Team Lineups

Owls spoil party and go close to win

Atdhe Nuhiu’s injury-time strike ended Watford’s hopes of lifting the Championship title … and Wednesday might have snatched an unlikely win but for referee Lee Probert whistling for full time when Lloyd Isgrove was poised to clinch all three points.

Watford had taken the lead through Matej Vydra midway through the first-half and missed chances to ensure the title went to Vicarage Road before Nuhiu dampened the home celebrations as his shot into the ground bounced past keeper Gomes and sparked scenes of great celebration from the sellout Wednesday following.

And it could have been even better in the dying seconds when, with Gomes upfield for a Watford corner, Isgrove broke clear, only for referee Probert to end the game as we looked set to take all three points and with Watford fans ready to invade the pitch in celebration of their promotion.

Stuart Gray said: “We were like a rabbit in the headlights in the first half. We dropped off them, we showed them too much respect and that display was not good enough.

“I said to the players at half time that the only positive thing is that we were only one goal down. We came out for the second half a different side and by the hour-mark, we had grown into the game.

“They might say we have nicked it overall but this team will battle to the end of every game, whether that’s the 90th minute, 93rd minute or 95th minute.

“So credit to the players for turning that game around and it was nice to see our goal scored in front of our own supporters. They have been magnificent all season home and away and I can’t thank them enough.”

Leave a Reply