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Watford

Abdi (45 +6)

1 - 2

Vicarage Road Stadium
npower Championship
(Attendance: 16,968)

Leeds United

Poleon (42)
McCormack (90)

Older Matches

ROSS SPOILS WATFORD PARTY

WATFORD 1 (Abdi 45+6), LEEDS 2 (Poleon 42, McCormack 90)

Watford: Bond (Bonham 33), Doyley, Pudil, Cassetti, Chalobah,Ekstrand, Hogg (Yeates 82), Anya (Vydra 64), Abdi, Deeney, Forestieri. Subs: Briggs, Hall, Battocchio, Geijo.

United: Kenny, Peltier, Lees, Pearce, Drury, Tonge, Brown (White 64), Green (Hall 90), McCormack, Morison (Poleon 10), Varney. Subs: Cairns, Warnock, Killock, Lenighan.

Referee: G Salisbury

Booked: Deeney, Pudil (Watford), Poleon, Brown (Leeds)

Sent Off: Deeney (Watford)

Att: 16, 969 (1,999 Leeds)

The final game of the season saw United head south for a match against Watford, who knew a victory would give them the chance at gaining promotion to the Premier League.

United manager Brian McDermott made some enforced changes to his starting eleven, after being without the injured Sam Byram and the suspended duo of Rudy Austin and El-Hadji Diouf.

Jason Pearce vs Watford Zac Thompson was handed his first start of the season in a United shirt after returning from a successful loan spell at Bury. Steve Morison returned and Adam Drury was also handed a start with Stephen Warnock dropping to the bench.

There was however late changes to both teams with Michael Brown stepping in for Thompson and Simon Lenighan stepping up to the bench for United. The home side needed to make a change in goal, with Manuel Almunia being replaced by Jonathan Bond.

There was an early worry for United when Steve Morison received lenghty treatment after a accidental whack to the face, he was replaced by Dominic Poleon after 10 minutes.

Moments later the celebratory home crowd were annoyed when United serviced a penalty cry.

The home side were on the front foot and had the lion's share of possession during the opening 20 minutes of the match but the United defence was on hand to block shots and cross attempts from The Hornets.

Dom Poleon vs Watford Midway through the first half the home side were forced to make their second change in goal after Bond collided with Almen Anya while Poleon was on the attack. Bond received treatment for more than 10 minutes before being replaced by Jack Bonham, who was making his first team debut.

After the game resumed the first meaningful effort on goal brought a goal for Leeds. It was United substitute Poleon that broke the deadlock after a mix up from the Watford defence left him with an open goal to smash the ball home on 42 minutes.

It was Poleon's second goal of the season and sparked mass celebrations from the travelling fans. It also silenced the home support, who, moments earlier appeared to be celebrating incorrect reports that Cadiff had scored against Hull.

As the first half went into staggering 16 minutes of injury time, it was the home side that pressed forward insearch of an equaliser.

Deep into those injury time minutes the home side drew level, when after great build up play Almen Abdi scored with a superb strike from distance.

Michael Brown vs Watford It was United who had the first strike at goal in the second half, when Ross McCormack sent a long range effort wide.

The home side sparked into life as the hour mark approached, when the goalscorer Abdi turned nicely to strike at goal but Pearce was equal to his effort to block.

Moment's later United broke forward and when Luke Varney found Paul Green on the edge of the box it was the home defence's turn to block an attempt on goal.

And Watford were dealt a major blow to their promotion chances when Troy Deeney was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Michael Brown.

United were the side that looked most likely to take the lead, when on 70 minutes substitute Aidy White crossed for Varney but his headed effort was saved well by Bonham.

But just minutes later Paddy Kenny was called into action to stop a Matej Vydra shot from just outside the area to keep the scores level with 10 minutes remaining.

With Cardiff grabbing a late equaliser at Hull it meant Watford had to score again to win automatic promotion and the hosts surged forward in a bid to steal the game.

With just five minutes remaining Kenny in the United goal was on hand to deny the home side twice in quick succession.

As the home side pushed for the winner it was United who counter attacked when White sent through McCormack who went for the chip to send the away fans into ecstasy, it was a terrific chip from the Scot and proved to be the deciding moment.

POS	TEAM	PL	GD	PTS
1	Cardiff City	46	27	87
2	Hull City	46	9	79
3	Watford	46	27	77
4	Brighton and Hove Albion	46	26	75
5	Crystal Palace	46	11	72
6	Leicester City	46	23	68
7	Bolton Wanderers	46	8	68
8	Nottingham Forest	46	4	67
9	Charlton Athletic	46	6	65
10	Derby County	46	3	61
11	Burnley	46	2	61
12	Birmingham City	46	-6	61
13	Leeds United	46	-9	61
14	Ipswich Town	46	-13	60
15	Blackpool	46	-1	59
16	Middlesbrough	46	-9	59
17	Blackburn Rovers	46	-7	58
18	Sheffield Wed	46	-8	58
19	Huddersfield Town	46	-20	58
20	Millwall	46	-11	56
21	Barnsley	46	-14	55
22	Peterborough United	46	-9	54
23	Wolverhampton Wanderers	46	-14	51
24	Bristol City	46	-25	41