04/11 Watford 2nd Half

By: Tony Butcher
Date: 05/11/2000

No changes were made by either side at half time, though within 5 or 10 minutes Raven had to be replaced. And on ran Neil Murray, who played in the centre of midfield, with Groves dropping back to centre half.

Watford 4 Grimsby Town 0
04 Nov 2000, Nationwide League Division 1

The Town fans just knew that Lennie's lucky streak had ended during a 2 minute period around the hour. A break down the right resulted in a low, hard cross-field pass towards Coldicott/Nielsen. The ball went between two Watford players on the edge of the area, skipping away off one of their hands. The ball rolled towards the touchline, where a Town player sprinted forward. The ball was eventually crossed deep, towards the far post, a few feet above Donovan. A Watford defender looked at Donovan and decided to barge him over, right in front of the referee. I can still find no logical reason for the referee to decide that there was no foul. If I ever do, I'll let you know. But I doubt it. Town's next attack (which was a flowing move that went from right, to left, to right again) resulted in McDermott surging forward down the centre. He went past one player and, from about 25 yards, smacked a powerful drive low to the 'keeper's right. Baardsen parried away to his right and Watford managed to scramble the ball away for a while.

Defensively, Town were better organised, with Coldicott providing deeper cover for Gallimore and, at last, Gallimore standing closer to the silver booted, and amazingly coiffured Wooter. When Gallimore closed down Wooter, Town got the ball. The moments of danger to Town in the early part of the second half were all when Gallimore let Wooter run. A combination of Handyside's skill and Groves' experience soon put at stop to such frivolities. And yet more Town attacks flowed forward, with the randomly scattered Town supporters roaring them on. Groves headed a right wing corner firmly into Baardsen's hands from a right of centre position, 12 yards out. Coldicott, twice, was released near the bye-line near the edge of the area on Town's left. His crosses were cleared with difficulty. Nielsen dribbled past three players at speed, Livvo was released down the left channel. It was wave upon wave of Town attacks. The officiating deteriorated, with a couple of dreadful offsides given against Livvo (the elbowing-one's shirt was obscured by yellow, which tends to suggest he was not nearer the goal than a Watford player). Campbell's feet were, literally, whipped away from him when he ran past a Watford player (slipped!), and a wayward Watford pass went out of play by a foot, so the linesman let Wooter run off down the line with the Town players looking most unamused.

After 66 minutes Watford had a shot (which was nice for them, their crowd were awfully quiet). A breakaway down the Town right saw Mooney surge into the penalty area and, from a few yards to the right of Coyne's goal, and about 10 yards out, he slightly sliced an attempted drive high and just wide of Coyne's right hand post. Four minutes later they got into the Town penalty area again with some high- paced passing and running down the right. Watford played in a low hard cross which ricocheted off their own player at the near post. It was probably a better clearance than a Town defender would have made. 5 minutes later they scored. Donovan received a clearance on the half way line, next to the touchline. He decided to produce an extravagant Reesian backheel to set up McDermott for a breakaway. Unfortunately, his backheel went into a space between Macca and two Watford players. The ball squirmed down the touchline, back towards the Town goal after the ensuing tackle. The ball spun off the turf and curled over Groves' boot as he dived in, full stretch, to try and intercept. The result of this was Noel-Williams alone in the Town half, on the right touchline. He sprinted towards the area, reached the bye line and cut in. From about 8 yards to the right of goal, and three or four yards out, NOEL-WILLIAMS hit a low shot between Coyne's legs into the left hand side of the goal. Totally against the run of play, a typical sucker goal to concede. Coyne should, perhaps, have come off his line a bit quicker as he seemed to come, then hesitate, allowing Noel-Williams to get nearer the goal than he should have done.

Around this time (it was either just before or just after) D Smith replaced Campbell in a straight swap. And Town still attacked, with the best move of the game. After a passing movement down the Town left, Murray played a short defensive splitting pass between the right back and centre back to Livvo. The cultured and deft one strode into the area and, from near the edge of the area, about 10 yards from the touchline, curled a cross with the outside of his right boot away from the keeper to the back post. Donovan sprinted in behind the left back and, from about 8 yards out, just beyond the far post, volleyed 2 or 3 yards over the bar. At around the same time Livvo shot weakly when about 15 yards out in the centre, again after some one touch passing and movement had shredded the Watford midfield and defence.

Right at the end Gallimore allowed Wooter to run at him from the half way line. Wooter got to the bye-line and easily tricked Gallimore into sliding the wrong way. Wooter then advanced along the bye-line into the area and, from about 8 yards, out tried to slam a low shot across Coyne. It hit Handyside's leg and ballooned into the side netting. The corner, from the Town left was clipped into the centre right of the goal, about 10 yards out. MOONEY was unmarked and he headed firmly and low into the left hand corner. And that was it.

The Town support walked out of the ground scratching their heads in disbelief. Apart from our wayward left back, everyone else had played really well, with the team looking slick, enterprising and dangerous. It was by far the best away performance this season…except the scoreline. Two indications that the score flattered and deceived :- the Town players were given a standing ovation and two neutrals who attended with me came away praising Town, stating "a draw would have been fair". And one of these is a Scunthorpe supporter!

Town were battling against a confident bunch of organised athletes, and an incompetent bunch of weak officials. Stricter officiating would have given Town a couple of penalties - one blatant push and a couple of handballs (one was right in front of the Town supporters when a cross was virtually punched away for a corner). All Town's difficulties came down the left, an area of known weakness. There were plenty of positives to take from the game - Murray, Handyside, Campbell, Coldicott, the midfield control and movement. However the forwards sometimes looked disinterested, with even Livvo failing to compete a couple of times. Nielsen tried in spurts, but as the game wore on his interest level diminished. If the ball didn't go exactly where he wanted it he stopped playing. How Ashcroftian.

6 months ago Town were stuffed 4-0 by Charlton. Town tried that night, but were just inferior, individually and collectively. Against Watford only the result was similar - we outplayed them, had the more skilful players and caused them great difficulties. Don't be deceived by the scoreline. Things have got better, this was merely a day when our luck deserted us.

Nicko's man of the match - until his slip for the third goal it would have been Groves (who played superbly in the first half, controlling the game). I'll plump for Campbell - a non-stop performance where his skill and heart overcame the physical disadvantage.

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