WATFORD 1 (Graham 54)
BARNSLEY 0

A SPIRITED Barnsley battled hard but their old failings in both penalty areas came back to haunt them as Mark Robins' first game ended in defeat.

There was a new look on the bench as manager Robins selected his first ever Reds side and made five changes to the one beaten by Reading last time out. There were debuts for David Preece and O'Neil Thompson while Bobby Hassell, Anderson de Silva and Martin Devaney also came into the side. Out went Luke Steele, Daniel Bogdanovic, Mounir El Haimour, Hugo Colace and Jon Macken as Barnsley looked to preserve an unbeaten record against Watford stretching back to November 2001 and end their worst opening run to a new season in 18 years at Vicarage Road today.

Watford looked lively in the opening exchanges with Tom Cleverley testing his shooting boots inside the first two minutes. His effort was never going to trouble Preece. A quick free kick three minutes later almost caught the Reds napping and gave Danny Graham a great chance but Preece was quickly down to make a routine save.

Barnsley were moving the ball quicker but a misplaced pass in midfield gave Watford the chance to break on nine minutes and a flowing Hornets move ended with Henri Lansbury lashing one high over the bar from 25 yards. At the other end Devaney saw a curling effort smack against a defender and bounce away.

Watford almost grabbed the opener on 17 minutes when Don Cowie broke well down the right and swung a dangerous cross in front of Preece but Hassell was in the right place at the right time to clear before Graham could pounce.

It took 25 minutes but the Reds finally settled and pressed Watford back. The Hornets' were rattled and Ross Jenkins' foul on Emil Hallfredsson gave the Reds a great chance 22 yards out. Anderson smacked the free kick into the wall. The Brazilian did well to take on the rebound but again saw his shot well blocked away.

Enough was enough for Robins and the new Barnsley manager wasted no time in changing things around and replaced Thompson with Kayode Odejayi to go to a 4-4-2.

Watford were still looking lively and John Eustace nodded well wide on 35 minutes as he stole a yard at the back post to meet a deep free kick.

Adrian Mariappa was done all ends up by Jamal Campbell-Ryce on 37 minutes and somehow escaped a yellow card after scything through the winger right on the edge of the box. Watford got away with it as Campbell-Ryce's free kick evaded everybody.

Referee Dave Phillips found his yellow card though two minutes later to flash at Anderson after the Brazilian kicked the ball away. Devaney was then booked seconds later for preventing a quick free kick.

Barnsley's first real sight of goal came on 43 minutes when Campbell-Ryce's cross was only half cleared and Hallfredsson drilled a low shot goalward although the ball clipped a defender and flew wide of the target. Watford were given a goal kick.

A trip by Anderson on Lansbury right on the edge of the area gave the Reds a nervous moment in stoppage time. Thankfully Watford were far too clever for themselves and nothing came of the free kick.

The Reds were on the front foot from the start of the second half and Hassell's deep cross gave Odejayi a chance on 48 minutes but the striker was under pressure and could not direct his header on target.

Barnsley should have had a penalty moments later as Odejayi was pulled all over the park and eventually to the ground as he challenged with Mariappa for Devaney's cross. Mariappa was the wrong side of Odejayi and it could have easily been a spot kick. The referee gave nothing and Campbell-Ryce could not put the loose ball on target and took a clattering after the ball had gone for his troubles. Hammill replaced him.

Watford benefitted from yet another soft free kick on 54 minutes but the Reds really had only themselves to blame as the home side snatched the lead. Cowie's free kick picked out an unmarked Eustace at the back post and Graham was able to scramble his knockdown over the line from five yards out.

It should have been two just moments later as Graham managed to sneak past Stephen Foster and through on goal but Preece pulled off a magnificent diving save to parry away the striker's shot.

Barnsley finally found their feet again on the hour mark when Kozluk volleyed one in from 30 yards but Scott Loach was able to gather the ball at the second attempt.

Watford got away without a yellow card once more on 61 minutes as Adam Hammill looked to break clear on the counter only to be hacked at by Cleverley. Again referee Phillips kept his cards in his pocket.

Cleverley almost made it two on 72 minutes as he let fly from 30 yards and had Preece flying across his goal but the ball flew inches wide of the post. At the other end Loach had to save again on 74 minutes after Devaney got a touch to Hammill's corner.

Robins made another change on 78 minutes as he shuffled his pack again with Odejayi - surprisingly - making way for Iain Hume. The change almost kick started the Reds as Hammill let one fly from the edge of the area seconds later but his effort flew high over the bar.

Barnsley were suddenly rampant as Hammill and Hume put Watford to the sword. Hammill created an opening on 86 minutes as his run gave Andy Gray a chance but the Hornets managed to smother the danger away. Seconds later Hassell's header caused chaos in the Watford area but Foster could not put the ball in at the back post under pressure. Darren Moore's flick on 87 minutes then gave Anderson a chance but again there was a Watford body in the way inside the area.

Watford almost hit on the break on 89 minutes as Jenkins let fly from the edge of the box but Preece managed to get down to save. At the other end Devaney's cross put Hume in at the back post but the striker was never going to trouble Loach from such a tight angle.

Nathan Ellington almost grabbed a second, which would have been tough on debutant Preece, when his cross-shot from the left drifted over the Reds keeper and smacked the bar.

WATFORD: Loach, Mariappa, Lansbury (Harley 86), Cowie, Graham, Doyley, Jenkins, Bennett, Cleverley (Ellington 90), Eustace, Hodson.
Subs: Lee, Hoskins, Bryan, Sordell, Oshodi.

BARNSLEY: Preece, Hassell, Foster, Moore, Kozluk, Thompson (Odejayi 28 (Hume 78)), Campbell-Ryce (Hammill 53), Anderson, Hallfredsson, Devaney, Gray.
Subs: Ruslin, Colace, Macken, El Haimour.

Attendance - 12,613
Away Attendance - 623

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