By 4two
September 7 2002

The usual suspects were not up to standard as Walsall provided more evidence to there fans that they are unable to sustain a performance for the full 90 minutes.

Watford 2-0 Walsall

Goals:   Smith 72'' (Watford) Foley 91'  (Watford)

WFC Man of the Match:  Danny Hay (Walsall)

Watford: Chamberlain, Doyley, Cox, Dyche, Robinson, Ardley, Hyde, Vernazza, Glass, Smith, Gayle. 

Subs: McNamee, Ifil, Foley, Hand, Lee.

Walsall: Walker, Roper, Hay, Carbon, Bazeley, Wrack, O'Connor, Sonner, Aranalde, Leitao, Corica. 

Subs: Matias, Zdrilic, Barras, Junior, Ward.

The story of this game more or less followed the script of the last.  3-5-2 was the formation, but in fact it was more like a 3-5-1-1 with Leitao on his own again. Why on earth Wrack  found a place in this line up, we will never know. Junior could have played along side Leitao, with Corica in the middle three.

Again Walsall failed to take there chances in a game which looked a draw was on the cards. Walsall's best chance fell to Carbon,  just after half time, but he didn't take advantage of a great Corica corner and misplaced his header.

Watford's confidence grew as the game progressed and Smith broke the deadlock on 72 minutes after a ball crossed from the left past Matt Carbon and fell to Smith to finish from 15 yards. with a shot from the edge of the box,  Sonner was then sent off for violent conduct with 10 minutes to go, which put the nails in the coffin of any Walsall fight back, before a Foley strike finished the game of in injury time, with a shot from the edge of the area after he had raced free.

This was disappointing for Walsall,  for the second consecutive time they had matched there opponents for an hour, but their second half performance was substandard and was rewarded with defeat.

Danny Sonners behavior was nothing more than disgraceful, the way he handled Smith made me think I was watching Smackdown in the Staples Center LA, In the days of Ray Graydon he would be listed and kicked out of the club. Lee told Sky Sports news he will get the maximum fine, but the damage is done.

Wrack was again anonymous, Jorge struggled alone, Aranalde failed to impress and the introduction of Matias and Junior for Jorge and Corica seemed pointless when we needed to press the game more. The new 3-5-2 Formation allows us to play to our strengths with three good center backs, but Carbon can play left play, watch out Zigore.