloyd Doyley in the box, the winger slid the ball underneath Loach from a tight angle.
Watford continued to search for a way back into the game but struggled to take advantage of the possession and good positions they had as the game came to a close.
However, they did grab the goal their performance deserved in injury time as McGinn chipped the ball into the box, Cleverley flicked it on with his head and Helguson volleyed into the top corner from 18 yards out.
Watford: Loach; Hodson, Mariappa, Taylor, Doyley; Cleverley, Eustace, Jenkins (McGinn 53), Cowie (Buckley 67); Hoskins (Graham 63), Helguson.
Subs not used: Lee, Bennett, Harley, Bryan.
Cardiff City: Marshall; Rae, Gyepes, Blake, Kennedy (Capaldi 46); Whittingham, McPhail, Quinn, Burke; McCormack (Chopra 86), Bothroyd (Feeney 81).
Subs not used: Enckelman, Matthews, Wildig, Taiwo.
Referee: Phil Crossley.
Attendance: 20,130.
Click here to see how the match unfolded in more detail
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