Defeat adds to Watford woes
Last Updated: January 1, 1970 1:00am
Watford remain in danger of relegation after Adrian Boothroyd's first match in charge ended with a 3-1 defeat at Burnley.
The Hornets have slipped into the battle for survival after five defeats in six games and Boothroyd, a 34-year-old coach with Leeds United, was brought in this week to ensure their Championship status after Ray Lewington was surprisingly sacked.
His reign, however, is off to an inauspicious start and he must lift his players after they moved to within two points of the bottom three.
Two defensive errors in the first half meant they were always chasing the game as goals by Dean Bowditch and James O'Connor gave Burnley a two-goal cushion by the break.
Bowditch, on loan from Ipswich and scorer of a hat-trick against Watford last season, was afforded acres of space to score the first, as he chased a hopeful long ball and beat Richard Lee with a fine finish.
O'Connor then went unchallenged as he beat Lee with a drive from the edge of the area two minutes before half time.
Boothroyd sent on three substitutes in an effort to turn the tide in the second half and two of them combined to bring Watford back into the game on 77 minutes, Dominic Blizzard heading in from Anthony McNamee's corner.
However, Burnley wrapped up the points in the dying seconds when Valois turned the ball past Lee from a tight angle.
Matches
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npower Championship
Table
npower Championship
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cardiff City | 46 | 87 |
| 2 | Hull City | 46 | 79 |
| 3 | Watford | 46 | 77 |
| 4 | Brighton and Hove Albion | 46 | 75 |
| 5 | Crystal Palace | 46 | 72 |
| 6 | Leicester City | 46 | 68 |
| 7 | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 68 |
| 8 | Nottingham Forest | 46 | 67 |
| 9 | Charlton Athletic | 46 | 65 |
| 10 | Derby County | 46 | 61 |
| 11 | Burnley | 46 | 61 |
| 12 | Birmingham City | 46 | 61 |
| 13 | Leeds United | 46 | 61 |
| 14 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 60 |
| 15 | Blackpool | 46 | 59 |
| 16 | Middlesbrough | 46 | 59 |
| 17 | Blackburn Rovers | 46 | 58 |
| 18 | Sheffield Wednesday | 46 | 58 |
| 19 | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 58 |
| 20 | Millwall | 46 | 56 |
| 21 | Barnsley | 46 | 55 |
| 22 | Peterborough United | 46 | 54 |
| 23 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 51 |
| 24 | Bristol City | 46 | 41 |
Jean-Louis Valois
James O'Connor
Dean Bowditch
Dominic Blizzard
