WATFORD endured a frustrating afternoon at Gresty Road on Saturday, September 24 as they dominated large parts of the game against Crewe Alexandra but had to settle for a 0-0 draw.

The Hornets had a host of opportunities to take all three points, particularly in the second-half, but, with first choice strikers Marlon King and Darius Henderson out injured, perhaps lacked the quality when it was required.

Adrian Boothroyd, as expected, gave Trevor Benjamin his Watford debut but fellow on-loan signing Gabriel Agbonlahor had to be content with a place on the bench. However, the Hornets' boss did pull off a surprise in a defence already missing the suspended Malky Mackay. Junior Osborne was given a first start at right-back, meaning James Chambers switched to the left and Jordan Stewart was relegated to the bench. Also among the replacements was returning club skipper Gavin Mahon and young striker Joel Grant.

Dario Gradi, meanwhile, made just the one change following the 1-0 defeat at Reading with the fit-again Eddie Johnson returned to partner Steve Jones in attack. Michael Higdon dropped to the bench.

Watford had the first opening after four minutes when Anthony McNamee put Benjamin in the clear down the left, but his attempted cross for Ashley Young was cut out. A minute later Young played in a good cross from the left but Benjamin and Matthew Spring rather got in each other's way and the on-loan Peterborough striker headed over from a good position.

Benjamin had another opening after eight minutes when, after Ben Foster had juggled with a Kenny Lunt free-kick, his quick throw released Chambers, who scampered away down the right before finding McNamee and the winger crossed into the area but the striker headed wide.

McNamee spurned another good opening for the Hornets on 17 minutes when a Paul Devlin cross found him in space on the left side of the area but, instead of using the time he had to bring the ball down, he tried an improvised half-volley which went wide.

Another good opportunity came and went for the visitors after 21 minutes when, after he was fouled by Chris McCready on the edge of the D, Young struck the resultant free-kick into the wall. Chambers then fired a low 25-yard effort wide of Ross Turnbull's near post.

But it wasn't all one-way traffic and it took an excellent defensive header from Clarke Carlisle to prevent Steve Foster connecting with a David Vaughan corner from the left on 27 minutes. The Watford captain did well again soon after as Johnson looked to capitalise on more good build-up play from the home side.

The visiting defence survived a close call after 34 minutes when Vaughan played in a low cross from the left and the sliding Steve Jones was a yard away from making contact, and Crewe went closer still three minutes later when Devlin was caught in possession by Gary Roberts, who got into the area and placed a right-footed shot wide of Foster, only to see it cannon off the far post.

Crewe continued to look the better side going into half-time, with Vaughan fizzing a 20-yard shot wide of Foster's right-hand post, and in the last minute of the opening period Osborne was booked for raising his foot in a challenge with Anthony Tonkin.

Boothroyd made a double change at the interval, bringing on Mahon and Stewart for Osborne and Spring, and three minutes after the restart Benjamin did well to win the ball back in the opposition area and regained his footing before firing in an angled shot which Turnbull held.

Two minutes later, the Hornets came within inches of taking the lead when a quickly taken free-kick led to McNamee swinging in a low cross from the near post and Benjamin flung himself at the near post but headed just the wrong side of the upright.

Young was then booked for a high challenge on Roberts and he was quickly followed into the notebook by Carlisle for a lunge on Vaughan.

The Hornets continued to push forward though, and it took a fine double goalline intervention to prevent Carlisle heading them in front after 59 minutes. A corner from the right was worked short to McNamee, who swung over a deep cross and Carlisle pulled off his marker to head back across the face of goal but Turnbull dived away to his left and just got a touch on the ball, enabling Darren Moss to clear off his line.

Another clear-cut chance came Watford's way soon after when Benjamin headed a McNamee corner from the right just wide of the far post, before Stewart became the fourth man in yellow to be booked for a foul on Steve Jones.

Crewe made their first change after 66 minutes when Higdon replaced Steve Jones, but the pressure was by now incessant with, first, Carlisle seeing an angled shot from the left side of the area deflected behind and then Turnbull did well to push away Stewart's 20-yard piledriver after another Hornets corner was half cleared.

Grant replaced Devlin after 73 minutes and was immediately into the action, curling a shot wide of the far post that Benjamin went full length to try and connect with, only to clatter into Turnbull. Crewe then brought on Mark Rivers for Johnson.

The home side were forced into an unwanted change with six minutes remaining when Ben Williams came on for Turnbull, who had been struggling with a back injury in the build-up to the game.

It wouldn't go for the visitors again after 85 minutes when Grant worked a one-two with Young in the inside right channel before playing in a low centre, but Benjamin pulled his attempt wide of the near post.

A clearly frustrated Fletcher was booked for throwing the ball up in the air at a free-kick as the game entered injury-time, and the midfielder's emotions summed up his team's feelings when the referee blew the full-time whistle.

Crewe Alexandra: Turnbull; Moss, Foster, McCready, Tonkin; Lunt, B Jones, G Roberts, Vaughan; S Jones, Johnson. Substitutes: Higdon for S Jones after 66 mins; Rivers for Johnson after 77 mins; Williams for Turnbull after 84 mins; Cochrane and Walker not used.

Watford: Foster; Osborne, Doyley, Carlisle, Chambers; Devlin, Spring, Fletcher, McNamee; Benjamin, Young. Substitutes: Stewart and Mahon for Osborne and Spring after 45 mins; Grant for Devlin after 73 minutes; Chamberlain and Agbonlahor not used.

Bookings: Osborne for a foul on Tonkin after 44 mins; Young for a foul on G Roberts after 52 mins; Carlisle for a foul on Vaughan after 55 mins; Stewart for a foul on S Jones after 62 mins; Fletcher for dissent after 90 mins; Attendance: 6,258.

Referee: Mick Fletcher.