Saturday, August 18, 2007

One hundred percent

Watford v Sheffield United

Saturday 18th August

Cycled to Euston and shared a carriage to the Junction with singing Blades fans. Back on my bike, I arrived at Kerry’s about quarter past two and Joss and I began the walk soon after but Doggy picked us up in the spitting rain and gave us a lift to the top of Harwoods Road. Z-Cars was going as we went into the shop, where we got Joss a new top with his name and 13 on. Missed the kick-off.

Watford were defending the Rookery end but the first half saw United with the better chances, one of which was off of Watford defender Jay DeMerit’s head. Mart Poom in goal was equal to the challenges though and Lloyd Doyley had the run of the half when he won a ball by our corner flag and made it to the other end of the pitch. Marlon King was out on the right for some reason, which didn’t seem to afford him many shooting chances though he danced around one of their men a few times.

In the second half especially, Lee Williamson shone with some great little runs and it was fitting that it was he who received a Tommy Smith pass and hit the back of the net with our only shot on target of the game. Watford bossed the second half and could have had another goal but Darius Henderson’s header was wide. Steve Kabba came on with twenty minutes left for Tommy Smith, who doesn’t look on his game but had cleared a James Beattie free-kick off the line as well as setting up the only goal of the match.

Knowing that the ex-Hornet Danny Webber had scored a last-minute winner in this fixture last year I was a little nervous as the clock wound down but he’d already gone off when we got to stoppage time and we deserved what we got. Six points out of six against two of the division’s fancied sides. Come on. As we walked out, we were able to check on the other scores of the day on the numerous flat screens the club has put up. At least some of the millions we’ve received over the last year have now been spent.

Today would have been Luke’s 21st birthday so I wrote in a card that Kerry will take to the crematorium tomorrow. He is loved and missed.

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