Straight from the off, Watford made their attacking intentions clear by forcing a corner - with Jay Bothroyd clearing Mark Yeates near post cross. However it was the home fans who had the first reason to celebrate when Michail Antonio capitalised on a defensive error, slotting home from the edge of the area and putting the Owls in front after only 3mins. Wednesday almost make it 2 when another poor Watford pass finds Mamady Sidibe but before he gets his shot away the tackle is made. The determined, lively Fernando Forestieri picks up an early booking moments later but after 17mins he is wheeling away in celebration. Chris Kirkland is beaten by Forestieri's edge of the box shot that nestles into the bottom corner of the goal, with Daniel Pudil creating the chance. Quick to restore the lead, Bothroyd swings a cross into the box but the man nicknamed 'One Size' - Fitz Hall (get it?) makes the clearance. The quiet winter night is barely disturbed, such is the quietness from the stands, until the 27th minute when Marco Cassetti crosses the ball which is cleared by Anthony Gardner and Forestieri tries his luck from distance, wide. When Manuel Almunia is forced into a save by Bothroyd, Wednesday build another attack with Sidibe lobbing in a ball and the QPR-loanee is felled in the box, with Pudil shown a yellow as the Owls have a penalty. Why it is only a yellow when Bothroyd had a goal scoring opportunity only the referee knows. After a delay while Bothroyd receives treatment, the returning Chris Lines sees his penalty saved an the scores remain level. The Hornets have a good passing mentality and their neat triangles leave the Wednesday players chasing shadows on more than one occasion - but both teams are guilty of giving possession away cheaply. After a scrappy 10mins of wasted Watford corners and free kicks concedes by both teams, Almunia is tested by a Rhys McCabe effort on goal but the keeper makes the save. After Lewis Buxton makes a sprinting 60 yard run up field to create space & take a defender with him, Sidibe also wastes a decent chance, lashing his shot from inside the box clear over the bar.
HT. Its been a scrappy first half and SWFC need to control the ball much better if they are to get more out of this. That being said, I'd be happy with a 1-1 draw come the final whistle. Bothroyd needs support when he is on the ball, too many times he's been found alone and an attacking chance has fizzled out. His tracking back has been excellent.
After a snack of a cup of tea & Cadburys Freddo, I'm ready for the second half - but it seems Gardner isn't as he is subbed for ex-Watford fan favourite, Martin Taylor. As was the case in the first half, Watford are quick out of the blocks - forcing a corner from an Alexandre Geijo shot. Jonathan Hoggs corner is cleared by Sidibe. Minutes later and Kirkland is forced into a fantastic save, denying the energetic Forestieri another goal. McCabe leaves the field on the 51st minute to be replaced by Jose Semedo. Although he doesn't look injured, the referee then decides he wants to swap his role and becomes the 4th official in a job-swap, as the cold night becomes almost silent. After yet another Watford shooting opportunity from a throw-in, the home defenders don't look switched on and the travelling team almost have a second goal but for Kirkland. On the 64th minute the Wednesday keeper is again called into action when Forestieri fires in yet another shot, great save. The Owls manage to see away the following corners but when Mark Yeates crosses an unchallenged ball, Geijo has a free header 2 yards out and Watford lead after 66mins - greeted with home fans booing the lacklustre defending. Those boos are turned up a notch when Jermaine Johnson is brought on for Buxton - to replace him at right back. "He's not a right-back, he's not a right-back, Jermaine Johnson - he's not a right-back" bellows down from the stands. The next 6mins are spent slowly as free-kicks break up any momentum. That changes when substitute Troy Deeney smashes the ball past Kirkland with his first touch after being in the field for 90 seconds. Watford lead 1-3 after 74mins and the home fans are furious, making their feelings known by exiting the stadium in their numbers. Michail Antonio, always keen to take a shot, fires an effort over the bar from outside the area as the Wednesday players come to terms with a quickly emptying Hillsborough - a sight not commonly seen. Deeney then lays off a perfectly weighted ball on the edge of the box and Yeates curls a brilliantly placed ball past Kirkland for Watfords 4th on the night - a goal deserved for his all round play, as he was allowed the freedom of Sheffield just outside the Owls box. The last kick of the match comes on a Wednesday attack which finds Bothroyd on the penalty spot - only for the striker to blaze high over the bar, igniting the boos to rain down from the furious remaining fans.
FT. The first half SWFC were well in the game, Watford always looked the better team but it looked as though their back line was shaky. The second half was a catastrophe, through the Owls shockingly bad play and Watfords ability to pick passes and get shots off with ease.
Attendance: 18,922
Owls Man of Match: Kikland (Watford had 10 shots on target - it could have been worse!)
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