Monday 26 April: The Sun Online
Watford 3 Reading 0
HEIDAR Helguson made Vicarage Road erupt with joy. Quite apt for an Icelander!
Danny Graham's brace and a Helguson cracker helped Watford seal their Championship status despite a torrid season on and off the pitch.
Iceland international Helguson - on loan from QPR - said: "We left it late to be safe but we got there eventually."
Financial woes have plagued Watford since they dropped out of the Premier League in 2007. Boss Malky Mackay - forced to cope with the sale of star players - admitted: "There has been the odd dark night.
"You lose players and you nearly go into administration but then there are some great times when we play very well."
Graham struck first on 30 minutes and just after the break Helguson smashed home.
Then an Andy Griffin howler let in Graham to slot home his second.
Reading skipper Matt Mills groaned: "It's difficult to put a finger on what went wrong."
SUN STAR MAN HEIDAR HELGUSON (Watford). Ice-cool.
Saturday 24 April: Daily Mail Online
Hornets seal Championship survival as sorry Royals suffer end-of-season slump
Danny Graham struck twice to ensure Watford another season in the Championship.
After defeats in their last two matches at Leicester and Queen's Park Rangers, Malky Mackay's side — praised for the quality of their football earlier in the season — found themselves in a relegation dogfight with Sheffield Wednesday and Crystal Palace in a bid to avoid the drop.
Yet from the start they were always in control, showing more hunger, desire and physical presence than a Reading side with less to play for, but keen to maintain their revival since the start of 2010.
After a bright opening, in which Martin Taylor had a volley cleared off the line by Gylfi Sigurdsson, Watford needed a goal to settle their nerves.
And it duly arrived after 30 minutes, when Heidar Helguson, whose aerial threat troubled the Reading defence all afternoon, headed on a long throw from Lee Hodson and Graham's looping header found the top corner.
If had any illusions about making a second-half comeback they were dashed by two goals in the first nine minutes after the restart, both defensive howlers.
Shane Long, back in defence for a long throw, mis-kicked allowing Helguson, the striker on loan from QPR, to turn and fire into the bottom corner from 10 yards.
But Long's blunder was nothing compared to that committed by Andy Griffin, the full-back on loan from Stoke who, with time to clear, dallied on a bouncing ball, allowing Graham to rob him and beat Adam Federici with ease.
Reading were denied a consolation when substitute Simon Church shot wide from their best chance.
The scoreline could have been greater had Graham, in search of his hat-trick, not blazed two volleys over the bar. But he had already done enough for Watford.
Saturday 24 April: BBC Sport Online
Watford 3-0 Reading
WATFORD secured Championship survival with an impressive win over Reading.
The Hornets dominated from the off and took the lead when Heidar Helguson flicked on Lee Hodson's throw for Danny Graham to head home.
More chances for the home side followed and Helguson made it 2-0 when he met Don Cowie's cross and fired home.
Graham took advantage of an error by Andy Griffin to wrap up the win and came close to a hat-trick when he blazed over from Helguson's cross.
The ease of the Hornets' victory was unexpected, given that they had won just two of their last 15 games and the Royals had lost only three in 19.
It has been a difficult season for Watford, who have had to sell some key players and narrowly avoided going into administration.
But their fans will be able to relax ahead of the final day of the season on 1 May, leaving Sheffield Wednesday and Crystal Palace to battle it out to beat the drop.
The home side were on top from the start against the Royals and John Eustace and Ryan Bertrand both had chances before Graham opened the scoring.
Henri Lansbury curled a free-kick wide and Helguson's snap-shot narrowly missed the target as they looked to increase their advantage.
Reading's only response was a Shane Long header, which drifted wide, and Watford soon had the second goal their endeavour deserved when Helguson found the net early in the second half.
Graham completed the scoring soon afterwards, and his side were able to coast home before celebrating at the final whistle.
Watford boss Malky Mackay on securing Championship football for next season:
"It starts with relief obviously and tonight it will be elation.
"I think a lot of what has happened at this football club this year, there has been a lot of trying and testing times that are well documented.
"And I think for us to stay in the division, which was the target all along, the group of players thoroughly deserve that."
Reading manager Brian McDermott:
"We were well beaten.
"We didn't compete from the off, we didn't win our battles individually and it doesn't matter what team you are in the world, if you don't do that to start the game you'll have a problem.
"They were stronger than us today and that was the second time since I've had the job that we've had a performance like that.
"It would be fair to say they were more up for it."
