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Attendance: 18,336
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FA Cup | Fifth Round
Feb 20, 2016 at 3pm UK
 
Leeds logo

1-0

Wootton (53' og.)
FT(HT: 0-0)

Live Commentary: Watford 1-0 Leeds United - as it happened

Find out how Watford reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the first time in nine years by scraping past Championship side Leeds United.
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Watford were eyeing a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time in nine years when they hosted Leeds United on Saturday.

The match had very few chances but Watford did scrape through thanks to a comical second-half own goal by Leeds defender Scott Wootton.

Relive all the action at Vicarage Road with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.


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Afternoon all! Two FA Cup fifth-rounders kick off at 3pm today and here we'll be focussing on Watford vs. Leeds.

Last season these two were both in the Championship, but after Watford's promotion and impressive first two-thirds of their Premier League season, their feels like at least a league's gap between these two Italian-owned outfits.

How some Leeds fans wish they had an owner like Gino Pozzo and not Massimo Cellino. The former has helped his team back into the big time, while Cellino's reign has been riddled with problems that in recent weeks has caused the fans to protest louder and louder against his directorship.

Before Monday's goalless draw with Middlesbrough, Leeds fans projected messages of protest against Cellino onto one of the stands. They really are fed up.


Leeds have finished between 13th and 15th the last four seasons in the Championship and it's set to be another indifferent mid-table finish this term, with the Whites 16th after 31 games but still with a healthy 11-point gap to the relegation zone.

Italian businessman Cellino has appointed and fired four managers since his arrival in 2014 and the man currently in charge of the Whites is Steve Evans, who has led the Yorkshire side to some impressive results since taking over but struggled, like his predecessors, for consistency.

Evans's side have won just one of their last nine league games, but they are through to the last 16 of the Cup thanks to wins last month over fellow bottom-half Championship sides Rotherham and Bolton.

Leeds have won the FA Cup just once, but they reached the final four times in an eight-year spell between 1965 and 1973, edging out Arsenal in 71 for their only success in the competition.

Watford, meanwhile, are in the fifth round for the first time in seven years thanks to wins over Newcastle and Nottingham Forest and they are aiming to emulate the 1984 team's run to the final, where they were eventually beaten 2-0 by Everton.

In recent times, the Hornets was to the 2007 semi-finals when they lost 4-1 to Manchester United, who went on to lose to Chelsea in the final. Can Quique Flores's side equal or better that this year? Many fancy them as dark horses.

Quique Flores manager of Watford celebrates his team's second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Watford and Norwich City at Vicarage Road on December 5, 2015© Getty Images

That's because Watford have amassed 36 points from their 26 Premier League games this season to sit ninth. They need just one more win and a draw to reach the 40-point total that is said to be good enough for survival, so they should be able to really go for it in the Cup.

H2H: Watford have got the better of Leeds on plenty of occasions when the two teams have both been in the Championship in recent years, winning the last three matches between the two and scoring 21 goals in their last six games against the Whites. These two have never met in the FA Cup.

Right then. Time for some team news from Vicarage Road...

WATFORD XI: Pantilimon; Paredes, Britos, Cathcart, Holebas; Capoue, Suarez, Watson; Abdi, Deeney; Amrabat
Subs: Gomes, Nyom, Prodl, Behrami, Guedioura, Anya, Ighalo

LEEDS XI: Silvestri; Wootton, Bellusci, Bamba, Taylor; Bridcutt, Cook, Diagouraga; Dallas, Doukara; Antenucci
Subs: Peacock-Farrell, Coyle, Adeyemi, Murphy, Mowatt, Botaka, Erwin

Six changes for Watford, with Pantilimon, Paredes, Britos, Holebas, Suarez and Abdi in for Gomes, Nyom, Prodl, Ake, Behrami and Ighalo.

As for Leeds, it's just the one change and it comes at the back as big Sol Bamba comes in for the injured Liam Cooper.

It's a wet afternoon just outside the capital today


Leeds have taken around 4,000 fans to Vicarage Road so it should be a great atmosphere today.

PREDICTION: Even without their top scorer Odion Ighalo in the starting lineup, you would expect Watford to have too much for Leeds here. I'll say 2-0 to the home side.

KICKOFF! And we are off at Vicarage Road, with both teams in their home colours this afternoon.

Great turnout by the visiting fans, who always travel well


Deeney almost silences the rowdy bunch in the away end with a looped header that drops a yard or so wide of the post.

Two early corners for the Hornets and from the second Watson delivery Britos gets up and meets it well but can't keep his header down.

Antenucci wins Leeds their first corner and it's a good delivery by the left foot of Taylor, but Britos heads up into the sky before Deeney helps it clear.

After a slow start, Leeds have improved the last couple of minutes and Antenucci in particular looks quite bright up front.

Brilliant cross from out wide by Watford left-back Holebas, but Amrabat is crowded out in the middle and ball loops up for Silvestri to make an easy grab.

CHANCE! Third Watford corner and this one presents a great chance to Britos, who was left unmarked at the back post but could only head wide Watson's ball in.

Early match action as Amrabat and Bamba fight for possession

Nordin Amrabat and Souleymane Bamba in action during the FA Cup game between Watford and Leeds United on February 20, 2016© Getty Images

Taylor swings over a corner for Leeds, but that's far too close to Pantilimon and an easy claim for the big Romanian.

Great work down the right from Capoue as he beats two Leeds players before cutting back for Amrabat, who is tackled. The ball drops back for Holebas and his rasping drive takes a wicked deflection before flying a yard wide.

Leeds a bit all over the place at the back at the moment as Suarez, Abdi and Capoue all have efforts either blocked or missed in the area. It's a bit frantic back there and Watford are just turning the screw a little.

BOOKING! Bellusci stupidly prevents Watford taking a throw-in and that's his 10th booking of the campaign. Two-match ban for the Italian, who will miss the upcoming games against Fulham and Brighton.

Leeds living a little dangerously at the back, but they've just come forward and had their first effort on goal after a great run out of defence by Antenucci. The Italian did well to find Dallas on the right, but his cross-shot was easily saved by Pantilimon.

Here come the Whites again on the break, but this time Antenucci loses out after some good strong defending by Holebas.

SHOT! Fabulous play from Leeds forward Doukara as he skilfully beats one man before exchanging passes with Dallas. Doukara then gets it back to his teammate, but Dallas's low shot is watched wide by Pantilimon.

BOOKING! Today's referee is Michael Oliver and he's just cautioned Paredes for an earlier foul on Taylor. It took ages for the ball to go out of play, but Oliver was always going to come back and book the right-back.

Ten minutes of the half to go then and you have to say that after a slow start, Leeds have grown into the game and look like they will be giving Watford a real test today.

Taylor in acres of space down the left for Leeds, but his cross into the middle is too close to Pantilimon.

A first bright Watford moment in a while as Deeney feeds Paredes down the right and the Ecuadorian crosses low into the six-yard box where Silvestri holds well with Amrabat lurking.

Leeds ending the half well here as Dallas cuts inside onto his left foot and has a shot deflected behind for a corner.

Cook's delivery fails to beat the man at the near post.

Just the one minute of added time at the end of the first half.

HALF-TIME: WATFORD 0-0 LEEDS

A half of two halves, if you like, there. Watford were out of the blocks quicker, but Leeds came right back into it and were the better side for the last 20 minutes. We'll be back soon for the second half, don't go anywhere!

Here come the two players back out for the second half. Doesn't look like any changes from either manager.

KICKOFF! And off we go again at Vicarage Road. Impressive first half from Leeds, but can they carve out some real chances?

Like they did in the first half, Watford out of the traps quickly and Cooper has to throw himself in the way of Deeney's shot after the Hornets captain nutmegged Bamba.

Shaky start here from Leeds as Taylor uses his chest to block Capoue's cutback. The resulting corner from Watson is met by Cathcart, but he can't keep his header down.

Leeds respond with a cross from the left by Taylor that Capoue heads away. The Whites win the ball back quickly, but both Dallas and Bridcutt can't find teammates in the middle.

Leeds are now shooting towards the packed away end which is absolutely bouncing!

UPDATE: One other fifth-round tie got underway at 3pm and there's just been a goal, with Darren Fletcher putting West Brom in front at Reading.

GOAL! WATFORD 1-0 LEEDS (SCOTT WOOTTON, OG.)

Harsh on Leeds this as right-back Wootton turns Watson's cross into his own net! It was a deep ball in from Watson and Wootton could have just let in go out of play but instead tried to hook it clear and somehow found his own net! You'll be seeing that one quite a bit on social media!

Dear me, what an awful way to concede after playing so well! You can't account for mistakes like that but you just wonder if Leeds can get back in this now.

SHOT! A second Hornets goal might just kill this one off and they go close to getting it as Abdi travels with the ball for ages before firing over the top as he stretched to keep the ball under control.

DISALLOWED! Watford have the ball in the net again, but Capoue's effort is chalked off. Looks like it's because of a foul from Deeney, but there really wasn't much in that. Could have easily stood.

What's Plan B Steve?

Steve Evans shrugs during the FA Cup game between Watford and Leeds United on February 20, 2016© Getty Images

LEEDS SUB: First change of the match is made and it's Alex Mowatt on for Dallas in midfield.

By conceding, Leeds have now kept just one clean sheet in their last 14 matches.

🙈 🙈 🙈


Deeney goes through on goal and he tries to round Silvestri, but Leeds survive as the Watford captain is forced wide before failing to find a teammate in the middle. Moments later Watford want a penalty when Capoue goes to ground, but Oliver is having none of it.

WATFORD SUB: They're 1-0 down and now Leeds have to face one of the Premier League's top marksmen as Ighalo comes on for Amrabat in attack.

UPDATE: Reading have turned it around at the Madejski and now lead West Brom 2-1!

The TV camera just zoomed in on the big frame of Leeds boss Evans and he was expressing his displeasure against a decision from Oliver. Can't repeat what he said before the watershed!

Although Leeds haven't looked completely out of place against a top-half Premier League side today, they have not created anything in the way of clear-cut chances. Not that Watford have done much either, but it was always going to be difficult for the visitors once they fell behind.

WATFORD SUB: Change in midfield for the Hornets - Guedioura on for Abdi.

"Evans, give us a sub!" chant the Watford fans as Silvestri slices a clearance to Taylor, who then miscontrols the ball out of play. Been a bad second half for Leeds.

Today's attendance at Vicarage Road is 18,336, with 4,065 Leeds fans still singing loudly at the end.

CHANCE! Opportunity for Watford to put it to bed, but Capoue fires over from inside the box.

LEEDS SUBS: Evans plays his final hand by bringing on Botaka and Erwin for Diagouraga and Antenucci.

CHANCE! It's just Leeds's fourth shot of the match and their clearest opening yet as Wootton feeds Doukara, who blazes over with his left foot from just inside the box.

WATFORD SUB: Final change for the home side, with Anya on for Capoue. There will be five minutes of added time.

Careless pass from Mowatt feeds Anya and he could go for goal himself but instead tries to find Ighalo, who miscontrols in the box. Can Leeds create one last chance?

Leeds centre-back Bellusci has just tried to lob 6'8" Pantilimon from 50 yards in added time with his side searching for an equaliser. Dear me.

Wootton brings down Ighalo right on the edge of the box. So close to giving away a penalty.

Watson goes for goal but he can't beat the Leeds wall. That should be that.

FULL-TIME: WATFORD 1-0 LEEDS

The Hornets are into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the first time in eight years thanks to a comical own goal from Scott Wootton!

Alternative shot: Scott Wootton scores an own goal during the FA Cup game between Watford and Leeds United on February 20, 2016© Getty Images

Not the worst display from Leeds, but they never really threatened and once that ridiculous own goal went in it was always going to be an uphill battle. Congratulations to Watford, who join Reading in qualifying for the last eight this afternoon.

Time for me to say goodbye, but if you want more FA Cup action then click here for our coverage of the evening kickoff between Premier League duo Bournemouth and Everton. Ta ta!

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Quique Flores manager of Watford gestures during the Barclays Premier League match between Watford and West Ham United at Vicarage Road on October 31, 2015
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