Macca galvanises victorious Hornets

Until Ray Lewington introduced Anthony McNamee and switched formations from 4-4-2, which plainly wasn't working, to 4-3-3, it looked like the home side would be frustrated in their attempts to pick up their third home win of the season.

But the introduction of exciting youngster McNamee was the catalyst for Watford's victory. As soon as the left-winger came on with 30 minutes remaining he immediately started causing the visitors problems, and 12 minutes later flighted over a delightful cross which set Tommy Smith up for the Hornets' opener.

This all but ended the Saddlers' stubborn resistance, but any hopes they had of salvaging a point were killed off with five minutes remaining when Danny Sonner was dismissed for the most clear-cut sending off you are every likely to witness. In his attempts to retain possession Smith may have been backing into the former Birmingham City midfielder, but there was no excuse for the way he grabbed the Hornets' striker round the throat from behind and flung him to the ground.

With McNamee still helping to pull the strings, Watford wrapped up the points in injury time when Smith's perfectly weighted reverse pass sent Dominic Foley clear, and the Republic of Ireland international sprinted fullly 30 yards before the sliding the ball beneath keeper James Walker to register his first Hornets' goal in more than two years, much to the delight of the home crowd.

With Allan Nielsen suspended and, disappointingly, Danny Webber not quite ready to return from the injury that kept him out of the 4-0 defeat at Norwich City, manager Ray Lewington was once again forced to switch his line-up and formation.

Starting with a 4-4-2 line-up for the first time this season, Lloyd Doyley was drafted in at right back, while Paolo Vernazza made his first start of the season, in place of Nielsen. But the most interesting change saw Marcus Gayle, who has performed steadily since moving to centre half, revert to a striking role in place of the out-of-sorts Foley, who dropped to the bench.

Walsall and former Hornets' boss Colin Lee welcomed back Matt Carbon and Martin O'Connor, while Brazilian striker Junior, who scored a hat-trick for the reserves in midweek, starts on the bench. The Saddlers' starting XI also featured Watford old boy Darren Bazeley.

The visitors had the first sight of goal when Vernazza and Sean Dyche got in a mess dealing with a routine ball, but Darren Wrack's tame shot barely troubled Alec Chamberlain. Then, the Saddlers had men over when Bazeley attacked down the right, but Jorge Leitao mis-kicked from a promising position.

Watford continued to struggle with their new shape, and it was no surprise when Lewington came down to the dug-out after just eight minutes, in time to see Leitao knock down Zigor Aranalde's cross inside the six-yard box, but the unmaked Sonner failed to make any meaningful contact from close range, enabling Dyche to scramble back and clear off the line.

The decidedly ordinary pattern of the game continued, but at least the Hornets managed a shot after 15 minutes, Micah Hyde firing in an effort from 25 yards which keeper James Walker took low down.

As the half progressed, Watford slowly began to mount some semblance of pressure, without looking at all convincing, although an awful mis-placed header from Paul Robinson nearly played his side into trouble after 24 minutes, but Stephen Glass was able to get back and clear behind before Bazeley could fire in a shot.

The crowd were briefly given reason to wake up after 34 minutes when Neal Ardley found Gayle on the right, and he curled in a left-foot shot, but it didn't really trouble Walker.

Neil Cox came as close as anyone to breaking the deadlock five minutes before the interval when he glanced a Glass corner narrowly wide of the far post. Then, Ardley let fly from fully 30 yards, and Walker had to tip over.

After a truly turgid first-half, both sides, not surprisingly, left the pitch to a chorus of boos.

Lewington resisted what must have been a very strong temptation to make any changes at the interval in an attempt to inject some life into his listless side.

Like the opening period, it was the visitors who started the second-half the stronger, with the defence having to clear behind after Sonner found Leitao in the area. Then, from the resulting corner, Carbon headed wide of the near post.

Tommy Smith went close at the other end with a delightful angled chip that went narrowly past the far post after a typical mazey run had opened up the opportunity. But, at the other end, Chamberlain had to frantically punch clear after Dyche's attempted clearing header had deflected back goalwards off Robinson.

The Hornets keeper then had to block an angled Bazeley drive after Wrack's left-sided cross had sailed across the penalty area.

The biggest cheer of the afternoon came after 59 minutes when Lewington took off Vernazza and Glass and replaced them with Jamie Hand and McNamee, switching to a 4-3-3 formation. And McNamee was soon causing problems, sending Robinson clear on the left, and his fine cross was put over the bar by a Walsall defender as Smith homed in on goal, although the referee awarded a goal kick.

Two minutes later, McNamee turned Bazeley superbly before sending in a cross which Smith helped across the six-yard box, but nobody was coming in at the far post to apply the decisive touch.

Dominic Foley replaced the injured Gayle on 68 minutes, and his real involvement saw him get to the byline and pull the ball back towards Hand, but a defender got across to clear.

But after 71 minutes Watford made the breakthrough. Robinson fed McNamee, who cut inside before curling in a wonderful low cross which took the central defenders out of the game, and Smith kept his composure to beat Walker from ten yards to net his second of the

Substitute Junior, who had only been on the pitch a matter of minutes, was lucky not to be sent back from where he came from after 77 minutes for a retaliatory flick on Hand, after the Hornets' midfielder had pulled him back.

But on 85 minutes Sonner was back in the dressing room after completely losing his head before the killer touch was applied in injury time, giving the much-maligned Foley something to savour.

Watford: Chamberlain; Doyley, Cox, Dyche, Robinson; Ardley, Vernazza, Hyde, Glass; Smith, Gayle. Substitutes: Hand and McNamee for Vernazza and Glass after 59 minutes; Foley for Gayle after 68 minutes. Ifil and Lee not used.

Walsall: Walker; Roper, Hay, Carbon; Bazeley, Sonner, O'Connor, Wrack, Aranalde; Corica, Leitao. Substitutes: Junior and Matias for Leitao and Corica after 72 minutes; Zdrilic for Wrack after 81 minutes; Barras and Ward not used.

Bookings: Hand booked for shirt pulling on Junior after 77 minutes; Junior booked for retaliation on Hand after 77 minutes; Roper booked for foul on Smith after 82 minutes; Sonner sent off for violent conduct on Smith after 85 minutes.

Attendance: 10,528.

Referee: Clive Penton (Brighton).

September 7, 2002 16:00