Report: Sean Wozencroft
Snapshot: A last moment equaliser by former Bluebird Jobi McAnuff cost City two points against top-of-the-league Watford at Vicarage Road.
City had led for much of the match and had the better of the chances, but the Hornets piled forward in the dying minutes and stole a point, their first on home soil in four games.
City had taken the lead on 34 minutes through Roger Johnson. The centre-back rose well above anyone else to power his header home from a Joe Ledley corner. The Hornets drew level early in the second half. Again it was a defender on the score-sheet, Jay Demerit volleying home from inside the area under pressure from Rae.
The Bluebirds continued to push forward confidently though and were back in front inside seven minutes. Peter Whittingham cut inside and his low drive was unstoppable. City will rue missed opportunities as, with virtually the last move on the game, McAnuff finished from the edge of the area and found the corner via a minor deflection.
It was heart-breaking for Cardiff, but Jones will take some consolation from a great away point against a promotion-chasing outfit. He will believe that his side have turned the corner following ten points from fifteen.
Team news:
Dave Jones made one change from the side that beat Sheffield United on Saturday, Steve MacLean starting upfront alongside Paul Parry with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink on the bench. It was only MacLean's sixth league start for City.
There was a place on the bench again for youngsters Darcy Blake and Aaron Ramsey, who have both made just one first team appearance this term.
Watford started with 10-goal Marlon King and Nathan Ellington, who is yet to find the net, in attack. American Jay DeMerit marshalled the defence whilst former Cardiff favourite Jobi McAnuff began in midfield.
Striker Darius Henderson, who started the season in blistering form including two goals against City at Ninian Park, was amongst the substitutes.
Match:
Table-toppers Watford applied the early pressure and Glenn Loovens had to be alert to head the ball away from the preying Marlon King. Yet it was City who had the first shot on goal on 6 minutes. Stephen McPhail found an inch 20 yards from goal and tried a half volley which only just bounced the wrong side of the post.
On ten minutes Tony Capaldi lobbed a free-kick in and Johnson rose highest to flick on, but Parry couldn't quite get there and it drifted through to 'keeper Richard Lee. City were applying themselves well. Minutes later good link up play in midfield presented Gavin Rae with an opportunity, but he blazed over. Already there were signs of restlessness from the home supporters who had not witnessed a win at Vicarage Road since October.
City should have opened the scoring on 15 minutes. Parry beat the offside trap and raced through on goal. With Lee advancing, Parry should've played it across to the unmarked Peter Whittingham, but instead saw his effort comfortably saved. Now it was the visitors doing the pressing. This time Whittingham cut inside in the area but his powerful low drive was charged down.
GOAL 0 - 1: City took a deserved lead on the half hour mark through salmon-esque Roger Johnson. The centre back jumped well beyond everyone to superbly power his header past Lee from Ledley's perfect corner.
It was nothing less than Cardiff had deserved after creating the bulk of the chances against a Watford side that were looking distinctively average and allowing too much space all over the pitch. Whittingham could have doubled the lead five minutes later, but his goalbound shot struck Danny Shittu. There were half-hearted cries for handball but a corner was the result.
The Hornets finished the half in possession, McAnuff tearing down the left wing and playing it into Natahan Ellington. His effort was charged down and Marlon King's shot from an angle cleared the upright.
HALF TIME - An excellent first 45 for City. The Bluebirds were comfortable in possession against the league leaders and created a good number of opportunities. Watford, though, were still struggling for form at home. Their supporters cheered ironically when they finally managed to string two passes together and Kasper Schmeichel wasn't troubled.
HALF TIME - WATFORD 2 v CARDIFF CITY 2
GOAL 1 - 1: Watford came out for the second half with some urgency and levelled the scores after four minutes of the restart. The ball was nodded on inside the area and defender Jay DeMerit used his strength to get in front of Gavin Rae and half volley past Schmeichel from close range.
GOAL 2 - 1: City were back ahead on 56 minutes through the brilliant Whittingham. Watford needlessly gave the ball away inside their own half and McPhail picked it up. He found Whittingham who took a touch and smashed an unstoppable left foot shot into the bottom corner. It was just what City needed after Watford had shown signs of coming into the game and making the contest a physical battle.
Schmeichel finally got his gloves dirty a couple of minutes later when McAnuff tried his luck, but the Manchester City loanee was more than equal his low drive. Aidy Bothroyd threw on striker Darius Henderson as his side searched for an equaliser. The 6ft front-man gave them an extra dimension in attack whilst City looked to hit on the counterattack. Steve MacLean in particular was showing good awareness whilst in possession.
Henderson came close on 22 minutes when he beat Schmeichel in the air but his looping header only found the top netting. City nearly bagged a third as the game entered the final quarter hour. MacLean poked it inside for Whittingham and only an excellent low save some Lee down to his near post could stop his instinctive attempt.
With time against them, Watford brought on massive centre back Danny Shittu and put him in attack alongside Henderson. The home side reverted to route one. Dave Jones responded by bringing on Darren Purse in place of MacLean. As Watford went long, City defended desperately. Schmeichel was at full stretch to tip over McAnuff's thumping high shot in the dying moments.
GOAL 2 - 2: Then, in the fifth minute of injury time, moments after Schmeichel had made a wonderful one-on-one save, former Bluebird McAnuff curled a shot into the far corner via a slight deflection. It was heart-breaking for City who had played with their hearts on their sleeves and created a good number of chances.
FULL TIME: WATFORD 2 - 2 CARDIFF CITY
Watford: Lee, Doyley, DeMerit, Jackson (Shittu 85), Stewart, Smith, O'Toole (Williamson 35), Francis, McAnuff, King (Darius Henderson 63), Ellington. Subs Not Used: Poom, Ainsworth. Booked: Stewart. Goals: DeMerit 49, McAnuff 90.
Cardiff: Schmeichel, McNaughton, Loovens, Johnson, Capaldi, McPhail, MacLean (Purse 86), Ledley, Whittingham, Rae, Parry. Subs Not Used: Oakes, Blake, Ramsey, Hasselbaink. Booked: McPhail. Goals: Johnson 34, Whittingham 56.
Att: 17,014
Ref: Grant Hegley
