Champions beat brave Hornets at the death (From This Is Local London)

Champions beat brave Hornets at the death

7:35pm Saturday 31st March 2007

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WATFORD have suffered plenty of kicks in the teeth this season but perhaps the ultimate came this (saturday) evening when champions Chelsea kept their title hopes alive by claiming an undeserved 1-0 victory deep into injury-time.

The winner was scored by substitute Salomon Kalou from a fine Andriy Shevchenko cross, but it was rough - very rough - on the Hornets who produced arguably their best performance of the season.

Aidy Boothroyd's men worked tirelessly and frustrated their opponents throughout, were at times the better side and had their chances to win it, but it was another case of what might have been in a campaign where that sentiment has been felt so many times.

Following the 3-1 defeat at Tottenham last time out, it was no surprise that Boothroyd made changes, but the total of six was more than most expected and he also deployed an interesting formation to try and challenge the Champions. The defence was vastly altered, with James Chambers moving to right-back and Jay DeMerit and Jordan Stewart returning at the expense of Adrian Mariappa, Lloyd Doyley and Chris Powell. There was also a new frontline as Tamas Priskin and Hameur Bouazza made way for Darius Henderson and Steve Kabba, but the most interesting development was with the deployment of a new diamond-shaped midfield. Damien Francis returned, Douglas Rinaldi came in for his first start, while Tommy Smith moved into the hole but Gareth Williams missed out.

Ironically, Spurs were also the last side that Chelsea faced and Jose Mourinho made two changes to the starting XI that ran out 2-1 winners in the FA Cup sixth round replay. Geremi came in for Lassana Diarra at right-back, while Claude Makelele returned to the midfield anchor role with John Obi Mikel, who dropped to the bench, making way. Frank Lampard was fit to play after missing England's 3-0 win over Andorra, but was wearing a protective cast on his fractured right wrist.

Watford started positively, forcing a corner inside the opening 20 seconds, and from Stewart's set-piece from the left Henderson pole-axed John Terry with his forearm as both players went up to challenge for the ball, but after a couple of minutes treatment the England skipper was back on his feet, although he looked a little groggy.

The Blues quickly responded with a corner of their own, but this was safely gathered by Ben Foster, who quickly threw the ball out to Chambers on the left. He switched play to the other flank where Stewart broke forward before finding Smith in the area, and his shot on the turn looked to hit Terry on the arm but Uriah Rennie was unmoved.

Moments later though, Gavin Mahon's long throw from the right was inadvertently flicked on by a Chelsea head to the back post where Kabba connected superbly with an overhead kick that forced Petr Cech into a very smart reflex save to tip the ball over.

The pulsating nature of the opening exchanges continued with Lampard firing straight at Foster from 18 yards, but Vicarage Road was brought to its feet after 12 minutes when Rinaldi showed fabulous close control to embark on a 60-yard break forward that took him past at least three opponents before what looked to be a dubious challenge from Lampard denied him a clear shot on goal.

Still the Hornets kept the pressure on, with Henderson fizzing a shot on the turn a yard over after Francis had kept the ball alive from the corner that was the outcome of Rinaldi's exploits.

Francis was the first player to be booked after 24 minutes for catching Ashley Cole after the ball had gone, much to the annoyance of the Chelsea bench, and then Shaun Wright-Phillips sent an angled drive from the left side of the area straight at Foster.

The Hornets continued to play well but it took a fantastic stop from Foster after 32 minutes to prevent Chelsea from taking the lead. A ball in from the left was headed into the danger zone by Lampard and Didier Drogba spun and hit a left-foot shot from eight yards that the England keeper superbly deflected behind with his outstretched left leg.

Michael Ballack should then have at least hit the target when he was left unmarked to meet Ricardo Carvalho's centre from the left around 12 yards out, but the German headed wide of Foster's right-hand post.

The Hornets keeper again came to his team's rescue two minutes before the break when, first he stuck out a leg to prevent Drogba potentially get on the end of an Ashley Cole cross, and then to keep out Shevchenko's admittedly fairly tamely struck follow-up.

The half ended with Rennie, who had succeeded in antagonising both sets of fans, ridiculously awarding Chelsea a corner when the ball clearly came off Drogba, and then finding almost an extra two minutes of injury-time from somewhere to add to the two minutes the fourth official's board had shown.

But the opening 45 minutes did end goalless and Watford fully deserved the standing ovation they left the pitch too after one of their best periods of the season that had everything but a goal.

Clearly dissatisfied with his side's first-half showing, Mourinho made two changes at the start of the second-half, bringing on Paulo Ferreira and Kalou for Geremi and Makelele.

But it was the home side who could, and perhaps should, have taken the lead in the 51st minute. Mahon's long throw from the left was flicked on at the near post by Dan Shittu to Henderson, who managed to get the ball out of his feet in the six-yard box and find Kabba, but the striker blasted wide of Cech's left-hand post.

Mourinho and Boothroyd then became involved in what, in the end, became a good natured exchange on the touchline before Chelsea missed a good opportunity when a Lampard free-kick from the left picked out the unmarked Kalou in the area, but the Dutchman headed badly over and was seemingly unaware that Drogba was better placed behind him.

Mourinho played his final card in the 58th minute, bringing on Mikel for Ashley Cole, before the two managers enjoyed a hug and joke on the sidelines while the referee was treated for, of all things, a cut to his face.

There was a moment of alarm for the Hornets in the 65th minute when Foster dropped a corner but, fortunately for the keeper, the danger was quickly cleared. This led a period of play which saw Wright-Phillips booked for a clear trip on Smith.

Francis then had a shot on the turn deflected through to Cech after Kabba had found space on the right, but it then took some defensive heroics from Stewart to prevent Shevchenko converting what looked a clear opportunity after Ballack had swung and missed when the ball was headed into the area following a corner from the right.

Boothroyd made his first change after 69 minutes, bringing on Priskin for Henderson, and then Wright-Phillips embarked on a mazy run that started in his own half but which ended with a right-foot shot from distance comfortably off target.

Chelsea built on that with a good spell of pressure which ended with Foster making a routine save to deny Ballack, but then the Hornets broke and as Priskin sought to cut into the area from the right he was taken out by Ferreira. The third yellow card of the game inevitably followed.

More defensive heroics were needed in the 78th minute when DeMerit made a perfectly timed sliding challenge on Lampard, who was preparing to pull the trigger after Mahon's interception on Drogba had fallen kindly for him in space on the left side of the area.

Bouazza came on for Kabba with nine minutes left and then DeMerit pulled off another masterful piece of defending to prevent Shevchenko's head from connecting with Drogba's cut-back from the left.

But with two minutes of normal time Watford almost won it. Stewart's inswinging corner from the right fell nicely for Francis coming in on the angle at the back post, but although the midfielder didn't make the best of connections, hitting the ball into the ground, Cech still did well to palm the ball up and away.

Carvalho was booked in the first minute of injury time for a nasty challenge on DeMerit but a minute later Chelsea kept their title hopes alive but it was a sickening blow for their opponents. Following a good challenge by Ballack, Wright-Phillips found Shevchenko on the right and he broke forward before delivering a superbly measured cross and Kalou got up in between DeMerit and Chambers to guide the ball wide of Foster's right hand to take maximum points back to Stamford Bridge.

Watford: Foster; Chambers, DeMerit, Shittu, Stewart; Mahon; Francis, Rinaldi; Smith; Kabba, Henderson. Substitutes: Priskin for Henderson after 69 mins; Bouazza for Kabba after 81 mins; Doyley, Bangura and Lee not used.

Chelsea: Cech; Geremi, Terry, Carvalho, A Cole; Makelele; Wright-Phillips, Ballack, Lampard; Drogba, Shevchenko. Substitutes: Ferreira and Kalou for Geremi and Makelele after 45 mins; Mikel for A Cole after 58 mins; Boulahrouz and Cudicini not used.

Bookings: Francis for a foul on A Cole after 24 mins; Wright-Phillips for a foul on Smith after 65 mins; Ferreira for a foul on Priskin after 76 mins; Carvalho for a foul on DeMerit after 90 mins.

Attendance: 19,793.

Referee: Uriah Rennie.

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