Watford and Plymouth play out goalless draw

Watford and Plymouth fought out a goalless draw in the Vicarage Road sunshine that did nothing to help the ambitions of either club.

An insipid first half did at least give way to a second period full of chances and urgency.

However, Watford’s dominance after the interval could not be converted into the victory that would have enhanced their play-off hopes.

For bottom club Plymouth, who began the day six points adrift of the Championship safety zone, a solitary point felt similarly inadequate.

The visitors’ pressing game nullified the passing style of their hosts in a first half in which the only chances fell the way of Miron Muslic’s side.

Shortly before the half-hour, Michael Obafemi slipped a cute ball into the path of Ryan Hardie whose first-time swept shot was parried away superbly by Watford keeper Egil Selvik.

The two Plymouth strikers combined again shortly afterwards with Obafemi again the provider. On this occasion, Hardie’s shot was partially blocked by Caleb Wiley.

Visiting keeper Conor Hazard spent the opening half largely untroubled. Ryan Andrews ought to have tested him a minute before half-time only to misjudge a Wiley pull-back and allow the ball to bounce away from his feet.

It was not until injury time at the end of the first period that Rocco Vata attempted Watford’s first shot.

Even as the ball thudded into the advertising board wide of the Plymouth goal, ironic cheers rose up from the frustrated home supporters.

With a five-point deficit to make up on the play-off places at kick-off, victory felt imperative for Watford boss Tom Cleverley, whose frustration with his side’s passivity was clearly aired in the dressing room at half-time.

His side’s greater urgency was immediately apparent with crosses sent over from both flanks. One delivery by Wiley was nodded down by Francisco Sierralta only for Vakoun Bayo’s mistimed shot on the swivel to fail to make it through a forest of Plymouth legs.

Plymouth central defender Kornel Szucs was then required to block a Vata shot before Bayo threw himself at a driven Giorgi Chakvetadze cross but was beaten by its pace.

Suitably impressed, Cleverley introduced the energetic Kwadwo Baah whose dynamic wing play set up Vata for a shot that was deflected against the Plymouth crossbar.

Baah then sprinted away to sting the palms of Hazard with a rising shot. It seemed only a matter of time before the Plymouth goal was breached, although a volleyed Vata cross somehow evaded everyone in the six-yard box.

Opportunities for the away side were scarce until substitute Muhamed Tijani sent a low shot narrowly wide following an 87th-minute corner.

Watford were denied late on as a last-gasp Edo Kayembe shot was deflected inches over.