WATFORD 0
BARNSLEY 3 (Odejayi 35, 55; Foster 48)

STRIKER Kayode Odejayi went from zero to hero with two goals to bury Watford at Vicarage Road and move the Reds closer to Championship safety.

Barnsley were broken, battered and bruised following Sunday's heartbreaking FA Cup Semi Final defeat and boss Simon Davey was left with the unenviable task of lifting his shattered troops for the trip to title-chasing Watford. The Reds, already rocking following their Wembley disappointment, were hit by the loss of Brian Howard and Martin Devaney from the side beaten by Cardiff while Istvan Ferenczi dropped to the bench for the clash with the Hornets. In came Lewin Nyatanga, Jon Macken and Diego Leon as Simon Davey looked for his first away success in 21 outings on the road.

After the 34,000 Reds fans made history at Wembley, Barnsley were backed by a couple of hundred hardy souls at Vicarage Road who braved the Luton roadworks to back their side in their pursuit of an away win.

Barnsley fired in the first real shot in anger on seven minutes when Bobby Hassell of all people looked to curl one from 25 yards but Richard Lee had his angles spot on and make a routine save at the foot of his post.

There were shades of Cardiff a minute later when Leon's pass sent Odejayi clean through on goal but Danny Shittu did wonderfully well to muscle his way back and get a foot in before the big striker could get a shot away.

Hassell's long throw in on eleven minutes caused no end of problems for the Hornets defence and Macken almost managed to get a shot away at the far post but he was eventually crowded out by the Watford backline.

Rob Kozluk picked up the first caution of the evening a minute later when he floored Jobi McAnuff on half way after the winger looked to break on the counter attack.

Odejayi was forced to relive his Wembley nightmare again on 15 minutes when he again raced clean through at Lee and onto Macken's fine pass. Odejayi was clear and in behind Shittu but this time lashed his shot high over the bar when he really should have broken the back of the net.

Watford were absolutely appalling in the opening stages for a team chasing the Premier League and a packed Vicarage Road let their side know in no uncertain terms as a chorus of boos greeted every misplaced pass.

Macken fired another attempt in on Lee on 25 minutes when the Watford defence gave him too much time and space 25 yards out. The striker took a touch before letting fly but his looping effort was easily held by the Hornets keeper.

Odejayi had Lee worried again on 28 minutes when he chased down Jamal Campbell-Ryce's looping cross. The big striker did well to get to the ball but Lee managed to palm it away to safety under pressure.

It took half an hour but Watford finally created a clear opportunity when Lloyd Doyley's cross beat everybody apart from Jordan Stewart at the back post. The full back was clean at Luke Steele but put his header well, well wide of the target.

The Reds signalled their intent to hit Watford on the break on 34 minutes when Leon raced through midfield before seeing his shot cannon away off Shittu. The ball eventually came out to Macken on the right hand side, who slid over a fine cross to give Odejayi the simplest of tap ins from four yards. This time the big front man simply could not miss and thankfully finally got the goal his first half display deserved.

Watford rallied, roared on by a shocked Vicarage Road crowd, and Stewart tested Steele on 40 minutes with a shot from the left hand side. At the other end Macken was again allowed to shoot a minute later but this time Lee was well behind his effort.

The home side almost had a clean sight of goal on 45 minutes when John-Joe O'Toole's free kick dropped to Shittu at the back post and the defender lashed the ball over the bar under pressure from Hassell. O'Toole then lashed a shot well wide of the right hand post in stoppage time.

There was still time for Nathan Ellington to hammer the ball an inch or so over the bar after patient build up play on the edge of the box.

Watford's supporter, who booed off their side at the break, were left looking for a second half comeback as their side returned with the words of manager Ady Boothroyd no doubt ringing in their ears.

Odejayi again had the chance to run at Leigh Bromby with the second half just two minutes old. The striker took the ball a little wide as he raced onto Macken's header but still managed to test Lee with a low drive.

The unlikeliest of away wins moved a massive step closer just a minute later as Watford's team of giants were left flat-footed by Leon's outswinging corner and Stephen Foster raced in unmarked to power a header into the roof of the net. Lee was absolutely nowhere near it.

Watford had a real chance to pull one back on 50 minutes when Ellington glanced McAnuff's corner towards the far corner but Kozluk was in the right place to hack the ball off the line. That's exactly why Kozluk was put on the far post.

After being a figure of fun since Sunday's horror show at Wembley, Odejayi went some way to silencing his doubters with an outstanding goal to rock Vicarage Road on 55 minutes. The striker raced onto Leon's fine curling pass and easily held off Shittu before keeping his head and firing an unstoppable shot past Lee from 18 yards.

Odejayi thought he had won a penalty on 63 minutes as he battled Doyley to reach Steele's long punt and hit the deck but the referee gave nothing although it would have been a soft spot kick.

Watford again came on strong as they looked to get their title ambitions back on track. Stewart did well on 66 minutes to free McAnuff down the left and the winger put Souza under pressure with a fine cross but the Brazilian kept his nerve to force Henderson into missing his header at the back post.

Odejayi again managed to get in behind Watford on 67 minutes as he found himself with only Lee to beat when Campbell-Ryce's cross came his way. Odejayi put his shot over the bar although he had already spotted the assistant's flag.

Steele had to be at his best on 72 minutes as he punched the ball clear under pressure after Lee Williamson's shot had cannoned away off a defender. Watford went even closer seconds later as O'Toole found himself with a free header just eight yards out but planted his effort off the upright and away out of play.

Steele got lucky on 82 minutes when he could only watch O'Toole's cross fly past him and to the back post but somehow Shittu managed to put the ball wide of the post from just two yards.

Odejayi was taken off to a standing ovation from the travelling support on 85 minutes as Ferenczi entered the fray looking to make a late impact.

WATFORD: Lee, Stewart, Shittu, Sadler (Kabba 57), Henderson (DeMerrit 71), McAnuff, Doyley, Williamson, Ellington (Priskin 56), Bromby, O'Toole.
Subs: Poom, Mariappa.

BARNSLEY: Steele, Hassell, Nyatanga, Kozluk, Odejayi (Ferenczi 85), Foster, Souza, Campbell-Ryce (Togwell 90), Macken (Coulson 90), Van Homoet, Leon.
Subs: Butterfield, Letheren.