Sheffield Wednesday suffered their worst defeat of the season at Watford on Friday night as the Owls lost 4-1.

Despite having the better of the early exchanges, Wednesday found themselves 2-0 after 26 minutes. Marcus Tudgay pulled one back on his return to the side just before half time but the Owls conceded two more in the first 15 minutes of the second half to record a disappointing defeat in Hertfordshire.

Brian Laws made one change for the clash at Vicarage Road, Marcus Tudgay returning to the starting eleven following a spell out with a neck injury, Leon Clarke missing out with a minor hamstring complaint. Etienne Esajas also came back into the squad, taking up a place on the bench, having recovered from his knee problem.

Wednesday started solidly and created their first chance of note in the third minute when O'Connor forced his way into space on the right and supplied a fine cross which Tudgay headed just wide of the near post.

Lee Grant's goal was barely threatened during the opening 20 minutes. Danny Graham found space on the overlap between Spurr and Beevers five minutes in but could not make take advantage of his advanced position and Grant had little more than a watching brief.

The Owls threatened Watford's goal again on nine minutes when Beevers headed a right wing free kick down to Varney, whose powerful shot was tipped round the post by home goalkeeper Scott Loach.

Loach was in action again just two minutes later when Michael Gray curled in a dipping free kick. Tudgay did well to force his way in front of Manchester United loanee, Craig Cathcart and his header was held at the second attempt by the home keeper.

It must have felt like déjà vu for Laws said when the Hornets took the lead completely against the run of play in the 20th minute. Don Cowie's corner found its way to substitute John Eustace for his first touch of the game and his drive across the six-yard box was turned in by home skipper Mariapa, mirroring the Owls fortunes three nights earlier against Preston.

Wednesday's woes worsened within six minutes when Henri Lansbury played a cute one-two and squeezed between Darren Purse and Lewis Buxton before firing home low to Grant's right to make it 2-0.

Grant could not have been faulted for either goal and was forced into another good save on 33 minutes, holding on well to Tom Cleverley's powerful header as the home side grew in confidence from their quick-fire double.

The wind was taken out of the Owls sails momentarily but they continued to attack their hosts, only finding that the holes in Watford's rearguard were not so easy to exploit as the hosts looked to protect their lead with greater numbers behind the ball.



Wednesday's endeavour was rewarded though just before half time when Tudgay illustrated the worth of his return to the side. The striker worked hard to chase what seemed a lost cause in the corner winning a throw in ten yards from the corner flag. And it was the Owls number seven on hand to head home from close range thanks to Spurr's long throw into the box making it 2-1 just before the interval.

Having pulled a goal back at a critical time, Brian Laws, added extra attacking impetus at the start of the second half with Tommy Miller replacing the industrious James O'Connor. Just three minutes after the restart the Owls were forced into another change as Gray came off injured to be replaced by Esajas.

But the Owls found themselves 3-1 down in the 54th minute. Buxton had done well to head behind with a strong header under pressure from Harley but the Watford winger was left free from the resulting corner and punished Wednesday with a quick turn and left foot shot beyond Grant.

Harley came close to providing the Hornets another moments later when he flashed the ball across goal for Lloyd Doyley to go close with a header but the home side did not take much longer to score a fourth.



Laws fumed after watching Cleverley jink through his defence to provide Lansbury with his second of the evening completely snuffing out any fading hope the Owls had just after the hour-mark.

In reality there was no way back for Wednesday and a long range free kick from Esajas which whistled past the post in the 73rd minute was about as close as the Owls came to finding any cheer at all in the second half.

Watford were the only team that looked likely to add to the score sheet as the second half progressed and Wednesday will have an extra long week to recover and regroup ahead of the trip to Bristol City next Saturday.

Owls: Grant, Buxton, Purse, Beevers, Spurr, Johnson (Sodje 63), O'Connor (Miller 46), Potter, Gray (Esajas 49), Varney, Tudgay.

Subs not used: O'Donnell, Hinds, McAllister, Jeffers.

Watford: Loach, Mariappa, Lansbury, Cowie (Ellington 77), Graham, Doyley, Jenkins (Eustace 19), Harley (Severin 83), Cleverley, Cathcart, Hodson.

Subs not used: Bond, Bennett, Henderson, Bryan.

Attendance: 14,591 (781 Owls fans)