Boothroyd blasts players

ADRIAN Boothroyd may not have set much store by the FA Cup this season but that did not allow his Watford players to escape a tongue-lashing after this limp 4-1 defeat.

The meek manner of Watford’s capitulation on home soil enraged the Yorkshireman.

“When you defend like that you get exactly what you deserve,” he said. “A few changes were made. We’ve got a few bumps and bruises and niggles and I didn’t want to risk players with two close league games coming.

“I still felt the team that was out there had a great opportunity to stake a claim for our promotion run-in but one or two didn’t do that and one or two didn’t do themselves any favours at all.”

Some shocking defending contributed to Andy Keogh’s opener in the fifth minute. Malky Mackay, under pressure from Jay Bothroyd, stumbled as he sought to head clear and the ball bounced to Keogh who, from 20 yards, produced a delightful lob that gave Richard Lee no chance.

In the 59th minute Wolves tore apart an alarmingly fragile home defence and Stephen Elliott calmly beat Lee to make it 2-0.

Nine minutes later Jarvis put the third goal on a plate for Bothroyd.

John Joe O’Toole pulled a goal back for the home side but Wolves completed their comfortable win in the last minute when Keogh calmly sidefooted his second of the game.

A delighted Wolves manager Mick McCarthy added: “That wasn’t their strongest side but I played my strongest team – I wanted to be in the next round. This is the blue riband event at the end of the season and who knows how far we can go. I got to the semi-finals with Sunderland a few years ago and, you never know, it might happen again.”

WATFORD (4-4-2): Lee 6, Doyley 4, DeMerit 6, Mackay 4 (Mariappa 76, 5), Sadler 6, Kabba 4, Bangura 5, O’Toole 5, McAnuff 5, Priskin 5 (Smith 62, 7), Ellington 5.

Subs Not Used: Poom, Stewart, Rinaldi.

WOLVES (4-4-2): Hennessey 6, D Ward 7, Collins 6, Henry 7 (Kightly 90, 5), Foley 6, R Edwards 7, Potter 7, Jarvis 8 (Gray 84, 5), Elliott 7, Bothroyd 7 (Gibson 90, 5), Keogh 8.

Subs Not Used: Stack, Breen.

REFEREE: Keith Stroud (Hampshire) 7: A free-flowing game that required few interventions from the officials.

MATCH RATING: *** Impressive display from Wolves, who scored some lovely goals.