Tuesday 20 April: The Guardian Online
Akos Buzsaky's blast for QPR leaves Watford on the precipice
LEAGUE One football remains a distinct possibility for Watford next season after a low-key 1-0 defeat and a performance of impressive energy but little attacking guile or incision.
"We threw everything we had at them in the second half," was the manager Malky MacKay's verdict afterwards, but on this evidence that doesn't amount to a great deal. Watford are now two points above the relegation places and without an away win in 16 matches.
In December Queens Park Rangers' Hungarian playmaker Akos Buzsaky was spotted wandering about in tears outside the away dressing room after a 3-1 defeat at Watford that ended with him allegedly being head-butted by the then manager Jim Magilton.
Here Buzsaky had a happier time, scoring the only goal from the penalty in what for Rangers was a dead rubber, safety having been achieved via results elsewhere at the weekend.
Neil Warnock's Rangers settled the quicker, Buzsaky drawing an awkward lunging save from Scott Loach with a swerving free-kick from 35 yards after seven minutes.
This match had been postponed in mid-February after Biblical-style deluges and Watford in particular still looked like a team playing through heavy mud in a first half of few chances.
It came as a genuine surprise when the Serbian Dusko Tosic produced the first real moment of thrust in attack after 38 minutes, cutting in from the left and beating two men before appearing to be dragged down by Adrian Mariappa. The referee took a moment and then awarded the penalty, and Buzsaky buried it.
Watford pushed forward with intent at the start of the second half, the substitute Marvin Sordell providing a muscular and purposeful presence in attack alongside the previously isolated Danny Graham.
It was from Sordell's excellent cross from the left on 64 minutes that Graham failed to connect with his header from six yards out. Moments later Sordell crossed again and Graham's point-blank shot was blocked by Peter Ramage on the line.
Watford's best efforts at a late aerial bombardment were easily repelled by Kaspars Gorkss. "The players need to show the character they showed in the second half [when we play] against Reading on Saturday," MacKay said, but he will be hoping for a little more devil too.
Tuesday 20 April: Telegraph.co.uk
Queens Park Rangers 1 Watford 0: match report
THE possibility of Neil Warnock engaging in youthful experimentation bothered Watford's relegation-haunted rivals, whose plaudits should be reserved for more experienced footballers on the Loftus Road books.
Wrong-footing those suspecting the Queens Park Rangers manager might field a clutch of youngsters, Warnock fulfilled a sense of duty to former club Crystal Palace, and aided Sheffield Wednesday's cause, by starting just one in Antonio German. Those two clubs, scrambling to avoid the last Championship demotion place, have hope.
"Nobody has a right to be in this division," Watford manager Malky Mackay said. Warnock, offering solace, remarked: "You wouldn't swap Palace or Wednesday's position with theirs," before adding of his experienced selection: "It was no time to be accused by the media of messing about with clubs' futures."
The first half, for Watford, was an exercise in bloody-minded obduracy. QPR pressed them back. Akos Buzsaky's drilled free-kick from distance was saved by Scott Loach.
Waford's defensive resistance was not bolstered by attacking purpose. Henri Lansbury, who might have been accused of loitering without intent, bore little resemblance to the dynamic playmaker who has often splattered the Hornets' canvass with rip-roaring chutzpah.
QPR's continued attempt to suffocate them was relentless, perplexing those who thought they might take this easy. A hardened taskmaster like Warnock never allows such laxity.
Adel Taarabt, not renowned for his work-rate, was a floating menace, starting on the left but gliding inside, before his early withdrawal with an apparent ankle injury after his side went ahead.
The pressure, inevitably, told. Dusko Tosic bulldozed his way into Watford 's box and was felled by Adrian Mariappa. Mariappa, eager for a contract extension, has not convinced lately. Buzsaky converted.
The pummelling continued after half time. Vine teased Ross Jenkins with nifty footwork and sent in a cross which tantalised everyone but failed to find a decisive touch.
There was no sign of Watford unsettling the ungainly Kaspars Gorkss, who always looks liable to make errors. Danny Graham, isolated up front, failed to hold the all up. Watford's resilience, however, drove them forward.
Graham was inches from heading in Marvin Sordell's cross and Jon Harley was denied by Radek Cerny. It was enough to give Paul Hart and Alan Irvine palpitations and agonise Watford.
Tuesday 20 April: The Sun Online
BUZZING ... Buzsaky fires Rangers ahead from the spot
MALKY Mackay believes his relegation-haunted Hornets were kicked below the belt for the second match in a row.
Boss Mackay was fuming after Leicester were awarded a disputed penalty en route to beating his side 4-1 on Saturday.
And last night referee Pat Miller gave a debatable spot-kick from which Akos Buzsaky hit QPR's 38th-minute winner.
Home defender Dusko Tosic, attempting to get round the back, seemed to be going nowhere when challenged by Adrian Mariappa.
But Miller awarded the penalty and Buzsaky sent keeper Scott Loach the wrong way from the spot.
It left Hornets still needing three points with two games left to stay up as they face Reading at Vicarage Road on Saturday and Coventry away the following Sunday.
Mackay said: "The penalty was disappointing. There was very little contact.
"The referee looked at it for a long time before he awarded it - nearly as long as the referee did on Saturday when he awarded one to Leicester. Another disappointing decision.
"To get the reaction after that showed my players' character - to a man. We threw everything at them in the second half.
"I've just told my players to repeat that on Saturday against Reading. To go out without fear.
"We've got to try and stay in the division. Nobody's got a right to stay in it. It doesn't matter what has happened and what hasn't happened. We've got to get those points."
Hornets were sixth when they overcame Rangers 3-1 at home in the December clash that sparked the departure of boss Jim Magilton after a bust-up with Buzsaky.
Since then they had lost 13 and won just four of their 23 league games going into this crucial match.
But Mackay's troops fought hard after the break and Danny Graham, who had an effort ruled out for offside, almost got his head to a Marvin Sordell cross on 65 minutes.
Radek Cerny then blocked a Sordell cross-shot two minutes later.
Rangers boss Neil Warnock thought the referee got the spot-kick award right.
He said: "I thought it was fair. I couldn't see how he couldn't give it. I've a lot of time for Malky. I'd hate to be in his position. It's a horrible one."
Warnock's reaction to match-winner Buzsaky was in stark contrast to that of Magilton after that 3-1 defeat.
Magilton's huge row with the Hungarian midfielder led to the Irishman being initially suspended and then sacked.
But Warnock, who succeeded Paul Hart after Magilton's successor Mick Harford also bit the dust, said: "Akos took the penalty very coolly and was unlucky with an early free-kick. And he was playing with injury problems."
Tuesday 20 April: Daily Mail Online
Buzsaky joy! Bust-up boy Akos a winner this time as Hornets sweat on future
AKOS Buzsaky, the QPR midfielder whose dressing room bust-up at Watford in December cost then manager Jim Magilton his job, scored the winner against the struggling visitors at Loftus Road on Tuesday night.
The Hungarian midfielder stepped up to fire home a 38th-minute penalty which left Watford sweating on their Championship future, two points above the relegation zone.
Buzsaky was left wandering around outside the dressing room in December after an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation with Magilton. Buzsaky claimed he was headbutted, Magilton denied it but was suspended and later sacked.
Neil Warnock is the third manager Rangers have had since then, and he has taken his side to safety. But Watford may needs points at home to Reading and at Coventry to stave off relegation after their 17th away game without a win and one win in their last nine games.
Visiting boss Malky Mackay said: 'We threw everything at them in the second half. I got the right reaction at half time and I think we deserved a point. Now we have to show we can get enough points to stay up. But we've no divine right.'
Watford showed plenty of endeavour, and striker Danny Graham will be wondering how he missed two excellent second-half chances.
He somehow headed past the post in front of more than 2,000 travelling fans on 64 minutes when substitute Marvin Sordell centred, and, three minutes later, Sordell was again involved as Graham had his shot blocked.
Buzsaky looked sharp and nearly opened the scoring in the seventh minute with a swerving 30-yard free-kick that England Under 21 keeper Scott Loach did well to turn aside.
Watford appeared to have drawn QPR's early sting, only to fall behind when Adrian Mariappa brought down full back Dusko Tosic as he surged into the area and referee Pat Miller finally pointed to the spot after seeming to take an age to make a decision.
Mackay called the decision questionable, but Warnock said: 'I think it was a fair award. The ref did take a long time to give it. I couldn't see how he couldn't give it but, looking at the decisions he gave all night, I was just a bit surprised!'
Buzsaky stroked the spot kick into the net and Watford, who had lacked firepower in the first half, threw on 19-year-old Sordell to help out Graham up front after the break. It worked as Watford launched waves of attacks.
Fourth-from-bottom Crystal Palace, a point below Watford, couldn't complain about QPR's commitment, and their former manager, Warnock, said: 'At least Palace and Sheffield Wednesday will know our team gave it everything and didn't give Watford an easy ride.'
Warnock did bring in strikers Antonio German and Rowan Vine for Jay Simpson and Tamas Priskin, the ex-Watford player, and curiously substituted his star player, Adel Taarabt, when seemingly uninjured in the first half.
