Watford's hopes of reaching the play off took a further knock as Bury, without an away win all season, grabbed a point at Vicarage Road.

Not even the addition of free-scoring striker Guy Whittingham could lift Graham Taylor's side. Whittingham managed one shot in each half - one blocked and one well saved by the Bury keeper Dean Kiely.

Watford's best chance came late in the game when a Peter Kennedy corner was met by substitute Tommy Mooney who rose to head against the bar.

In a tedious game Watford had the greater possession but were unable to do much with it.

Icelandic Under-21 international Johann Gudmundsson was the pick of the Watford forwards and he went close in the first-half with a fierce shot on the turn.

Kennedy wasted a great chance but Bury also had their first-half moments. Centre-half Chris Lucketti rose to head a corner from Carl Serrant and Watford keeper Alec Chamberlain was forced to tip over.

Watford were no better in the second-half and Bury, twice in breakaways, threatened to steal the points. On the first occasion Chamberlain had to make a fine blocking save to deny Paul Barnes and on another occasion, following a long clearance from keeper Kiely, Watford defender Robert Page nodded the ball on and Paul Hall saw his shot blocked near the line by Steve Palmer.

Gudmundsson almost surprised Kiely with a curling shot but the keeper managed to recover and push wide.

Watford had a procession of half chances but were unable to find the target. Richard Johnson fired over from a good position and Tommy Mooney was frustrated by the keeper when he moved in to head from a Darren Bazeley cross.

Teams

Watford: Chamberlain, Bazeley, Kennedy, Page, Palmer, Perpetuini (Mooney 65), Smith (Wright 46), Hyde (Hazan 46), Whittingham, Johnson, Gudmundsson.

Booked: Perpetuini, Wright.

Bury: Kiely, Billy, Serrant, Daws, Lucketti, Redmond, Swailes, Hall, Barnes, James (Littlejohn 46), Bullock.

Subs Not Used: West, Jemson.

Att: 9,336

Ref: M Fletcher (Warley).