Barnsley gift-wrapped Watford their first Division One victory in two months with some sloppy defending at a sub-zero Oakwell on Friday night.

The managerless Yorkshireman allowed Graham Taylor's side to end their barren run with a display which must have left watching Leeds manager David O'Leary rubbing his hands with glee ahead of their FA Cup third round date with the Tykes next Saturday.

Rotherham boss Ronnie Moore's presence alongside O'Leary in the stands will have heightened speculation linking him to the Barnsley manager's job, but he saw little quality from the home side apart from the industrious Mike Sheron.

Allan Nielsen was Watford's hero with a neat finish after the Hornets ripped the home defence apart early in the second half.

Within 10 seconds of kick off, Sheron had thumped a 20-yard strike over the Watford crossbar and then Matty Appleby skipped into the visitors penalty area on six minutes, but Sheron fired his pull-back wide.

It would have been against the run of play had Nielsen handed the Londoners the lead inside the first 10 minutes, but the Danish midfielder nodded Neil Cox's cross wide.

Barnsley centre-back Steve Chettle made the first defensive blooper when he amazingly sliced a Tommy Smith cross against his own crossbar on 16 minutes.

The Tykes suffered from the substitution of midfielder Robin van der Laan five minutes later after he twice received treatment on a leg injury.

The home side continued in their display of festive generosity, with Chris Barker almost heading into his own net - Chris Morgan had to clear from beneath his own crossbar to prevent a dreadful own goal.

After the interval, Darren Ward came agonisingly close to nudging the out-of-form visitors in front.

The central defender met Cox's corner from the right with a firm shot from 14 yards - but his goal-bound effort flicked off team-mate Gifton Noel-Williams and over the bar.

But the 200 travelling fans braving temperatures of -8 degrees Centigrade were celebrating after 56 minutes.

Peter Kennedy drilled a diagonal cross to Smith and his slide-rule pass into the goal mouth was gleefully clipped in by Nielsen.

He should have competed a brace nine minutes later after a lay-off from a Noel-Williams cross. The Watford man skipped round Miller, but somehow curled his 16-yard shot wide with the goal at his mercy.

Sheron forced a great diving save from Alec Chamberlain with a fierce 12-yard half-volley on 72 minutes, then Barnsley's Sean McClare was handed a simple chance to haul Eric Winstanley's men level.

But the Rotherham-born youngster dragged his shot wide, which summed up the night for Barnsley, who ended 2000 on a hugely disappointing note.

Teams

Barnsley: Miller, Salli, Morgan, Chettle, Barker, Corbo (Jones 72), Van Der Laan (McClare 20), Appleby, Dyer (Neil 56), Sheron, Shipperley.

Subs Not Used: O'Callaghan, Bullock.

Watford: Chamberlain, Cox, Robinson, Kennedy, Page, Ward, Nielsen, Carlton Palmer, Smith, Noel-Williams, Mooney.

Subs Not Used: Baardsen, Steve Palmer, Vernazza, Wooter, Helguson.

Booked: Page.

Goals: Nielsen 56.

Att: 13,820

Ref: G Cain (Bootle).