MALKY MACKAY took his Watford side to neighbours St Albans in the next stage in their quest for full fitness ahead of the 2010/11 npower Championship season - and was able to watch his side notch up a solid 2-0 win whilst giving valuable match action to 23 members of his first team squad.
A first-half bullet from skipper John Eustace and a second-half header from fellow midfielder Stephen McGinn were enough to give the visitors a comfortable afternoon following last Saturday's 5-0 win at Boreham Wood although a small cloud was cast by the loss of Danny Graham to injury after just six minutes.
Watford started the game with a familiar look, with Scott Loach in goal protected by a back four of Lloyd Doyley, Martin Taylor, Adrian Mariappa and Lee Hodson. Ross Jenkins started in a wide-right berth in midfield alongside Eustace and McGinn with Don Cowie on the left and Will Buckley and Danny Graham up front.
The visitors had the chance to take an early lead when they were awarded a free kick within 90 seconds of kick off for a foul on McGinn 25 yards out. The ball was knocked short to Mariappa whose thundering drive was blocked by the St Albans wall and the ball bounced away to safety.
Before either of the teams had had the chance to settle, Watford lost striker Graham on six minutes in what looked like an innocuous incident. After challenging for a header he came down with a bloody nose and had to be substituted amidst fears of a broken nose. His place was taken by 17-year-old academy graduate Gavin Massey.
The home side were very well drilled and kept a disciplined shape making themselves difficult to break down although Watford enjoyed the lion's share of the ball in the early exchanges.
The next chance came on 16 minutes when Eustace met a Cowie corner from the right with a firm header that drifted just past the near post, needing just the merest of touches to convert it into a goal.
As the half progressed, it was clear that last week's opening salvo against fellow Blue Square South side Boreham Wood, which saw the Hornets race into a five goal lead by half time, was not to be repeated as the Saints were content to keep their shape and make things difficult for Watford.
On the half hour mark, Watford managed to fashion another good opening when a lovely one-two between Buckley and Massey led to a shooting opportunity for the youngster, but Bastock in the St Albans goal did well to beat away the shot.
The opening goal came just four minutes later and it was largely down to the explosive pace of Buckley. The former Rochdale man picked the ball up on the Watford left and blasted past three defenders in a 40-yard run which left him with just Bastock to beat.
The veteran home keeper pulled off another decent save only to see Eustace fire home the follow up in comprehensive fashion from near the penalty spot. The goal had been coming but it took a moment of magic from Buckley to open up the Saints' rearguard action.
There wasn't a great deal of goalmouth action as the first half came to a close although Watford come close to scoring again on 45 minutes when St Albans centre back Peters deflected Doyley's cross from the right narrowly over his own crossbar.
HALF TIME: ST ALBANS CITY 0 WATFORD 1
Malky made just one change at the break with Rene Gilmartin taking over from Loach between the sticks.
The second half got off to a quiet start with neither side producing much going forward on the expansive Clarence Park pitch.
On 57 minutes Watford made a further two substitutions with Marvin Sordell, complete with strapped right hand, coming on for his first pre-season match action, taking the place of Massey and Michael Bryan replacing Jenkins wide on the right.
It was Bryan who created the goal which doubled Watford's lead with virtually his first touch on 58 minutes. He made a trademark jinking run down the right and produced an excellent cross which McGinn was able to head home from eight yards out.
The second goal prompted more changes from the Hornets with Rob Kiernan coming on for Eustace in the middle of midfield.
McGinn came close to his second goal on 62 minutes with a long-distance effort which went just over the bar after some good work from Sordell.
Two more substitutions came on 64 minutes when Dale Bennett and Adam Thompson replaced Doyley and Mariappa.
New signing Tom Aldred made his Watford debut on 66 minutes as he came on for Taylor and Liam Henderson took the place of Buckley as Malky continued to give his whole squad action.
As the match went into the last 20 minutes, it opened up considerably with Watford spurning a number of opportunities on the break, Bryan and Sordell both came close.
First year professionals Piero Mingoia and Matt Whichelow both made an impact when they came on for the last 20 minutes taking the place of Cowie and McGinn respectively.
Mingoia produced some lovely moments of skill to forge openings for Sordell and Henderson while Whichelow came close with a couple of decent efforts from the edge of the box.
The last change came on 81 minutes when Eddie Oshodi replaced Hodson at left back.
FULL TIME: ST ALBANS CITY 0 WATFORD 2
Line Ups:
St Albans: Bastock; Climo (Wheeler 58), Peters (Urquhart 46), Frater (Mortimer 58), Smith (Chaves 46), Sinclair (Ahmed 46), Magwood (Baronet 58), Fisher (Davis 46), Kweme (Perrin 46), Effiong (Simpson 46), Roberts (Dixon 46).
Watford: Loach (Gilmartin 46), Doyley (Thompson 64), Taylor (Aldred 66), Mariappa (Bennett 64), Hodson (Oshodi 81); Jenkins (Bryan 57), Eustace (Kiernan 59), McGinn (Whichelow 70), Cowie (Mingoia 70); Buckley (Henderson 66), Graham (Massey 9)(Sordell 57).
Goals: Watford: Eustace 34 mins, McGinn 58 mins
Attendance: 925
