Post by Taxigirl on Nov 4, 2003 9:23:14 GMT
FA Premier Reserve League
Underhill, Barnet FC
Monday, November 3, 2003, kick-off: 7pm
Even the return of Rami Shaaban could not stop Arsenal reserves falling to a 2-0 defeat to Watford at Barnet FC on Monday night.
The Swedish keeper, who made five first-team appearances last season, was making his comeback after breaking his leg on Christmas Eve last year. However it was to be an unhappy return. Shaaban was beaten twice by Watford’s Elliot Godfrey inside 14 opening minutes and, despite rallying at the end of each half, Arsenal were second best on the night.
Watford went ahead after just three minutes. Rob Martin's corner was flicked on at the near post and Jerel Ifil nodded the ball back for Elliot Godfrey to steer home a header.
John Spicer replied, racing down the right and firing over a low cross that Lloyd Doyley attempted to hack clear under pressure from Ryan Smith. However the Watford centre back miskicked and his shot beat his keeper before agonisingly trickling past the post.
Watford soon made Arsenal pay. In the 14th minute, Francesc Fabregas lost the ball in midfield and eventually Jason Norville crossed for Godfrey to steer home his second at the far post. It might have been 3-0 a minute later when Ifil nodded a powerful header just over the bar from Martin's cross.
To their credit, a youthful Arsenal side - including eight of the 16 players involved in last week's nail-biting Carling Cup with Rotherham - upped their game at this point. Jerome Thomas' fast-rising shot was tipped over the bar by Steven Graham. Then Fabregas fed Ryan Smith, whose first-time shot was blocked by Ifil.
Arsenal lost Olafur-Ingi Skulason just before the half-hour. The Icelandic midfielder was stretched off after a challenge by Paul Coyne that saw the Watford midfielder booked.
Quincy Owusu-Abeyie came on and, if anything, Arsenal looked better for the change. They certainly had more threat up front. The Dutch striker had a shot blocked by Graham's legs seconds before the break, a chance that came soon after Spicer had forced a similar save.
The break came at the wrong time. Arsenal youngsters were threatening to find a way back into the game before half time but, after it, they lost fluency. Although Juan had an effort blocked, Shaaban saved them on a couple of occasions before, with 16 minutes left, Smith saw his shot nodded off the line by Ifil then Graham held on to a long-range follow-up from Fabregas.
Smith took a hefty knock of his leg leg with 10 minutes to go and received lengthy treatment before coming back on. Arsenal needed him, manager Eddie Niedzwiecki had already used all three substitutes.
Substitute Nicky Nicolau stung Graham’s hands in the final few minutes but by then the game was lost.
ARSENAL 0
-
WATFORD 2
Elliott Godfrey 3, 14
ARSENAL (squad)
Rami Shaaban
Craig Holloway
Alex Bailey
Juan
Stathis Tavlaridis
Olafur-Ingi Skulason
Frank Simek
John Spicer
Stephen Bradley
Francesc Fabregas
Paulinho
Nicky Nicolau
Jerome Thomas
Ryan Smith
Danny Karbassiyoon
Quincy Owusu-Abeyie
