<div class="layout"><div class="article"><div class="articleText"> WATFORD lost ground in the promotion race as their game in hand against relegation-threatened Barnsley proved to be anything but productive, with the Tykes coming away from the Vic with all three points. </p> Simon Davey's side found their scoring boots and condemned the Golden Boys to a sixth home defeat of the campaign with some clinical finishing.</p> They appeared to have no FA Cup hangover as they took the lead in the first half and then took control straight after half time with an early goal which killed the 'Orns off. </p> Striker Kayode Odejayi put in a powerful display and topped it off with two goals, one in either half. </p> With the Hornets lacking a cutting edge in attack they couldn't create enough in front of goal and were punished by the side from Yorkshire. </p> Manager Aidy Boothroyd made two changes to his starting line-up, recalling striker Darius Henderson after his two match ban. He partnered Saturday's goal scorer Nathan Ellington in attack, while Steve Kabba dropped down to the bench. </p> Jordan Stewart also made the starting line-up, due to Tommy Smith's knock and hebegan the nighton the left side of midfield with Jobi McAnuff switching to the right. Following his loan spell at Preston North End, Tamas Priskin made the substitutes' bench, while Collins John missed out. </p> The visitors, back to league action after their sterling cup run, were without captain Brian Howard and old Watford boy Martin Devaney. </p><p align="center"></p> With just two points separating five teams at the top of the Championship, prior to this evening's kick off, the Hornets had a golden opportunity to go top of the table, put pressure on the teams around them and pick up momentum with the end of the league within touching distance. </p> The game started at a relaxed place with both teams finding their feet - Tykes' midfielder John Hassell tried his luck from 25-yards with a speculative effort that was easy enough for Richard Lee. </p> Barnsley won a corner, much to the displeasure of the Rookery, who thought it was a throw-in when Dan Shittu had to swipe the ball away from the feet of striker Odejayi. Luckily for the 'Orns the corner didn't come to anything and the backline cleared easily.</p> The assistant referee again incurred the wrath of the home fans when he awarded the visitors another corner after he judged Lloyd Doyley to have taken the ball marginally out of play. Despite Doyley's protests the corner was whipped in and the Hornets were forced to clear their lines once more. </p><p align="center"></p> With 16 minutes on the clock the Tykes had a superb chance to open the scoring when Jon Macken linked up with his fellow striker Odejayi and put the front man clean through. With Shittu breathing down his neck, the big number nine blasted his shot over Lee's bar much to the relief of most within the ground. </p> Watford's best chance came just before the half hour and it came from an unlikely link-up. Doyley found himself with the ball at his feet down the right flank and his floatedcross in was headed just wide by Stewart who was arriving late at the far post. </p> Henderson then couldn't quite get himself to McAnuff's ball inside the six yard box as the Golden Boys tried to up the tempo and put Davey's men under some sustained pressure.</p> Both Watford wide men were now pushing up and doing their best to get some service to the strikers, but this was leaving added space in midfield for the visitors. </p> Odejayi made up for his earlier miss and if there was any doubt that Sunday's Cup opportunity was still haunting him, he put that to bed to ensure the Tykes took the lead. </p> Macken again linked up with his strike partner and after putting a ball across the face of goal Odejayi was there at the back post to tap home. </p><p align="center"></p> The Golden Boys had been punished for defending deep - and with plenty of space in midfield the Tykes took full advantage.</p> With the half slipping away from them, the 'Orns did their utmost to get themselves back into the game, but they couldn't force Luke Steele into a save. </p> Firstly Lee Williamson set up Stewart out wide, but his drive was easily saved - captain Shittu then scooped an effort over the bar after another foray forward into the Barnsley half. </p> Before the half time whistle was blown, Ellington had the final chance, but his powerful shot went wide of Steele's post. </p> The second half started in the worst possible fashion for the home side as they found themselves two behind within two minutes. A deep corner was blasted to the back post and Stephen Foster wriggled away from his man and planted an unstoppable header past Lee. </p> Finding themselves two down, the home side had to try and drag themselves back into the affair. Ellington's delicate header was cleared off the line and the 'Orns couldn't get a foot on the ball in the resulting scramble in the box. </p> The evening soon got worse for everyone who was following the Hornets asBarnsley thenburied a third past Lee in the Watford goal. Odejayi showed his strength after receiving a peach of a pass and he struck a strong shot in the penalty box beyond the 'Orns 'keeper.</p> Boothroyd reacted immediately and brought on two subs from the bench - Kabba replacing Mat Sadler and Priskin taking Ellington's place in attack.</p> Watfordwere nowseeing the majority of the ball but couldn't find a way past Steele. Henderson's close range header was the nearest he came before leaving the field with what looked like a hamstringinjury.</p><p align="center"></p> The striker was replaced by Jay DeMerit with Shittu moving in attack for the last 20 minutes. Lady luck clearly wasn't smiling on the Golden Boys as O'Toole's close range header crashed against the post and dribbled out of play.</p> That was the closest the Hornets could get to goal and despite Shittu's strong presence in the box nothing was going the way of the home team. </p> Watford now have to pick themselves up for a tough trip to face West Brom at The Hawthorns this Saturday, where they'll need to bounce back to ensure they don't slip away from the leading pack at the top of the Championship. </p> WATFORD (4-4-2): Lee; Doyley, Bromby, Shittu (c), Sadler (Kabba 56); McAnuff, O'Toole, Williamson, Stewart; Henderson (DeMerit 70), Ellington (Priskin 54). Subs not used: Poom (gk), Mariappa. BARNSLEY (4-4-2): Steele; Van Homoet, Foster (c), Souza, Kozluk; Campbell-Ryce (Togwell 89), Hassell, Nyatanga, Leon; Macken (Coulson 89), Odejayi (Ferenczi 86). Subs not used; Letheren (gk), Butterfield. BOOKINGS: WATFORD; none. BARNSLEY; Van Homoet (professional foul 13). SENDINGS OFF: WATFORD; none. BARNSLEY; none. </p> GOALS: WATFORD; none. BARNSLEY; Odejayi (34, 54), Foster (47). </p> REFEREE: P Armstrong. ATTENDANCE: 16, 129 (318 Barnsley supporters). </p></div></div></div>
and Boothroyd's <div class="article"><div class="articleText"><div class="articleHeadlineAndBody" id="articleHeadlineAndBody"><h3 class="headline">AIDY: FANS ARE RIGHT TO BE ANGRY </h3><div class="lastEditDate" id="lastEditDate">Wed 09 Apr 2008</div><div class="articleBody" id="articleBody"> AIDY Boothroyd was in nothing less than an apologetic mood towards Watford's fans tonight, after his side's sobering 3-0 home reversal at the hands of Barnsley at Vicarage Road.</p> </p> The manager could only concur with the fans' assessment at the final whistle as boos rang out following the loss.</p> </p> Speaking after the final whistle, a sombre Boothroyd said: "We got exactly what we deserved.</p><a name="continue" /> "I don't blame the fans for leaving and you won't hear me having a go at fans for having a go at me, they're entitled to do that. We're accountable on the pitch and I have no complaints about that at all.</p> </p> "I don't duck it when they sing my name or the players' names so I won't duck it when there are one or two that want to say what they've got to say, that's what you accept with the job.</p> </p> "We deserve that, the fans pay their money and they are entitled to say what they want. To be perfectly honest, I'd have gone early tonight if I were them. We want our supporters to participate and tonight's performance hasn't fed the crowd, so we deserve what we get.</p> </p> "Credit to Barnsley, they got everything they deserved and we were found wanting. How do I explain it away? I'm very, very disappointed and I'd like answers tomorrow.</p> </p> "That's nowhere near good enough at this stage of the season and we haven't learnt the lessons of previous games earlier in the season. </p> </p> "I think if we'd have played until tomorrow we wouldn't have scored on that performance. We didn't deserve to win with a performance like that.</p> </p> "We get where we are through hard work and people doing their jobs and we have a way of doing things here. We don't make excuses; we have got enough in this squad to be in an automatic promotion place.</p> </p> "I'll be doing a lot of listening tomorrow, I'll be asking some questions but I'll be doing a lot of listening and I'll be doing a lot of telling. Rest assured we'll be putting it right.</p> </p> "We're not out and we never will be, tomorrow we start again and we have a massive game at the weekend."</p> </p> Already missing Tommy Smith, the manager was further hampered by the loss of strike duo Nathan Ellington and Darius Henderson.</p> </p> "Darius doesn't look good, he felt his hamstring and Nathan has felt his Achilles, we'll monitor them in the morning but it's not helpful.</p> </p> "Tommy wasn't right for tonight, he had a groin problem, all being well he'll be alright for Saturday but that'll be touch-and-go as well."</p></div></div></div></div>
