Watford bow to the inevitable

Premiership round-up:  Watford's Premiership relegation was finally confirmed after a Ben Foster howler saw them draw 1-1 draw…

Premiership round-up: Watford's Premiership relegation was finally confirmed after a Ben Foster howler saw them draw 1-1 draw against Manchester City.

England goalkeeper Foster, arguably the Hornets' best player this season, mishit a 53rd-minute clearance straight to Darius Vassell, who kept his cool to curl the ball home.

Tamas Priskin came off the bench to level 15 minutes from time with a smart finish past Andreas Isaksson.

But the rock-bottom Hornets needed to win to stand any chance of avoiding the drop and were unable to postpone the inevitable.

READ MORE

The race to avoid joining them in the Coca-Cola Championship conjured up another twist as second-bottom West Ham won and Charlton and Sheffield United played out a draw to leave the relegation question wide open.

The Hammers clung on to their faint survival hopes thanks to Bobby Zamora's first-half screamer against Everton.

The striker curled a brilliant left-footed strike past Tim Howard from 25 yards to seal a 1-0 win at Upton Park.

That allowed them to close to within three points of safety as Sheffield United came from behind to draw 1-1 at Charlton.

Talal El Karkouri's speculative strike from 35 yards took enough of a deflection to beat Paddy Kenny, but Jon Stead's arrowed finish ensured the visitors stayed above their third-bottom opponents.

Sheffield United move level on points with Wigan, who lost 2-0 at Liverpool thanks to a Dirk Kuyt double.

Latics goalkeeper John Filan gifted the home side a first-half lead when he decided to come for Jermaine Pennant's inswinging cross. He was easily beaten to the ball by Kuyt, whose header flew into the unguarded net.

A smart turn and finish by the Dutchman sealed the points after the break.

Lawrie Sanchez is still searching for his first win as caretaker Fulham boss as Blackburn came from behind to draw 1-1 at Craven Cottage.

Vincenzo Montella sent Fulham into the break ahead when he claimed the final touch from point-blank range after Papa Bouba Diop headed Simon Davies' corner goalwards.

But Benni McCarthy finished off a fine Rovers move just past the hour mark.

The final 3pm kick-off saw Reading come from behind to beat Bolton 3-1 at the Reebok Stadium.

A Nicky Shorey own goal put Wanderers ahead, the full-back diverting Nicolas Anelka's curled finish into his own net.

But Kevin Doyle won and converted a penalty six minutes from time before tapping home Seol Ki-Hyeon's 90th-minute cross and Stephen Hunt got the third to keep Reading right in the hunt for European football next season.

In the day's early kick-off, a week of intrigue behind the scenes at Arsenal ended with a draw against rivals Tottenham courtesy of Jermaine Jenas' injury-time strike at White Hart Lane.

After Robbie Keane opened the scoring for Spurs, Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor had finished off set-pieces in the second half — both delivered by Cesc Fabregas — to hand the Gunners the lead before they were denied maximum points.