Championship Round-Up

Boothroyd's men move clear of Bristol City after win

By Robin Hackett   Last updated: 20th September 2007

Darius Henderson Watford

Henderson: Brace

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Watford put themselves three points clear at the top of the Championship after a 2-1 victory over Cardiff, while Southampton and Colchester shared the points down at the bottom of the table.

Watford move in front of Bristol City following the win over Cardiff at Ninian Park, which came courtesy of two strikes from Darius Henderson.

Watford took the lead thanks to Henderson tapping the ball home in the 17th minute, after it had hit the post and rolled across the line behind the hapless Ross Turnbull in Cardiff's goal.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink brought the hosts level after 61 minutes with a fine finish after receiving the ball on the edge of the area.

But it was not enough, as Henderson put Watford back in front after 78 minutes with his fourth goal in two games, sending Aidy Boothroyd's three points clear.

Southampton, meanwhile, will have been disappointed not to have taken all three points against Colchester at St Mary's.

George Burley's men were unable to score in an error-prone first half as Colchester came to collect a point.

Midway through the first half, The Saints could have found a means of breaking the deadlock as Nathan Dyer went down in the box, but referee Andy D'Urso waved away the appeals.

Only seven minutes into the second half, though, Southampton found their way in front. Rudolf Skacel - back in the side following a knee injury - whipped the ball in for Bradley Wright-Phillips, who used his strength to get past the defender and slid it into bottom corner to put the hosts one up.

However, Colchester looked a different side from then on and soon claimed an equaliser when Skacel deflected the ball into his own net in the 58th minute.

Both sides had plenty of chances to win it in an action-packed second-half, but in the end Southampton will have been disappointed not to take all three points after dominating much of the game.