Last-gasp Hornets into quarter-finals

Despite playing the entire second-half with just ten men after George O'Callaghan was sent off at the end of the first period, it looked like the Tractor Boys would earn a deserved replay until Francis finished off the best move of the match. Indeed, Jim Magilton's men had their chances to cause a shock as they were the better side in the opening 45 minutes and played their part in what was at times an end-to-end second-half, but in the end they were caught short by a fine free-flowing move involving Steve Kabba, Tommy Smith and Darius Henderson.

In an ideal world Aidy Boothroyd would probably have preferred to field the same line-up that did so well to win at West Ham, but minor injuries to Ben Foster, Malky Mackay and Jordan Stewart meant the manager had to make three changes, so in came Richard Lee, Dan Shittu and Chris Powell.

Magilton's options were severely limited by injury and suspension, meaning the Ipswich side showed five changes to the line-up that lost 2-0 at home to Leicester last time out. Fabian Wilnis, the banned Owen Garvan and cup-tied Jon Walters all missed out, while Billy Clarke and Darren Currie dropped to the bench, and in came Chris Casement, O'Callaghan, Gary Roberts, Jaime Peters and Danny Haynes in a 4-5-1 formation.

But it was the Hornets who had the first opening of the match when Gavin Mahon spread the ball out to Smith with the outside of his right foot. Smith then cut inside before feeding Kabba in the right side of the area and his first-time shot was deflected over by Dan Harding. Another opportunity arose from Johan Cavalli's corner, but Shittu was unable to direct a near post header on target.

Kabba though, should have been celebrating his first Watford goal in the sixth minute. A long Powell throw from the left was flicked on by Shittu to Henderson who nodded down towards the former Sheffield United striker at the far post, but Kabba failed to get enough purchase on his attempted flick and somehow failed to beat Lewis Price from four yards.

The Tractor Boys then came back into the contest without really threatening until the 16th minute when Sylvain Legwinski tried his luck with a speculative 25-yard drive that Lee appeared to think was going over, only to then have to watch helpless as it crashed back off the face of his crossbar.

The Hornets survived another let-off three minutes later when Harding burst forward from left-back before feeding Haynes, who cut in from the left before dragging a right-footed shot narrowly wide of the near post and into the side netting. But back came the visitors, with Peters not too far away with a drive from 20 yards, and then Shittu did well to get his head in the way of a curling O'Callaghan effort from the left side of the area.

Still Ipswich looked the more likely side, with Haynes having a shot deflected behind in the 33rd minute, although it was the visitors who picked up the game's first booking shortly before the interval when Harding was yellow-carded for a foul on Smith. But worse was to follow for the visitors in first-half injury-time when referee Steve Bennett had no hesitation in showing debutant O'Callaghan a straight red card for what looked to be a stamp on Shittu. This reportedly led to angry scenes in the tunnel at the interval, with both managers becoming involved in a confrontation.

They might have been down to ten men but Ipswich started the second-half as they had played for the majority of the first with Haynes forcing Lee into a smart save at his near post with an impressive half-volley from the edge of the area.

But Watford's response was to twice go close to taking the lead in the space of as many minutes. First, Jay DeMerit headed a Cavalli free-kick from the right back across the six-yard box but the ball fell behind, rather than in front, of Kabba. Then Henderson met a corner from the right with a superb header that looked to have already crossed the line when it was cleared by Matt Richards, but the officials were unmoved.

Lee was back in the action when he had to tip a Peters shot from the edge of the area over his bar, before a long clearance from the Watford keeper was flicked on by Henderson to Kabba on the edge of the six-yard box, but the ex-Blades striker was unable to keep his left-footed snap-shot down.

But it was then Watford's turn to survive a major let-off in the 58th minute. There appeared to be no danger when Harding received the ball around 30 yards out but after advancing a couple of strides he let fly with a terrific left-footed drive that cannoned down off the underside of Lee's bar. Haynes duly converted the rebound and it initially looked like the goal may have been given when the linesman raised his flag but Ipswich's celebrations were cut short by the award of an offside decision.

The action soon switched back to the other end again, with Watford working an elaborate free-kick routine that ended with Kabba dragging a shot harmlessly wide from the edge of the area.

Then, in the 63rd minute, Smith did very well to win the ball on the right side of the area before making a bee-line for the touchline and standing up a cross towards the back post but Henderson was unable to keep his header down. Cavalli was the next to chance his arm with an ambitious left-footed attempt from 25 yards, but that also cleared the bar, and that was to be the Frenchman's last involvement in the match as he was replaced by compatriot Hameur Bouazza in the 66th minute.

Legwinski curled a left-footed shot wide of Lee's far post from 25 yards in the 72nd minute before Clarke came on for Haynes, but Watford were soon back on the front foot with Smith sending over a cross from the right that Henderson challenged for to send it back in the direction of Francis, but the midfielder was unable to adjust his body shape sufficiently to get a shot on target.

Still the Hornets pressed though, with Mahon seeing a goal-bound shot cleared following a Bouazza corner and then, as Watford were preparing to take another set-piece, Liam Trotter came on for Peters. However, the Hornets went close again when the corner was taken as, following a game of head tennis, Shittu tried an overhead kick at the near post but was unable to hit the target.

Lee again had to be alert at the other end to parry away a low curling drive from Clarke, before Gary Roberts was bizarrely booked for attempting to head the ball out of the Hornets keeper's arms as he prepared to clear.

But with three minutes remaining Ipswich's resolve was finally broken by the best move of the match. A good ball out of defence from Adrian Mariappa was superbly touched into the path of Smith by Kabba and the Hornets winger went streaking away before cutting the ball back towards Henderson, who cleverly left it for Francis behind him, and the central midfielder didn't need a second invitation and calmly side-footed a left-footed shot past Price to make it 1-0 and send his side into the last eight of the competition.

Watford: Lee, Mariappa, DeMerit, Shittu, Powell; Smith, Francis, Mahon, Cavalli; Henderson, Kabba. Substitutes: Bouazza for Cavalli after 65 mins; Priskin for Kabba after 89 mins; Doyley, Bangura and Loach not used.

Ipswich Town: Price; Wright, Casement, Bruce, Harding; Peters, O'Callaghan, Legwinski, Richards, Roberts; Haynes. Substitutes: Clarke for Haynes after 72 mins; Trotter for Peters after 80 mins; Currie, Sito and Supple not used.

Bookings: Harding for a foul on Smith after 42 mins; O'Callaghan sent off for violent conduct after 45 mins; Roberts for a foul on Lee after 83 mins.

Attendance: 17,016.

Referee: Steve Bennett (Orpington, Kent).