Sheff Utd 1 Watford 4

Classy Watford moved up to third place in the Championship after hammering second-placed Sheffield United at Brammall Lane.

Watford continued their impeccable record at Brammall Lane ? Sheffield United have not beaten Watford at home since 1999 ? and Aidy Boothroyd?s Watford were value for money for inflicting Sheffield United?s heaviest defeat of the season.

The Golden Boys raced into the lead after only six minutes had elapsed. A jet-propelled Malky Mackay throw on was directed down by the head of Marlon King to Darius Henderson who was out on the left flank. Henderson?s accurate cross was met by the diving head of winger Chris Eagles and rocketed past ?keeper Kenny.

On twenty-five minutes, with Sheffield United trying to force their way back into the game, left back David Unsworth was dismissed for violent misconduct. In an on-the-ball-tussle with Chris Eagles the former Everton and Aston Villa defender shoved Chris Eagles in the face in front of referee Andy Hall. The veteran defender was struggling to cope with the pace of Eagles and Neil Warnock will have been disappointed at the sight of such an experienced defender making a schoolboy error.
The two teams left the field at half time with Watford having the advantage of being a goal to the good against a team reduced to ten men.

Watford supremo Aidy Boothroyd made one change at the interval that saw James Chambers replacing Chris Eagles. It was reported that the on-loan winger had picked up a knee-injury but many saw the substitution as a tactical one; Eagles had picked up a yellow card in his tussle with Unsworth and was being heckled by Blades? fans after spending the first half of the season on loan at Steel City rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

Watford doubled their only a minute into the second period when Marlon King – the Championship Player of the Month in January ? out-muscled and out-paced United defender Leigh Bromby and drilled home from twenty yards. King then had a chance to double his tally for the night two minutes later but his powerful shot was tipped wide by Kenny. Two minutes later Aidy Boothroyd again shuffled his midfield pack bringing on Al Bangura for the yellow-carded Matthew Spring.

On fifty-six minutes the home side were back in the match after Paul Ifill beat Malky Mackay and chipped over the on-coming Ben Foster. When the two sides last met Watford had a two-goal advantage over the Blades and went on to lose the Championship clash 3-2. However, it was United who were reduced to ten-men this time but The Golden Boys have grown in stature since September. Watford pushed forward in pursuit of a two-goal buffer and Ashley Young?s hooked half-volley was tipped over by ?keeper Kenny. From the resulting corner Watford managed to restore their lead. Malky Mackay knocked down Ashley Young?s corner to Marlon King. King pounced from eight yards. It was King?s fifteenth league goal of the campaign and saw him move to the zenith of the Championship?s goal scoring table.

On seventy-seven minutes Boothroyd replaced Ashley Young with striker Hamuer Bouazza. It only took the Frenchman ? who has spent a large slice of the season on-loan at Swindon Town ? ten minutes to add his name to the scoresheet. Bouazza slotted home to send the Hornets 4-1 up from a tight angle after United defender Bromby failed to clear Gavin Mahon?s cross.

In front of the Sky Television cameras Adrian Boothroyd?s Watford fired out a warning shot to the rest of the Championship and maintained their hundred percent record in the league for 2006.