RAY LEWINGTON'S reign as Watford manager got off to a winning start on Saturday, July 13, when the Hornets came from behind to beat St Albans City 4-2 in their first pre-season outing.

After Simon Martin had handed the home side a surprise 20th minute lead, Watford equalised ten minutes before the interval when Jason Norville got on the end of a fine Jamie Hand cross.

Two goals inside five second-half minutes from midfielder Stephen Hughes put the Hornets in the ascendency, before the flow of the game became increasingly interrupted by a spate of substitutions.

Dominic Foley added a fourth with six minutes remaining, but the Saints had the final say when Jamie Richards hooked home in the last minute.

St Albans City: Wilmot; Evans, Ayres, Townley; Gould, Beevor, Castle, Smith, Chapman; Sippitts, Martin. Substitutes: Ullathorne and Kean for Sippitts and Beevor after 30 minutes; Mackail-Smith and Bridge for Martin and Gould after 45 minutes; Richards for Smith after 52 minutes; Beevor for Castle after 54 minutes; Gould for Ayres after 63 minutes; Waldor for Townley after 66 minutes; Martin and Sippitts for Mackail-Smith and Chapman after 78 minutes; Townley for Evans after 81 minutes. Not used: Dignum.

Watford: Chamberlain; Doyley, Cox, Dyche, Robinson; Hand, Hyde, Hughes; Norville, Smith, Gayle. Substitutes: Cook for Norville after 46 minutes; MacNamee and Foley for Hand and Smith after 55 minutes; Swonnell for Hyde after 58 minutes; Patterson, Williams and Wright for Gayle, Cox and Hughes after 63 minutes. Not used: Baardsen.

For a full report on this match, and all the other developments from Vicarage Road, don't miss this week's issue of The watford Observer.

July 18, 2002 15:00