Watford 1-1 Leeds United

Watford were denied back to back wins this afternoon right at the death by a last gasp Robert Snodgrass penalty which handed Leeds an undeserved point. Despite being on the back foot for much of the afternoon the Yorkshire side took advantage of Watford’s failure to finish off the game to steal a point.

Sean Dyche made one change to the Watford side that started last weekends victory at Ipswich with match-winner Troy Deeney starting alongside Marvin Sordell in place of Chris Iwelumo.

Watford started the brightest out of the two teams putting together some good passages of play and Alex McCarthy had to be alert in the Leeds goal to cut out Mark Yeates cross-shot. Watford also forced a succession of corners but were unable to find the finishing touch.

Leeds fashioned a couple of attacks themselves with no real end product, Robert Snodgrass on one occasion shooting well wide when well placed 25 yards out.

Watford took the lead after 28 minutes through a brilliantly taken goal by Michael Kightly. After Adrian Mariappa had made a good interception on the edge of the Watford area, the Hornets broke at Leeds with Kightly picking up the ball midway inside the visitors half before running at the defence and finishing into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Leeds struggled to respond before the break with Watford continuing to press the Leeds midfield, although Snodgrass did waste one opportunity when he shot over after Scott Loach had failed to collect a cross.

Half Time: 1-0

The pattern of the second half continued in much the same way as the first half had been played, a largely scrappy affair with Watford having the better of the play and the chances.

Watford should really have doubled their lead through Marvin Sordell. When Alex McCarthy’s poor goal kick landed at his feet 30 yards out, Sordell took the ball past the Leeds defence cut inside before firing wildly over. Troy Deeney also had an effort well saved by McCarthy as Watford continued to dominate.

Watford were then awarded the perfect opportunity to seal the points two minutes from time when substitute John Eustace found Sordell in the box and he was tripped by Patrick Kisnorbo for a penalty. However, Sordell’s effort was pushed onto the post by McCarthy and Leeds survived.

And minutes later that miss was to prove costly as one last Leeds attack in the dying seconds of the game saw Nyron Nosworthy foul Mika Vayrynen just inside the penalty area and referee Eddie Ilderton pointed for a second penalty in five minutes. Unlike Sordell though, Snodgrass did not miss and smashed the ball past Loach.

There was not even time to restart play following the Leeds goal as Watford extend their unbeaten run to five games and just one defeat in nine but it so easily could have been more for the golden boys.

Watford: Loach, Hodson, Nosworthy, Mariappa, Dickinson, Yeates, Hogg, Buaben, Kightly (Eustace), Deeney, Sordell

Leeds: McCarthy, Connolly, Kisnorbo, Lees, White, Sam (Vayrynen), Clayton, Pugh, Snodgrass, Becchio, Keogh (McCormack)