Cool hand Luke's sharp in the box

So how thankful Burnley boss Stan Ternent was to have Luke Chadwick in his arsenal after Robbie Blake's dud missile of a penalty had left them licking their war wounds.

Chadwick swooped eight minutes into the second half, lashing home the equaliser after being given a space the size of the Watford Gap to score his fourth goal in as many games.

And the former Manchester United man almost further enhanced his sudden reputation as a scoresheet regular when he hit the inside of the post in injury time, the only time Burnley really threatened to break down the ten men that the hosts had left on the field.

But at least Chadwick came closer to giving Burnley the lead than Blake had done about an hour earlier when the top scorer had a golden chance to take the sting out of the Hornets' busy beginning to the game.

It's worth pointing out at this stage that when reporters compile statistics during games, there are two columns that record efforts on goal - shots on target and shots off target. So as you might expect, not many pens were poised over the latter one when Blake stepped up to take his 31st minute penalty.

But although a well-oiled goal machine this season, with seven, he has been going a bit rusty from the penalty spot, having missed both of his two previous kicks this season.

The hat-trick that nobody would want duly arrived when Blake pulled the spot-kick woefully wide of Alec Chamberlain's right hand post - despite the fact that the veteran keeper had already dived to his left.

Whether Blake put the kick wide out of sympathy for the hosts, who seemed hard done to by the decision to award it, is debatable, but the shots off target list unexpectedly had another tally added to it.

The first half eventually ended with a scoreline more reflective of the balance of play, but only just, as Scott Fitzgerald squeezed in the opening goal 10 seconds before the end of first half injury time, heading in former Wimbledon team-mate Neil Ardley's free-kick.

So although a repeat of the 11-goal spectacular between the sides last season was never in the script, a sequel to the anti-climactic FA Cup quarter-final at Vicarage Road was certainly on the cards.

While the breakthrough goal in that tie was the all-important decider in who would go on to claim the spoils, on this occasion Burnley managed to find a way through their hosts' rearguard.

It was looking distinctly unlikely throughout the opening 45 minutes, exemplified by the fact that the penalty was Burnley's first attempt on goal inside the home side's area.

Only a low Blake free-kick on the edge of the box that forced Chamberlain into a smart save gave the 800 travelling fans a reason to spring from their seats, but it was another set piece that led to the award of the spot kick.

It was here that referee Andy Hall really wound up the Watford supporters as he harshly penalised Danny Webber for handball when he merely seemed to be protecting his face - which seemed sensible given the welly Blake gave the ball.

Then halfway through the second half the man in black really alienated himself from the Watford fans by booking Paolo Vernazza for the second time in five minutes.

And in this game, you do get something for a pair - a red card. However, the referee did seem to be playing his cards right on this occasion as Vernazza had to walk for a late lunge on David May, although Hornets boss Ray Lewington later claimed he pulled his foot away.

It perhaps summed up Burnley's overall performance that, while Watford wilted towards the end when a man down, the visitors couldn't capitalise.

The Hornets had started the hungrier, manifested in the problems Webber and Alex Dyer caused with their pace and probing running up front.

And Gavin Mahon missed the best chance of the half from open play when he only had Jensen to beat but screwed weakly wide.

While Watford had to sacrifice some of that thrust when they were up against it towards the end, they did well to restrict Burnley to that one Chadwick chance in the first minute of added on time.

But in between, an almost inexplicable piece of slack marking gave Chadwick his fifth goal of the season, already his highest ever tally, to give the Clarets a real bolt out of the blue.

It came when Gareth Farrelly's long throw was flicked on by Delroy Facey towards the right side of the penalty area, where Chadwick was waiting to steady himself and lash a half volley past Chamberlain with the slight aid of a defender's leg.

More in keeping with the pattern of the match was Watford's response, showing far more fighting spirit than you might expect from a side second from bottom with only one win.

There were no heads going down, but unfortunately for Burnley there were heads going up when a free-kick into the area almost restored Watford's lead.

Brian Jensen came for the cross but was beaten to it by his team-mate May, whose header seemed destined to loop into the gaping goal until it bounced away off the top of the bar.

But the woodwork was to turn against Burnley after the 90 minutes were up when a penalty area scramble presented Chadwick with possession in a similar position from where he scored.

He went for precision over power but failed on this occasion, as his shot across Chamberlain bounced once, struck the post and landed safely in the grateful goalkeeper's sweating palms.

WATFORD 1

Fitzgerald 45

BURNLEY 1

Chadwick 53

Vicarage Road Att: 11,573