Academy Action: FA Cup defeat avenged

10:07am Friday 7th December 2001

WATFORD laid last season's FA Youth Cup defeat at the hands of Stockport County to rest with a hard-fought win over the same opposition at Vicarage Road on Tuesday night (December 4) in the third round of this season's competition.

However, the Hornets left it late, and had to make do with a penalty, from captain Dominic Blizzard, ten minutes from time, to overcome a plucky County side.

On a cold night, both teams took time to find their stride although Watford's Anthony McNamee, playing wide on the left, was causing the Stockport defence all sorts of problems every time he got on the ball with his pace and delivery.

It was a McNamee cross from the left that led to the first effort, but Jamie Hand's header drifted wide, with Stockport keeper James Spencer beaten.

Hand forced a smart save from Spencer on the quarter hour, tipping over a 20 yard effort, before Jason Norville headed into the side netting five minutes later, again from McNamee's cross.

Stockport gradually began to creep into the game and had their first effort on target after 30 minutes when Danny Patterson's header was comfortably gathered by Bradley Hughes, although they were denied a penalty minutes before the break when Ben Herd clearly looked to have handled in his own box.

In comparison to a fairly dull first half, the Hornets stepped up a gear after the break and created a number of good chances, all of which went begging.

Hand was first to try his luck, after being put through by Blizzard, but his effort was deflected over by Stockport's Jonathon Scragg.

Hand also had a header cleared off the Stockport line before Norville passed up the best opportunity of the night after Rob Martin, on for Ben Hammond, played a beautiful ball through for Norville to run onto, but with only Spencer to beat, he fired well over.

With 20 minutes remaining, Norville passed up a similar chance, dragging wide, before the ever impressive McNamee produced the first of two moments of magic which lit up the evening.

Norville chased a long ball out of the defence which drew Spencer out of his box to clear, and when the resultant clearance fell to McNamee near the halfway line, the tricky winger flicked the ball up and volleyed towards goal, only to see his effort miss by inches with the keeper well beaten.

Watford did take the lead in the 80th minute when Norville was dragged down in the box, and Blizzard cooly converted, before McNamee came close to making it two when he drifted in from the right and lobbed the keeper from 30 yards, only to strike the inside of the post with Spencer again helpless.

Patterson almost levelled matters at the death with a free header from eight yards that drifted wide, but Watford deservedly kept their cup dream alive.

EDITOR'S CHOICE