Wigan Athletic Paper View (h)

Washout leaves Watford marooned at the bottom 

Watford made light of their Premiership survival struggle by taking the field before the start of yesterday's match accompanied by the theme tune from Mission Impossible. Ten minutes into the second half the wag in charge of the Tannoy music had another record on his turntable – Weather With You by Crowded House. 

The second half was less than two minutes old when a rainstorm hit Vicarage Road with such ferocity that in next to no time players were aquaplaning in large puddles and the ball was sticking in standing water. Referee Steve Tanner had no choice but to call a halt to proceedings in the 55th minute, announcing a 10-minute suspension of play. Although the rain began to subside, the damage to the pitch was already done and the match was duly abandoned. 

"It was like a monsoon of biblical proportions," Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd said. "For the safety of the players it was the right thing to do to stop the game." 

Wigan manager Paul Jewell was in total agreement. "It was becoming a nonsense out there," he said. "My concern was not to lose the game in farcical conditions and also not to get a serious injury. It's disappointing for our supporters who have come a long way but it was a Premiership game and you have to do the right thing." 

It never rains but it pours for Watford, who now finish the year five points behind 19th-placed Charlton at the bottom of the table, albeit with two games in hand. 

The home fans did manage a burst of "Two-one to the Golden Boys", but only when Boothroyd carried out his own pitch inspection during the rain delay and sent a thumping shot into the goal at the home supporters' end. Whatever happens to Watford this season, the affection in which Boothroyd is held by the fans is unlikely to diminish. Sunday Telegraph 

Managers stage kickabout to bring Watford abandonment 

Tamas Priskin's first goal for Watford in the Premiership since his £150,000 transfer in August from Hungarian side Gyori ETO counted for nothing as the match against Wigan at Vicarage Road was abandoned after 56 minutes following a persistent downpour that turned an already wet pitch into something resembling a paddy field.  

The decision was taken by the referee Steve Tanner after managers Aidy Boothroyd and Paul Jewell had spoken to the fourth official Graham Poll about the rapidly deteriorating conditions that had turned the match into a farce offering a rival to the pantomime Aladdin being staged at the nearby Watford Palace Theatre. 

Both had wanted the game called off at half time and had illustrated their point by inspecting the pitch and kicking a ball to show how bad conditions had become. But Tanner decided to restart only to suspend the match, before finally giving into the inevitable at the end of a 10-minute period when it was clear that conditions were not going to improve.  

'It was the only decision to make,' said Jewell. 'It was unplayable and the match couldn't continue. We were concerned the game was becoming a lottery and we don't want to lose in lottery conditions.' Sunday Observer 

Watford suffer sinking feeling 

As if the festive season fixtures pile-up did not create enough problems for clubs at the wrong end of the Premiership, Watford yesterday found theirs exacerbated by a downpour at Vicarage Road that caused their match against Wigan to be abandoned 12 minutes into the second half. The score, at the time when driving, heavy rain and a waterlogged pitch rendered conditions too dangerous to continue, was 1-1. Sunday Independent