Cardiff City v Watford
19 September 2007 - 19.45pm
On a night fit for ducks the Bluebirds sought their first home league win of the season against a Watford side who topped the table for the first time last Saturday and a man in form, Darius Henderson. It was always going to be monumental task and Henderson showed no sympathy, silencing a sodden crowd with two goals in an entertaining 2-1 victory for the visitors.
Robbie Fowler and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink started for Cardiff and there was only room on the bench for fit again Steve Thompson who scored the late equaliser against Plymouth. But the presence of the two aging marksmen failed to quell the fears inside the Cardiff faithful.
Hasserlbaink had an early shot on target but it was not until the 12th minute that Chris Gunter got the crowd on their feet with a cross-come shot that drifted clear of Mart Poom and narrowly over the cross bar.
Paul Parry warmed Poom up further just a minute later as he jinxed into the box and fired a searing shot straight at the Watford keeper. But the Robbie and Jimmy show failed to materialise and, against the run of play, it was Watford’s man of the moment who found the net first.
Darius Henderson started up front after his cheeky remark to manager Aidy Boothroyd that “when I play, we win.” He was good to his word, bundling the ball home after Ross Turnbull failed to clear a cross from Adam Johnson and then deal with the resulting shot from Jay Demerit that hit the post and seemed to rebound straight through his open arms along the goal-line and into the path of a goal-hungry Henderson. Having only scored three last season, and taking six months to find his first, Henderson is clearly relishing life back in the Championship.
Cardiff had a run of chances in response as the half progressed, the most notable being Jimmy Floyd’s interception of Demerit’s back pass. With just the keeper to beat Hasselbaink took an age to round Poom, enabling the Hornets keeper to recover and block the subsequent shot. The Watford fans’ chant of “you’re just a Fat Eddie Murphy” appeared less off the mark. Although, sung so early in a match, to a player of Hasselbaink’s calibre, it was bold indeed.
And so it was proved. Short on pace Hasselbaink may be, but when you can beat the goal keeper from 25 yards and turn a game with an inch perfect right foot curler, then who needs pace? The veteran striker proved just so in the 59th minute, answering his critics in the best way possible. If there had been a roof on Ninian Park it would have been blown off with the resultant roar.
Having stirred the Hornet’s nest Cardiff had to soak up the resulting ten minutes of pressure but Dave Jones will have been encouraged by his side’s defending in this respect and their propensity to break and harry the visitors.
Fowler may not have strayed far from a central line down the attacking end of the park but his deft and clever touches released those around him to cover the ground his aging legs long since surrendered. Cardiff began to look good for a punt and Jimmy-Floyd could have given them the lead with another right-foot flyer.
But Henderson had made a deal with his manager: if he plays, they win. Jordan Stewart forced Turnbull to palm the ball over his bar for a corner as the game reached its climax and Henderson was the beneficiary as Cardiff again failed to clear their lines.
The Bluebirds made a spirited yet fruitless attempt to equalise once more but Watford are sturdier opponents than Argyle and the introduction of Thompson couldn’t provide the finish required, although not for want of trying.
Watford would have regained top spot with a draw, but Henderson had a point to prove and as the rain continued to lash down he inspired Watford to raise their game and seize all three points, a sign of champions in the making. Perhaps now it is time for Cardiff’s own champion, Robbie Fowler, to follow in the footsteps of Hasselbaink and Henderson and prove a point of his own.
CARDIFF 4-4-2: Turnbull, McNaughton, Capaldi, Rae, Fowler (Whittingham 84’), McPhail, Parry, Johnson, Sinclair, Hasselbaink, Gunter (Thompson 82’). Unused Subs: Oakes, Ledley, Blake.
WATFORD 4-4-2: Poom, Stewart, Shittu, Demerit, Mahoon, Henderson, Doyley, Ellington (King 59’), Smith, Mariappa (O’Toole 73’), Johnson (McAnuff 78’). Unused Subs: Lee, Priskin.
Yellow – Hasselbaink 56’
19 September 2007 - 19.45pm
On a night fit for ducks the Bluebirds sought their first home league win of the season against a Watford side who topped the table for the first time last Saturday and a man in form, Darius Henderson. It was always going to be monumental task and Henderson showed no sympathy, silencing a sodden crowd with two goals in an entertaining 2-1 victory for the visitors.
Robbie Fowler and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink started for Cardiff and there was only room on the bench for fit again Steve Thompson who scored the late equaliser against Plymouth. But the presence of the two aging marksmen failed to quell the fears inside the Cardiff faithful.
Hasserlbaink had an early shot on target but it was not until the 12th minute that Chris Gunter got the crowd on their feet with a cross-come shot that drifted clear of Mart Poom and narrowly over the cross bar.
Paul Parry warmed Poom up further just a minute later as he jinxed into the box and fired a searing shot straight at the Watford keeper. But the Robbie and Jimmy show failed to materialise and, against the run of play, it was Watford’s man of the moment who found the net first.
Darius Henderson started up front after his cheeky remark to manager Aidy Boothroyd that “when I play, we win.” He was good to his word, bundling the ball home after Ross Turnbull failed to clear a cross from Adam Johnson and then deal with the resulting shot from Jay Demerit that hit the post and seemed to rebound straight through his open arms along the goal-line and into the path of a goal-hungry Henderson. Having only scored three last season, and taking six months to find his first, Henderson is clearly relishing life back in the Championship.
Cardiff had a run of chances in response as the half progressed, the most notable being Jimmy Floyd’s interception of Demerit’s back pass. With just the keeper to beat Hasselbaink took an age to round Poom, enabling the Hornets keeper to recover and block the subsequent shot. The Watford fans’ chant of “you’re just a Fat Eddie Murphy” appeared less off the mark. Although, sung so early in a match, to a player of Hasselbaink’s calibre, it was bold indeed.
And so it was proved. Short on pace Hasselbaink may be, but when you can beat the goal keeper from 25 yards and turn a game with an inch perfect right foot curler, then who needs pace? The veteran striker proved just so in the 59th minute, answering his critics in the best way possible. If there had been a roof on Ninian Park it would have been blown off with the resultant roar.
Having stirred the Hornet’s nest Cardiff had to soak up the resulting ten minutes of pressure but Dave Jones will have been encouraged by his side’s defending in this respect and their propensity to break and harry the visitors.
Fowler may not have strayed far from a central line down the attacking end of the park but his deft and clever touches released those around him to cover the ground his aging legs long since surrendered. Cardiff began to look good for a punt and Jimmy-Floyd could have given them the lead with another right-foot flyer.
But Henderson had made a deal with his manager: if he plays, they win. Jordan Stewart forced Turnbull to palm the ball over his bar for a corner as the game reached its climax and Henderson was the beneficiary as Cardiff again failed to clear their lines.
The Bluebirds made a spirited yet fruitless attempt to equalise once more but Watford are sturdier opponents than Argyle and the introduction of Thompson couldn’t provide the finish required, although not for want of trying.
Watford would have regained top spot with a draw, but Henderson had a point to prove and as the rain continued to lash down he inspired Watford to raise their game and seize all three points, a sign of champions in the making. Perhaps now it is time for Cardiff’s own champion, Robbie Fowler, to follow in the footsteps of Hasselbaink and Henderson and prove a point of his own.
CARDIFF 4-4-2: Turnbull, McNaughton, Capaldi, Rae, Fowler (Whittingham 84’), McPhail, Parry, Johnson, Sinclair, Hasselbaink, Gunter (Thompson 82’). Unused Subs: Oakes, Ledley, Blake.
WATFORD 4-4-2: Poom, Stewart, Shittu, Demerit, Mahoon, Henderson, Doyley, Ellington (King 59’), Smith, Mariappa (O’Toole 73’), Johnson (McAnuff 78’). Unused Subs: Lee, Priskin.
Yellow – Hasselbaink 56’
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