Bent of Ipswich jumps with Watford's Darlington.
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Ipswich blew the chance to move six points clear in the Coca-Cola Championship
as goals from Jay Demerit and Bruce Dyer earned Watford victory at Portman
Road.
With second-placed Wigan not in action until Wednesday, this was a superb
opportunity for Joe Royle's men to underscore their status as favourites to be
promoted as champions to the Barclays Premiership.
But Watford were in no mood to give them a helping hand and kept their
opponents at arm's length all evening.
Other than two Tommy Miller efforts in quick succession, Watford were rarely
troubled in the first half - and they cashed in on Ipswich's lack of dynamism
when Demerit headed home seconds before the half-time whistle.
Ipswich picked up the tempo after the interval. But Ray Lewington's men dug
their trenches and restricted the Tractor Boys to a smattering of hopeful
strikes which were never likely to seriously trouble experienced goalkeeper Paul
Jones.
With nine minutes remaining, substitute Dyer showed Town's misfiring strikers
how it was done with a clinical header off Johnnie Jackson's corner.
Miller halved the deficit from the penalty spot - after Neil Cox handled in
Watford's penalty area - with three minutes remaining. But the visitors held
firm to claim maximum points.
With 13 league wins at home this season, Ipswich had set off at a pace in
search of yet another.
But Watford refused to be intimidated by the home side's bluster and weathered
Ipswich's initial storm with admirable composure.
Even though the Hornets showed little enterprise going forward, Lewington's
men swept into the lead when Cox's telling right-wing cross was greeted by
Demerit's thumping header past Kelvin Davis.
Town probed away after the restart, but the expected onslaught never
materialised until deep into the second period when Miller's 68th-minute effort
- which skewed just wide of the target - breathed new life into their stagnating
frontline.
Nonetheless, it became clear as the game wore that it was not to be Ipswich's
night - and Dyer looked to have put the issue beyond any doubt with a fine
close-range header.
Miller's 87th-minute penalty set up a tense finish, but time was not on
Ipswich's side as Watford hung on for a notable victory.
Teams:
Ipswich Davis, Wilnis (Bowditch 78), De Vos, Naylor, Unsworth,
Miller, Magilton, Horlock, Westlake (Currie 56), Bent,
Scowcroft.
Subs Not Used: Price, Richards, Karbassiyoon.
Booked: Scowcroft.
Goals: Miller 87 pen.
Watford Jones, Chambers, Cox, Demerit, Darlington,
Eagles (Doyley 89), Mahon, Jackson, Blizzard, Bouazza,
Webber (Dyer 77).
Subs Not Used: Chamberlain, Ardley, Young.
Goals: Demerit 45, Dyer 81.
Att: 23,993
Ref: A Marriner (W Midlands).
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