By PA Sport Staff
Click here for full match stats
Two second-half goals saw Watford claim victory in the battle of the FA Cup
semi-finalists in a drab end-of-season encounter at Vicarage Road.
Hornets boss Ray Lewington rang the changes as he chose to give some of his
younger players an opportunity after accusing some of his side of a lack of
motivation in recent games. After conceding seven goals in two games, Watford
included goalkeeper Richard Lee who made his debut and gave other starts to
Anthony McNamee, Lloyd Doyley, Jamie Hand, Jason Norville and Scott Fitzgerald.
Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock chose to rest some of his stars as he
looked ahead to the end-of-season play-offs, the likes of Michael Brown, Michael
Tongue and Steve Kabba left out of the starting line-up.
In a scrappy first half, veteran Blades midfielder Stuart McCall came closest
to breaking the deadlock. The former Scottish international fired in a
long-range strike which young keeper Lee managed to tip onto the angle of post
and crossbar and out for a corner.
Norville, Fitzgerald and Cox went close with efforts for the Hornets in the
first half while Carl Asaba and Peter Ndlovu came close for the visitors.
Mark Rankine drilled a long-range effort wide in the early stages of the
second half whilst Allan Nielsen did likewise for the home side.
Tongue came on for the injured McCall soon after and the Blades upped the
tempo, Ndlovu firing an effort just over.
Fitzgerald tested Kelly with a curling shot from the edge of the area which
the Blades keeper kept out with his feet.
But Watford skipper Neil Cox finally broke the deadlock after 64 minutes,
firing home his seventh goal of the season from close range from Allan Nielsen's
corner.
Norville and Cox went close soon after to doubling the home side's lead while
Kabba saw an effort tipped over by Lee.
The Hornets deservedly made sure of the points 11 minutes from time when Scott
Fitzgerald hit his first goal for the club, tucking away the rebound after Kelly
had kept out Cox's header from a Nielsen corner.
Teams
Watford: Lee, Doyley, Cox, Gayle, Brown, Hand, Johnson,
Nielsen (Cook 89), McNamee, Norville, Fitzgerald.
Subs Not Used: Chamberlain, Tommy Smith, Mahon, Swonnell.
Booked: Hand.
Goals: Cox 64, Fitzgerald 79.
Sheff Utd: Kelly, Curtis, Page, Cas, Kozluk, Montgomery,
McCall (Tonge 52), Rankine (Kabba 61), Ndlovu,
Windass (Peschisolido 69), Asaba.
Subs Not Used: Allison, Cryan.
Att: 14,320
Ref: A Hall (West Midlands).
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