Watford successfully completed an unbeaten eight-game charge to the First
Division play-offs with an anxious victory against Grimsby, who came up with
them from Division Two last season.
It took a 42nd-minute goal by Peter Kennedy to separate the teams, but Watford
had better chances before a near capacity crowd.
Watford dominated the first half but finally took the lead after 41 minutes
when Darren Bazeley's cross was challenged for by Nick Wright and the ball
bounced down to Kennedy.
His sweet, left-foot shot struck with the outside of the boot from the edge of
the box hit the top corner of the net.
Watford had a goal disallowed after 10 minutes when Richard Johnson found the
net, but his colleague Michel Ngonge was adjudged to have fouled.
Tommy Mooney, who has scored in the previous six games, headed wide to a cross
from Bazeley. But the best saves of the afternoon were made by the Watford
goalkeeper Alec Chamberlain.
After Watford had taken the lead, Grimsby sped into action and forced a
corner. Chamberlain then threw himself to his left to tip wide from Peter
Handyside's header.
From the resultant flag-kick the ball was cleared only as far as Kingsley
Black, whose blistering shot was turned over by the arching Chamberlain.
Watford had chances in the second half. But Wright headed over from Kennedy's
centre, and shots by Ngonge and Mooney were blocked.
Teams:
Watford: Chamberlain, Bazeley, Kennedy, Page, Palmer, Robinson,
Ngonge, Hyde, Mooney, Johnson, Wright (Hazan 68).
Subs Not Used: Day, Smart.
Booked: Kennedy.
Goals: Kennedy 42.
Grimsby: Croudson, Butterfield, Gallimore (Chapman 89),
Handyside, Lever, Coldicott, Donovan, Black (Bloomer 87),
Clare (Buckley 80), Lester, Groves.
Booked: Handyside, Clare.
Att: 20,303
Ref: S Bennett (Orpington).
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