Watford 2-2 Cardiff

Jobi McAnuff's injury-time goal rescued a draw for Watford

Jobi McAnuff's last-gasp goal rescued a point for Championship pace-setters Watford against visiting Cardiff City.

The Bluebirds bossed the first half but for all their chances led by just Roger Johnson's headed goal from a corner.

Watford pulled level four minutes after half-time when Jay DeMerit poked home Nathan Ellington's flick-on.

Peter Whittingham put Cardiff ahead again with a rasping low drive, but in a frantic finale McAnuff's late curler into the far top corner earned a draw.

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Watford manager Adrian Boothroyd:
"I don't know what the problem is playing at home but sometimes you can want something too much and it becomes harder and harder.

"We didn't play with a lot of brain. You need to play with muscle or guile and we didn't really have either.

"But we have passion and character - it was important we didn't lose today."

Cardiff manager Dave Jones:
"It's disappointing because this is an important game but we've been let down by the referee.

"He allowed them to bully us and push and shove us all game.

"Three minutes of stoppage time were indicated but the lad's scored in something like the fourth minute, so I don't know what's happened there."

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Watford: Lee, Doyley, DeMerit, Jackson (Shittu 85), Stewart, Smith, O'Toole (Williamson 35), Francis, McAnuff, King (Darius Henderson 63), Ellington. Subs Not Used: Poom, Ainsworth.

Booked: Stewart.

Goals: DeMerit 49, McAnuff 90.

Cardiff: Schmeichel, McNaughton, Loovens, Johnson, Capaldi, McPhail, MacLean (Purse 86), Ledley, Whittingham, Rae, Parry. Subs Not Used: Oakes, Blake, Ramsey, Hasselbaink.

Booked: McPhail.

Goals: Johnson 34, Whittingham 56.

Att: 17,014

Ref: Grant Hegley (Hertfordshire).