Heartbroken Wootton gifts Watford place in quarter-finals
SCOTT WOOTTON stood by the dressing room door and apologised to his team-mates after his own goal sent Leeds out of the FA Cup. It was a freakish error of judgment by Wootton (left), turning a deep, hopeful cross past his goalkeeper Marco Silvestri at the far post – and it helped Watford into the last eight of the competition despite managing to score only twice. Quique Sanchez Flores and his team have certainly been efficient in the FA Cup, just as they have been in the Premier League.
Ties in rounds three, four and five have been won by a single goal.
This victory, however, was entirely deserved against Leeds, who were brilliantly backed by more than 4,000 supporters but devoid of any attacking threat.
‘Attack, attack, attack,’ roared the away fans, when the fourth official indicated there would be five minutes of stoppage time.
Leeds, without a goal in February, could have stayed at Vicarage Road all night and failed to score.
In fairness, far better teams than this have found Watford tough to break down this season. Defensive organisation can take much of the credit for the club’s first FA Cup quarter- final for nine years.
Leeds head back to the toil of the Championship, at home to Fulham on Tuesday, with little to play for, and a dark cloud of dissent hanging over the club, courtesy of controversial Italian owner Massimo Cellino.
There were no outward signs of protest until chants of ‘Massimo it’s time to go’ as the game drifted towards its inevitable conclusion.
Here are two clubs under Italian ownership with very different outlooks. ‘It was the cruellest way to go out of the Cup, an own goal like that,’ said Leeds boss Steve Evans.
‘Scott was distraught as you could see. He stood by the door, apologising to every player and every member of staff, shaking their hands.’
Watford made six changes to the side which won at Crystal Palace, starting with topscorer Odion Ighalo on the bench, and still dominated. Troy Deeney, Miguel Britos and Nordin Amrabat missed
chances before Wootton’s horrible miscue.
Wootton sank on to his haunches and held his head. Watford fans sang: ‘Sign him up’. Leeds fans turned on him.
The cross had been delivered by Ben Watson, an FA Cup hero with Wigan in 2013.
Etienne Capoue thought he made it two, but the goal was ruled out despite no obvious infringement, other than an innocuous collision between Deeney and Charlie Taylor.
‘It’s important to permit the fans to dream,’ said Sanchez Flores. ‘Football is for dreams. We are living amazing experiences in the Premier League and FA Cup.’