MX23RW : Thursday, November 19 07:42:17| >> :600:998354:998354:

Result: Wycombe off the mark in the Championship with draw against Watford

Result: Wycombe off the mark in the Championship with draw against Watford
© Reuters
Ismaila Sarr had opened the scoring.

Wycombe secured their first Sky Bet Championship point of the season with a 1-1 draw at home to Watford, but Gareth Ainsworth's side could easily have claimed all three.

The hosts missed a series of first-half chances, with man-of-the-match Ben Foster saving from Scott Kashket, and talismanic Adebayo Akinfenwa guilty of a glaring miss from close range.

Watford punished last season's League One play-off winners, with Ismaila Sarr heading home early in the second half, but the Chairboys struck back through a header of their own with Anthony Stewart striking just 15 minutes later.

Wycombe were denied a winner as the clock ticked into stoppage time, with the ball in the net only for referee John Brooks to rule it out for a foul on Foster, as the hosts were made to settle for a point.

The 38-year-old Akinfenwa captained Wycombe on his first start of the season and was tasked with helping break down a Watford side that had conceded just three goals all season.

Foster played in every single match of Watford's last two campaigns in the Premier League and was called upon several times in the first half to keep out the home side.

He first got down low to keep out Kashket from 10 yards, after Akinfenwa controlled the ball and showed great intuition to find his strike partner in a congested penalty area.

Foster was then alert to keep out Akinfenwa's curling shot during Wycombe's best spell of the half, but the hosts kept coming and a penetrating run from Kashket split the Watford defence, before he unselfishly placed the ball into the path of Akinfenwa who spooned the ball over the bar.

Watford had enjoyed almost 65 per cent possession in the first half but the better opportunities had gone the way of Wycombe, and they continued to add to their chances with Foster called upon again to keep out David Wheeler's volley.

However, Wycombe were stung on the counter for the opening goal. Kiko Femenia had looked lively all night down the right, and his pinpoint cross was met by Sarr, who rose highest to place the ball into the back of the net for his first goal of the season.

But Watford's lead lasted barely quarter-of-an-hour. The Chairboys' promotion to the Championship was built on goals from set-pieces, and the equaliser was a carbon copy of Stewart's play-off final goal just over three months ago, with the 28-year-old nodding home from a Joe Jacobson corner.

Kashket was again kept out by Foster in the late stages and it seemed as though Wycombe were on course for three points when the ball went into the net from a Jacobson corner at the death, but the Adams Park outfit were ultimately made to settle for a share of the spoils.

ID:420027:cQx
Share this article now:
Did you know...?
Brentford manager Thomas Frank pictured on September 16, 2020
Read Next:
Tuesday's Championship predictions including Brentford vs. Norwich City
>
Latest Sports Video
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.

rhs 2.0
Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Reading117131712522
2Norwich CityNorwich11632138521
3Bournemouth11551159620
4Bristol City116231511420
5Swansea CitySwansea11542137619
6Middlesbrough1046094518
7Watford10532139418
8Stoke CityStoke115331512318
9Millwall11452108217
10Luton TownLuton11524911-217
11Brentford114431712516
12Blackburn RoversBlackburn114252114714
13Huddersfield TownHuddersfield114251213-114
14Preston North EndPreston114161514113
15Cardiff CityCardiff113441211113
16Barnsley113441213-113
17Birmingham CityBirmingham11344911-213
18Queens Park RangersQPR113441115-413
19Rotherham UnitedRotherham113351012-212
20Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest11335912-312
21Coventry CityCoventry112271223-118
22Wycombe WanderersWycombe11218619-137
23Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds11335610-46
24Derby CountyDerby11137516-116

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!