Stevenage Borough 3 Watford Res 1

A youthful Watford reserves side bowed out of this season's County Competition as they failed to contain lively Nationwide Conference National opposition.

With the first team having played the night previous in Manchester Dick Bate was limited in his team selection, and the youngsters simply had no answer to the hosts who began in fine fashion with two goals inside the opening twenty minutes.

Stevenage Borough edged ahead as early as the 13th minute, Jon Nurse latching on to a precise through ball from Tony Thorpe, before drilling a shot past Scott Loach low to his right, and they doubled their advantage seven minutes later when Scott Balderson smashed home from distance.

Watford gradually began to impose themselves as the first half wore on without creating any noteworthy opportunities, but they were immediately given a lifeline moments after the interval when Borough's Andrew Iwediuno fouled Liam Henderson.

Albert Jarrett slotted home the resultant penalty and for a time it looked as though the Golden Boys would stage a tremendous recovery as first Jordan Parkes and then Theo Robinson came close to restoring equality, only to be denied by the brilliance of Stevenage goalkeeper Danny Potter.

However an equaliser failed to materalise and the home side wrapped up the game in the last minute, Nurse grabbing his second of the evening with a powerful header following a cross from Karl Beckford.