Foley repays faith

A spirit of revivalism abounds in Hertfordshire. Watford, horribly masticated and cruelly spat out by the Premiership, are showing early signs of finding their new, humbler, existence considerably more digestible.

A spirit of revivalism abounds in Hertfordshire. Watford, horribly masticated and cruelly spat out by the Premiership, are showing early signs of finding their new, humbler, existence considerably more digestible.

They were not especially good yesterday - "an average game which we just about shaded" was the unarguable assessment of their manager, Graham Taylor - but, courtesy of a terrific late winner from Dominic Foley (a substitute for a substitute) they won a second successive League game for the first time in a year.

Foley, a likeable Irish lad in whom Taylor (since his days at Wolves) has determinedly placed his faith, was introduced seven minutes from time. The watch showed 89min 58sec when he gathered possession 25 yards out; as it ticked past 90, the ball, propelled by the gloriously sweet connection of Foley's left boot, bulged the Barnsley net.

It was a better climax than a profoundly ordinary second half probably deserved. Until then it had been chiefly notable for the mixed contributions of Barnsley's three former Watford employees. Principal among those was Bruce Dyer. Warmly welcomed by the home supporters whenintroduced as a 63rd-minute substitute, he promptly increased his local popularity by heading a point-blank chance over the bar.

It was a hair-tearing moment for his manager, Dave Bassett, whose career stop at Watford was arguably the least fruitful of his life in football. Predictably therefore, with the game at its most turgid, Bassett became the focus for amusement. "If you hate Bassett clap your hands," sang the fans. He clapped, and thereby won their approval.

Also approved of was Kevin Miller, Barnsley's ex-Watford goalkeeper, who kept two exceptional saves for the moment immediately prior to the winning goal. A brave block from Foley and a flying parry from Allan Nielsen underlined the suspicion that the game would finish goalless.

That it didn't was due to an unforeseeable series of circumstances which afforded Foley the chance to play the last seven minutes. He came on as a replacement for the limping Michel Ngonge, who had himself come on for Nordin Wooter, who complained of a hamstring tweak at half-time. Of the three, only Foley packed a left-footed shot like that.

Prior to the interval, Wooter's speed and sleight of foot had provided almost all the artistry on show. Barnsley had no one to match his craft but, in Lee Jones and Neil Shipperley, have a classic little- and-large forward line which, given time, may work well.

In the first half, both exercised Espen Baardsen, Watford's summer goalkeeping purchase from Tottenham: Jones causing him to plunge at his near post and, from the resultant corner, Shipperley's header eliciting another hurried parry. Jones missed a better chance after the break. That wastefulness, together with Dyer's, left Foley to steal the day.