Derby draw for Hornets

After a very lively opening in which both sides could, and perhaps should, have scored, the Hornets made the breakthrough minutes after the restart when on-loan Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson headed home a Tommy Smith cross.

However, Watford were unable to build on this goal and were pegged back when substitute Stefan Moore capitalised from close range after a Dexter Blackstock header had rebounded off the bar.

The visitors were handed the numerical advantage with nine minutes left when Mikele Leigertwood was dismissed for a second yellow card, but they were unable to find a way through Rangers' stubborn rearguard.

Aidy Boothroyd resisted the temptation to start with a three-pronged strikeforce but still made two changes to the side that beat Cardiff City 2-1 in midweek. The fit-again Lee Williamson returned at the expense of Adrian Mariappa, while Marlon King came in for Nathan Ellington as the Hornets boss continued to rotate his forward options.

Watford opened by forcing two corners in the third minute and from the second Gavin Mahon screwed a shot well wide after having the time to pick his spot.

A better opportunity came and went two minutes later when Smith got free down the right and pulled the ball back to Williamson, who sliced an effort wide from 12 yards. However, there was then a moment of concern for the Hornets regard when Blackstock managed to work some space for himself near the right edge of the six-yard box, but he failed to test Mart Poom after pulling his shot across the face of goal.

Back came Watford, with Lee Camp making a good save to tip over Dan Shittu's far post header following another Williamson corner from the right, but then Gareth Ainsworth's blushes were spared by the referee's assistant. The Rangers right winger appeared to have a routine tap-in at the far post after Daniel Nardiello had fired the ball back across the area from the right, but Ainsworth scooped his effort badly off-target, although the linesman's flag was already raised by this time.

The mystery of how there hadn't been a goal continued after ten minutes when Shittu found space on the right side of the area following a set-piece and pulled the ball back to Smith, but he failed to make a decent contact from ten yards out and dragged his effort narrowly wide of Camp's right-hand post.

Adam Bolder was rightly booked in the 14th minute for a clear trip on Shittu, who was continuing to spend more time up field than in defence, and then Ainsworth was fortunate to escape a yellow card for a needless foul on Jordan Stewart when the ball was clearly heading out of play over the Hornets' goalline.

Another opening for the Hornets came and went after 21 minutes when King was released down the right by Smith, but Camp did well to punch the cross away as Darius Henderson prepared to pounce and then Williamson's attempted follow-up was blocked.

Rangers though, had arguably the best chance of the game to date six minutes later when Martin Rowlands swung a cross from the left into the near post area and Blackstock glanced a header narrowly wide of the far post, with Poom rooted to the spot.

The home side had another sniff of an opening after 33 minutes when Adam Bolder got away from Mahon on the right side of the away and his teasing cross was allowed to run right across the six-yard box to Blackstock at the far post, but his goalbound shot was blocked behind by Lloyd Doyley. Then, following a game of pinball from the resultant corner, Danny Cullip stabbed an instinctive right-footed effort wide of Poom's left-hand post from the edge of the area.

John Gregory's men continued to look the more threatening going forward and Blackstock headed a Rowlands free-kick over on 39 minutes after Jordan Stewart had given away a needless set-piece. However, Rangers suffered a blow soon after when the injured Nardiello was forced out of the contest and replaced by Hogan Ephraim.

But then it was the Hornets' turn to test the Rangers defence, with Johnson sliding in King, whose right-footed shot from 20 yards was well parried by Camp, and the keeper then got back to thwart Henderson from the follow-up, although the striker had been flagged offside.

Leigertwood was rightly cautioned on the stroke of half-time for a late challenge on Mahon, but it was Rangers who had the last chance of the first period when Ephraim clipped a measured ball beyond the back post and Jay DeMerit, but Blackstock, coming in behind, was unable to hit the target.

Boothroyd made a change at the interval, with Mariappa coming on for the presumably injured DeMerit, while Moore replaced Ainsworth.

The Hornets started the second period well, forcing three corners in as many minutes, and after the third had been half-cleared to Johnson, his cross fell for King, who was allowed a second bite at a shot, but Camp was not unduly troubled.

However, the Rangers keeper was helpless to prevent the visitors taking the lead after 49 minutes. King played the ball across to Smith who, from near the goalline, did superbly well to dig out a cross that took Camp out of the game and left Johnson with a routine header from close range to make it 1-0 and net his second senior goal.

Cullip then became the third player from the home side to be booked for a foul on Mahon, but on 58 minutes Rangers were back on terms. King gave away the ball cheaply to Sampsa Timoska, whose cross from the right was headed back across goal, beyond Poom but off the bar by Blackstock. However, the ball sat up invitingly for Moore, who slammed home the rebound from eight yards on the angle to score the Hoops' first goal of the season at Loftus Road at the fourth attempt.

Mahon was booked after 53 minutes for a foul on the goalscorer and then Leigertwood cut in off the right and tried his luck with a low drive from 25 yards, but it was easily dealt with by Poom.

Boothroyd played his hand with time beginning to run out, bringing on Ellington and Jobi McAnuff for Henderson and Smith. Ellington was immediately given the opportunity to make an impact when the Hornets were awarded a free-kick in a central position 25 yards out, but he curled his effort to close to Camp.

But Rangers' hopes of grabbing their first victory of the season were dealt a blow with nine minutes remaining when Leigertwood clattered late into Doyley and the midfielder could have no complaints about being shown a second yellow card.

Two minutes later, the Hornets thought they might have had a penalty when King's strike on the turn appeared to hit an arm after Shittu had headed a Johnson corner from the right back across the area. Moments later, Camp showed good reflexes and strong arms to keep out an instinctive left-footed half-volley from Ellington.

However, Watford were living dangerously as the game entered stoppage-time when Doyley appeared to have hold of Blackstock's shirt in the area, as the striker sought to latch onto a lofted ball forward. Then Moore cut in off the right flank and hit a firmly struck shot from the right side of the area which went behind via Mariappa's head, but that was as close as either time got in injury-time.

Queens Park Rangers: Camp; Timoska, Cullip, D Stewart, Barker; Ainsworth (Moore, 45), Leigertwood, Bolder, Rowlands; Blackstock, Nardiello (Ephraim, 41). Not used: Bignot, Curtis and Cole.

Watford: Poom; Doyley, DeMerit (Mariappa, 45), Shittu, J Stewart; Smith (McAnuff, 73), Williamson, Mahon, Johnson; King, Henderson (Ellington, 73). Not used: Priskin and Lee.

Bookings: Bolder for a foul on Shittu after 14 mins; Leigertwood for a foul on Mahon after 45 mins; Cullip for a foul on Mahon after 53 mins; Mahon for a foul on Moore afer 63 mins; Leigertwood for a foul on Doyley after 81 mins - sent off; Doyley for a foul on Rowlands after 88 mins.

Attendance: 14,240.

Referee: Keith Hill.

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