POINTS were shared on a dramatic afternoon at Scunthorpe which saw a red card, a 95th minute penalty and several disputed incidents making the draw feel like a shattering defeat for the Hornets and a lucky point for the home side.

Watford made just one change to their line up from their win over Bristol City nearly two weeks ago.
Malky Mackay was delighted to welcome Tom Cleverley back to action after the talented youngster recovered from his knee injury sustained against Sheffield United earlier this month.

Jon Harley therefore dropped to the bench with Danny Graham and Heidar Helguson providing the strike partnership up front for the Golden Boys.
Nigel Adkins made four changes to his team who were victors over Barnsley.

United Captain Cliff Byrne returned to the Iron team after serving a two match suspension and joined by Grant McCann, Michael O'Connor and Josh Wright.

Watford went into the clash in a sunny Lincolnshire having had eleven days of training and no matches; their opponents on the other hand were victims of a crushing 5-1 defeat at Leicester last weekend and battled for a 2-1 win over Barnsley midweek.

The Iron kicked off the game, which had hung in the balance in the morning until a pitch inspection had deemed the frozen surface playable, only three points clear of the Championship drop zone.
And with the 'Orns' recent form away from Vicarage Road, the meeting at Glanford Park looked to be a highly fought one.

Tom Cleverley had the first chance of the game for the Hornets, his powerful strike just inching the crossbar.

Paul Hayes had an effort blocked up at the other end moments later, as the ball was stopped in its' tracks towards Scott Loach's goal thanks to a brave block by Hornets captain Jay DeMerit.

In the tenth minute of the game, Danny Graham's header didn't quite have enough power to it as Don Cowie fed him the ball, only for the former Middlesbrough striker to have his effort saved by United 'keeper Joe Murphy.

A minute later, Cleverley was again amongst the action in the Watford box, taking a rebounded effort from Heidar Helguson but his strike was stopped short by Iron skipper Cliff Byrne.

Martin's Taylor's height saved the day for the away side seconds later as he headed clear an effort from Matthew Sparrow in the 11th minute of the game.

Within the first 15 minutes, the match was shaping up to be an end-to-end affair with both teams giving as much as they both could muster on the field.

Hornets 'keeper Scott Loach keeps Scunthorpe at bay

The Hornets continued to attack as Graham had yet another chance to put the Hornets into the lead but his shot was just caught by Murphy.

Graham missed a sitter of a header on 18 minutes, as Taylor expertly crossed the ball from left to right across the front of goal and with Graham in a perfect position at the right post it was hard to see how he missed.

As Watford continued to push forwards, chances were flying into the area relentlessly, Graham missing out on yet another headed effort as his close range ball found the gloves of Murphy.

Thanks to the early expert work of Watford's back four, Loach had not had to make a save until 26 minutes into the game when Martyn Woolford crossed the ball into the England U21 goalkeepers' area.

With 28 minutes gone of the encounter in Lincolnshire, Watford were on the rampage again, after some great ball control by Adrian Mariappa just on the edge of the 18 yard box resulting in Helguson's header nipping the left-hand post.

After a brief team-talk on the sidelines due to one of the linesman being injured and seen to by Scunthorpe's' physio; United seemed knuckle down, forcing the Golden Boys into their own half. Striking what was only the Iron's second chance on target of the whole afternoon; Gary Hooper picked up a through ball from Hayes, slotted it past Loach and into the back of the net for the home team in the 42nd minute.

The goal was completely against the run of play at Glanford Park, but the Iron had struck while they were hot while the Hornets had missed a couple of outright chances to take the game into their own hand in the first 45 minutes.

Scunthorpe kicked off the second half with a new-found confidence as they surged the ball forwards through the Watford defence. Woolford had a super strike at goal tipped over the crossbar by Loach, saving the Hornets from conceding a second.

The start of the second 45 was very quiet for the 'Orns, compared to the energetic team who ran the field in the first half. Scunthorpe were commanding their pitch and enjoying the procession.

Just before the hour mark, United had a free kick right on the cusp of the 18 yard box, after former Scunthorpe player Henri Lansbury fouled Hooper but McCann's effort was blocked and the rebound couldn't materialise to anything.

Danny Graham scores the 'Orns' first goal of the afternoon

Graham finally put the ball in the back of the net for the Golden Boys on 63 minutes, the striker having not scored since the two teams' encounter at Vicarage Road last year. He finished the ball coolly and calmly, his strike following a hat trick of chances in the box for the away team.

With 74 minutes on the watch, Loach was called to make a great save as the in-form Hooper drilled a right-footed shot towards him, the England U21 stopper showing exactly why he is Stuart Pearce's first choice between the sticks.

Lansbury had a perfect chance to score against his former employers after he was fouled on the edge of the 18-yard-box. But his shot was wide of the target.

Several moments of madness then took place on the pitch. Cleverley went into a tackle badly, fouling Michael O'Connor and receiving a straight red card. Following this, there was a mêlée on the pitch and the young referee David Webb, who has only been in charge of a handful of Championship games, attempted to take control of the situation.

John Eustace nets Watford's second goal

A few minutes later, after a lot of confusion on the pitch, Jon Harley was brought on to replace Helguson who had been unusually quiet that afternoon.

As if in answer to the red card, Watford were spurred on and substitute Harley sent in a great corner for Eustace to pick up and send home to the back of the net.  This put the 10-man Hornets into the lead at Glanford Park as the players ran towards their faithful fans to celebrate. With four minutes added time however, the pressure was on both teams, Watford defending their box and Scunthorpe pushing forwards.

As if there hadn't been enough excitement for one afternoon, United were then awarded a penalty for an apparent hand-ball from DeMerit. Gary Cooper then ended any hope for the Hornets' first away win since October, putting the subsequent penalty past Loach making the scoreline level again and concluding the afternoon's drama.

WATFORD: Loach; Mariappa, Taylor, DeMerit, Doyley; Cleverley, Lansbury, Eustace, Cowie, Helguson (Harley 83), Graham. Subs not used: Lee (gk), Hodson, Jenkins, Hoskins, Henderson, McGinn.

SCUNTHORPE: Murphy; Byrne, Raynes, Mirfin, Williams; Sparrow, McCann (Togwell 69), O'Connor (Forte 88), Woolford (Thompson 69); Hayes, Hooper. Subs not used: Lillis, Milnes, Wright, McDermott.

GOALS: SCUNTHORPE: Hooper 42, 90+5 (pen) ; WATFORD: Graham 63; Eustace 90+1

BOOKINGS: SCUNTHORPE: Sparrow (52), Hooper (76), Williams (79) Byrne (82); WATFORD: Eustace (47), DeMerit (90+4), Loach (90+5).

SENDINGS OFF: SCUNTHORPE: None; WATFORD: Cleverley (81)

Attendance: 5,411 (587 away)