WATFORD were unable to break down Cardiff`s backline this afternoon in a tense encounter at Vicarage Road.
Both sides toiled, but neither was able to break down the opposing rearguard in a lively, end-to-end encounter in WD18.
Gianfranco Zola brought Lloyd Doyley in for the injured Fitz Hall, whilst Manuel Almunia replaced Jonathan Bond between the sticks. The rest of the side remaining unchanged from the midweek victory over Hull City.
Cardiff started with Joe Mason up front in the absence of the injured Fraizer Campbell whilst Leon Barnett retained his place alongside Ben Turner with skipper Mark Hudson injured.
The opening exchanges offered little in the way of opportunities for either side, though Cardiff attacker Kim Bo-Kyung came closest when he ghosted past a Matthew Briggs challenge before testing Manuel Almunia at his near post after 17 minutes.
Six minutes later Watford had their first good chance when Joel Ekstrand met Almen Abdi`s inswinging corner with a firm near-post header, the Bluebirds somehow keeping the ball out.
Cristian Battocchio chanced his arm shortly after the half-hour mark; picking up a loose ball before swerving wide on his right foot from distance.
Briggs then had the Hornet`s clearest chance six minutes before the break, driving into the Cardiff penalty area following a culmination of a good passing move, the wing-back denied by a trailing leg at the last.
In first-half injury time back-to-back corners could have yielded a goal when Ekstrand hooked a half-volley towards goal only for Turner to nod over the crossbar.
Half-time: 0-0
Immediately after the re-start Mason nearly profited from Ekstrand`s misjudgement when he raced onto the Swede`s loose backwards header, Almunia standing up well to deny the former Plymouth youngster one-on-one.
In the 54th minute Watford had the best chance of the game, Ekstrand hooking in a hopeful right-wing cross which Troy Deeney climbed highest to win, David Marshall clawing the striker`s header wide for a corner.
Substitute Fernando Forestieri saw a good chance go begging when he connected with Abdi`s knock-down, firing a fierce effort over the crossbar on his left foot.
Both sides continued to battle away with both acutely aware of the consequences of conceding, a factor which detracted from the way in which the rest of the game was played out.
Zola`s side had all the territory in the closing 15 minutes, pushing Cardiff back into their own 18 yard-box for much of that period, but to no avail.
Full-time: 0-0
On balance, a very good point against a side who might not have looked anything special, but have clearly been top for a long time for a good reason.
A top save from Marshall prevented Deeney plundering a fine header home, which would surely have won the contest.
With a personal goal difference of plus 14 on second placed Hull City, a win and a Tigers` slip up at some point would put Zola`s side back into second.
It`s all to play for!
Watford: Almunia (c); Cassetti, Ekstrand, Doyley; Anya, Battocchio (Hogg), Chalobah, Abdi, Briggs; Vydra (Forestieri) & Deeney.
Unused subs: Bond (GK), Yeates, Pudil, Thompson & Geijo.
Cardiff City: Marshall; Connolly (McNaughton), Barnett, Turner, Taylor; Mutch, Gunnarsson; Bellamy (c), Kim, Conway (Smith); Mason (Gestede).
Unused subs: Lewis (GK), Whittingham, Cowie & Helguson.
Attendance: 15 550
Referee: Mr M Halsey.
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