Watford Res 1 Leicester City Res 4

A youthful Watford reserve team succumbed to a heavy home defeat in their final fixture of the season at Boreham Wood's Meadow Park last night.

With visiting Leicester City naming a far more experienced side, including 25-year-old Elvis Hammond, who started in both Coca-Cola Championship matches against the Golden Boys earlier in the season, it was always likely to prove a stiff test for Smith's team, and so it proved.

On a pleasant Hertfordshire evening it was the visitor's who began brightly and deservedly took the lead on 20 minutes, Louis Dodds netting for a second successive match.

The hosts, with Sheku Kamara, Dean McDonald and Daniel Wright all trialling, battled gamely and managed to restore equality against the run of play just prior to the interval, Wright's effort defeating Alex Cisak in the visitor's goal.

Undeterred, the Foxes upped the tempo after the break and Alan Sheehan soon rifled home a terrific 25 yard free-kick to restore an advantage Leicester City was not about to lose for a second time.

Left chasing the game, Watford were soon exposed and a neat pass from Levi Porter found the Ghanaian Hammond, who calmly slotted home, before an in-form Chris O'Grady completed the scoring with his fifth goal in the last two reserve team outings.

So a disappointing reversal for the Golden Boys, although they do end their campaign outside the division's bottom two after a good late season run.