Watford inched closer to the play-offs with their third successive victory,
closing on the side above them, Bolton.
Colin Todd's Wanderers, with only one win in the last ten outings, should have
been dead and buried by half-time as Graham Taylor's revitalised side created a
succession of chances.
Bolton's hero was goalkeeper Steve Banks who was called upon as early as the
first minute to charge down a Nick Wright shot when the Watford man was put
clear.
After two minutes Bolton's Paul Warhurst brought down Allan Smart in the box
but Tommy Mooney's spot-kick lacked conviction and Banks was able to make a
blocking save.
Bob Taylor cleared off the line for Bolton when Steve Palmer prodded goalwards
and Banks was back at his best, diving low to his left to push away a Mooney
header from Darren Bazeley's cross.
Mooney was again frustrated by Banks and twice Wright had shots pushed wide by
the keeper.
After 23 minutes Watford finally broke through. Mooney headed down for Micah
Hyde to hit a rising drive into the corner of the net from 25 yards out.
Bolton's Klaus Jensen dithered over a chance long enough for Watford's Robert
Page to make a telling tackle.
Early in the second-half Watford increased their lead when Darren Bazeley's
53rd minute cross was met with a powerful header by Mooney into the corner of
the net.
Bolton could have broken back but shots by Eidur Gudjohnson and Taylor were
superbly saved by Watford keeper Alec Chamberlain.
Teams
Watford: Chamberlain, Bazeley, Kennedy, Page, Palmer, Robinson,
Smart (Hazan 88), Hyde, Mooney (Ngonge 88), Johnson, Wright.
Subs Not Used: Whittingham.
Booked: Robinson.
Goals: Hyde 24, Mooney 53.
Bolton: Banks, Cox, Elliott, Frandsen, Warhurst, Todd, Johansen,
Jensen, Gudjohnson, Taylor, Gardner.
Subs Not Used: Bergsson, Fullarton, Hansen.
Booked: Elliott, Taylor.
Att: 13,001.
Ref: A Butler (Sutton-in-Ashfield).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook