Watford in a spot of confusion

In a week where spotkicks have been under the spotlight at Vicarage Road following Richard Lee`s antics, confusion reigned over as to whom would be take a Hornets penalty awarded against Wolves.

Aidy Boothroyd has more hangers on in his backroom staff than at a celebrity wedding but it seemed someone forgot something as basic as to designate a spot kick specialist before the game.

The Hornets were awarded a gilt edged chance to go 3-2 up when O`Toole was bundled to the floor by Dave Jones on the hour mark – a stone wall penalty in anyone`s book, expect Mick McCarthys, who dubbed it as a ‘very strange decision`.

Still, it was the confusion that pursued with every Watford player looking towards the bench to make the doomed final call that turned the whole thing into a farce.

No wonder it was a truly dire penalty blasted so far over the bar it is probably still heading north on the M1 right now.

With Lee Williamson – who scored spot kicks for fun up at Rotherham – out injured, the complete lack of willingness and responsibility shown by some of the senior pro`s was truly farcical.

Ok, so there was a brief conflab between Harley, Hoskins and Smudger but the players were probably discussing the best hiding places to aim for before Aidy Boothroyd`s finger of fate fell upon Tommy Smith.

In truth, Smith has never had a great record from the spot so it was a bit of a bizarre choice from the gaffer and Tommy looked a broken man even before he started his run up.

Still, you`ve got to ask the question as to why the bench was forced to make the final ‘on field` call as to whom the doomed spot kick taker would be.

Where was the eagerness and enthusiasm from the experienced Harley, the ‘no fear` approaches of Hoskins or O`Toole, the brute force of Eustace? Even Rasiak should have been queuing up to become the new Rookery sweetheart?

Such was the lack of willing volunteers to take part in the lottery you wouldn`t fancy the Hornets to find 5 takers should the Carling Cup clash with Swansea go to a shootout.

It was quite a good job then that the ref turned away screams for another stonewaller in injury time when O`Toole (again) was grappled away from a cross in a fashion usually termed ‘GBH` by the defender aptly named ‘Shackle`?

There would have been no hiding places at that point in the game.