Watford FC

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Naive Hornets frustrate Aidy

08 Nov 2006 - 09:16:27

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Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd blamed his side's naivety for Tuesday's Carling Cup shootout defeat to Newcastle United at Vicarage Road.

The Hornets appeared to have clinched a place in the last eight of the competition when they went ahead in extra-time, only for the visitors to grab a last-gasp Scott Parker equaliser.

Jordan Stewart missed in the shootout to send Boothroyd's side out of the competition, but the Hornets manager thought his side should have closed the game out when they went ahead.

"We did battle, we did get ahead and with five minutes to go we should have won," he said. "Newcastle deserved to go through because they scored their penalties and we've got no complaints.

"Fair play to them, they came back and got the momentum going into the penalty shootout. There's an energy about scoring a goal that teams seem to go up a level, and I'd like to look into that because it's not something that should happen, but it does, every week.

"We didn't start quickly at all and it was uphill after that. I was disappointed to lose a goal so early and from a set-piece too.

"I wouldn't lambast our players. We haven't done well but we still showed our character and you can't argue with that."