FT: Cardiff City 1-1 Watford
Vakoun Bayo levels for the Hornets after 87 minutes with a header from inside the six-yard box
Cian Ashford scores from close range to give Cardiff the lead after 65 minutes
The draw takes Cardiff out of the relegation zone; Watford move up to eighth, two points off the play-off places
FT: Plymouth Argyle 1-1 Oxford United
Rami Al Hajj equalises for the hosts after 63 minutes
Will Vaulks opens the scoring for the visitors in the 44th minute from long range
The Pilgrims remain bottom of the Championship, three points from safety; Oxford stay 17th, six points above the drop zone
Plymouth 0-1 Oxford United
A long throw from Will Vaulks causes havoc in the Argyle box but United left-back Greg Leigh is unable to get on the end of the bouncing ball and the hosts manage to smother it clear.
We are back under way for the second half in both of our Championship matches!
HT: Plymouth 0-1 Oxford
Jerome Sale
BBC Radio Oxford commentator
Plymouth haven't taken their chances and Oxford have, and in some style.
HT: Plymouth 0-1 Oxford United
Brent Pilnick
BBC Sport at Home Park
Image source, Rex FeaturesThat goal has absolutely sucked the life out of Home Park.
What a strike it was from Will Vaulks - he nearly took the leather off the ball he hit it that hard.
But it came from a defensive error when Victor Palsson misjudged his header and set Mark Harris away.
Not the end to a good first half Argyle's new boss Miron Muslic would have wanted.
Plymouth 0-1 Oxford United
Image source, Rex FeaturesThe referee blows his whistle for half-time, and Miron Muslic's first half-time team talk as Argyle boss will take place with his side 1-0 down.
The 42-year-old will be proud of his side's first-half showing but Will Vaulks' delightful first goal for Oxford United is the difference so far in this one.
The former Cardiff and Sheffield Wednesday midfielder's first-time strike from outside the box will undoubtedly go down as one of Oxford's best goals of the season at the end of May.
Cardiff 0-0 Watford
Image source, Rex FeaturesGoalless at the break between the struggling Bluebirds and out-of-form Watford. It's not been great. Jonathan Bond has been the busier keeper and the highlight of the first half was his fine save to push away a strike from Cardiff attacker Chris Willock. Apart from that, it's been pretty dull.
Plymouth 0-1 Oxford
Katie Middleton
Ex-captain of Plymouth Ladies on BBC Radio Devon
You've got to give credit to Will Vaulks, it was a sensational strike.
It was kind of Argyle's own doing really, we've lacked a lot of quality in the final third.
Cardiff 0-0 Watford
We're into four minutes of added time at the end of the first half.
Plymouth 0-1 Oxford
Jerome Sale
BBC Radio Oxford commentator
If the net wasn't there that might have ended up on the M5! What a hit!
Will Vaulks (44 minutes)
Image source, Rex FeaturesAgainst the run of play, the visitors take the lead, and what a strike it was!
Jordan Thorniley, who just replaced Sam Long moments earlier, plays an excellent ball to Greg Leigh, whose knockdown finds Mark Harris.
Harris looks he is going to strike the ball himself but cuts the ball back for Will Vaulks, who from 25-yards out, shoots first time right into the top corner - leaving Daniel Grimshaw with no chance.
It was an absolute beauty and has silenced Home Park.
Plymouth 0-0 Oxford United
Brent Pilnick
BBC Sport at Home Park
It looms like Sam Long's night is over.
The Oxford defender went down with nobody near him at a corner a couple of minutes ago and he's back down again now.
Looks like some sort of left leg injury - he's waved to the bench and off he comes - Jordan Thorniley will replace him.
Plymouth 0-0 Oxford United
Good link up play between Argyle's Michael Baidoo and Morgan Whittaker enables the latter to take a shot on but it is deflected out for a corner.
Adam Randell steps up to take it and balloons the ball over everyone in the box and it goes out for another goal-kick.
Really poor from the captain.
Cardiff 0-0 Watford
Image source, Rex FeaturesDaland is OK to carry on. As you were.
Cardiff 0-0 Watford
There's a break in play as Cardiff defender Jesper Daland is down after falling awkwardly.
Plymouth 0-0 Oxford United
Plymouth win a free-kick approximately 35 yards from goal.
Polish international Tymo Puchacz is over it but he dinks the ball with too much power for any of his team-mates to be able to get on the end of it and it goes harmlessly out for an Oxford goal-kick.
A waste, really.
Plymouth 0-0 Oxford United
Brent Pilnick
BBC Sport at Home Park
Image source, Rex FeaturesPlymouth have bene the dominant force in the first period of this game after their shaky start.
They've got the Green Army singing in full voice - all they need now is a goal.
Gary Rowett's side have not had a shot that has troubled Dan Grimshaw yet.
Cardiff 0-0 Watford
Cardiff respond to Watford's half-decent spell with some possession of their own and Callum O'Dowda's shot is deflected out for a corner, which comes to nothing.
Plymouth 0-0 Oxford United
A long ball over the top from Sam Long finds United's Matt Phillips, whose first touch is excellent, but Argyle's Julio Pleguezuelo shepherds the ball out of play for a goal-kick to the hosts.
Plymouth 0-0 Oxford
Katie Middleton
Ex-captain of Plymouth Ladies on BBC Radio Devon
Argyle have been very comfortable, hopefully they will capitalise on the possession they're having.
It's just the decision making in the final third that is letting Argyle down at the moment.
Plymouth 0-0 Oxford United
A good cross from Julio Pleguezuelo from the right finds Rami Al Hajj unmarked in the centre of the Oxford box but the Swede is stretching for it and is unable to direct his header on goal.
Moments later, the ball is shifted from right to left and falls to Tymo Puchacz but he fires a shot over the bar from a tight angle.
A really positive opening half hour from the hosts in their new manager's first game in charge, but nothing to show for it just yet.
Ivory Coast forward Vakoun Bayo now has 10 goals for Watford this season
Watford arrested their four-match losing run in dramatic fashion as Vakoun Bayo's 87th-minute header snatched a fortuitous draw at relegation-threatened Cardiff City.
Cardiff were the better side in a slow-burner of an encounter between two teams lacking in confidence and, after several missed chances, they got their reward when Cian Ashford's composed finish put them in front in the second half.
But after a meek performance which seemed destined to end in another defeat, Watford scored with their first effort on target as Bayo headed in from Kwadwo Baah's cross.
The draw lifts Watford up one place to eighth in the Championship, two points adrift of the play-off places.
Cardiff climb out of the relegation zone as they move up to 21st in the table – one point clear of the bottom three – but they will feel cruelly denied not to have won.
After a gruelling festive period, this was the start of an important week for Cardiff, who host arch rivals Swansea City on Saturday.
The Bluebirds' only league win since early November had come at Watford just over a fortnight ago, while that victory at Vicarage Road had set the Hornets on their losing run.
The two sides' shortcomings were evident in a turgid first half, where Cardiff were the better side by dint of having the only shots on target, with Chris Willock and Calum Chambers testing Watford goalkeeper Jonathan Bond.
The home side were properly on top in the second half, pinning Watford back in their own penalty area with a succession of chances.
Rubin Colwill fired narrowly wide and Perry Ng had a volley saved by Bond, while Cardiff's centre-backs were a handful from set-pieces.
Omer Riza's side eventually got their reward when a succession of ricochets involving Alex Robertson and Chambers ended with the ball at Ashford's feet and the 20-year-old academy product finished coolly with his left.
Cardiff looked to be heading for a precious home win until Watford punctured the hosts' feelgood factor as they equalised with their first shot on target, Bayo heading in from close range from Baah's cross to pinch a point for the visitors and end their losing rut.
Cardiff manager Omer Riza:
"Frustrated for the players, they have worked really hard again and deserved to take three points, but if you don't do enough you give teams the opportunity to get back in the game.
"The last four games we should have got eight points more in the league and it would have taken us to 13th, 14th, but it's shoulda, woulda, coulda.
"We need to control the game a little bit more when we are in front. We need to kill the energy and kill the momentum and we are not quite doing that at the moment."
Watford manager Tom Cleverley:
"We are mentally strong at the end of games, but the question is are we saving ourselves at the start of games?
"I know how good we are in the last 10 minutes of game. We have a good fighting spirit and I never thought the game was lost.
"The first half was poor and that's not how I want my players to play. That was my fault because I set them up to be solid."
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 48 | 19 | 29 | 53 |
| |
| 2 | 26 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 31 | 9 | 22 | 52 |
| |
| 3 | 26 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 36 | 17 | 19 | 52 |
| |
| 4 | 26 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 39 | 22 | 17 | 50 |
| |
| 5 | 26 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 43 | 32 | 11 | 41 |
| |
| 6 | 26 | 9 | 13 | 4 | 32 | 21 | 11 | 40 |
| |
| 7 | 25 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 28 | 23 | 5 | 39 |
| |
| 8 | 26 | 11 | 5 | 10 | 36 | 37 | -1 | 38 |
| |
| 9 | 26 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 33 | 30 | 3 | 37 |
| |
| 10 | 26 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 38 | 40 | -2 | 37 |
| |
| 11 | 26 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 43 | 37 | 6 | 36 |
| |
| 12 | 26 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 34 |
| |
| 13 | 26 | 7 | 11 | 8 | 29 | 34 | -5 | 32 |
| |
| 14 | 25 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 24 | 23 | 1 | 30 |
| |
| 15 | 26 | 6 | 12 | 8 | 28 | 34 | -6 | 30 |
| |
| 16 | 26 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 34 | 37 | -3 | 29 |
| |
| 17 | 26 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 29 | 41 | -12 | 29 |
| |
| 18 | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 31 | 35 | -4 | 27 |
| |
| 19 | 26 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 24 | 32 | -8 | 27 |
| |
| 20 | 26 | 7 | 4 | 15 | 27 | 44 | -17 | 25 |
| |
| 21 | 26 | 5 | 9 | 12 | 26 | 41 | -15 | 24 |
| |
| 22 | 24 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 30 | 41 | -11 | 23 |
| |
| 23 | 26 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 25 | 36 | -11 | 23 |
| |
| 24 | 26 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 25 | 54 | -29 | 21 |
|
Manager: Omer Riza
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Tom Cleverley
Formation: 3 - 4 - 2 - 1
Manager: Omer Riza
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Tom Cleverley
Formation: 3 - 4 - 2 - 1
Championship
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
Cardiff City are unbeaten across their last four league games against Watford (W3 D1), winning each of the last two in succession. The Welsh side haven’t won three in a row against the Hornets since March 2010.
Watford are unbeaten across their last five away league games against Cardiff City (W4 D1), since a 2-1 defeat in October 2012. Across that time, the Hornets have netted 14 goals in total.
After a run of four successive home league wins between October/November, Cardiff are winless in their last five such games (D1 L4).
Watford have lost four of their last five league games (W1) and could lose four such games in succession outside the top-flight for the first time since November 2014.
Only Sunderland (28), Stoke City (23) and Norwich City (18) have had more goal involvements from players aged 21 and under in the Championship this season than Watford (16).
